The Philosophy of Education is a reflection on the nature, aims and problems of education. It is a branch of applied philosophy that borrows from epistemology, metaphysics, language etc. It looks at both the theoretical and practical aspects of education from a philosophical angle. Now, because educational practice is so vast and varied around the world, there are, of course, variations in the philosophy of education as well.
This series of articles aims at analysing the different theories on education famous philosophers across history had and their application in the modern education system. Today, we explore Tagore’s educational ideas against the backdrop of the Indian independence movement and the educational reforms proposed during the period.
Educational reforms during the independence movement
When the British had started opening schools and standardising education in India, their motive was to create a workforce for running the Empire’s operations smoothly in India.
However, with rising national consciousness due to various socio-politico-economic reasons, national leaders and reformers like Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Bal Gangadhar Shastri, Keshabh Chandra Sen and more started emphasising independent education. They advocated for reforms where all Indians could access education and, more importantly, learn about the true India and its achievements, rather than British education that put Indians down and disregarded the subcontinent’s history and culture.
Thus, through newspapers and other forms of vernacular media, many activists started providing ideas on what should be taught in school and what level of minimum education all children should receive. This was important because educating everybody, even women, would create permanent reform in the society and refute British claims of ‘backward India’.
Tagore’s philosophy
Where does Tagore fit in this landscape? Most of Tagore’s philosophy came in the 1910s-1920s when the nationalist independence movement was running high in India, and the world was devastated after the war. Thus his social philosophy was based on decolonisation, peace and harmony.
Although he was a strong proponent of independent India and influenced many activists, Tagore was also a critic of nationalism. He believed that ‘narrow’ nationalism (nationalism that is stemmed from one issue alone or focuses only on one route towards independence) undermined the very ideals that brought a nation together. This kind of nationalism would divide rather than unite the country. Tagore emphasised other aspects of human identity found in civil life, cultural history, etc., to curb these extremist tendencies of nationalism.
He believed that a country’s unity did not come from uniformity but from harmony. He believed that nationalism promoted uniformity, while what should be propounded was harmony. This meant that while people were different, they all contributed to the common goal of living a secure, happy life and thus worked in harmony towards this goal.
Tagore’s educational philosophy
Thus, Tagore’s educational philosophy was based on the idea of unity that produced a patriot but not an extreme nationalist. Education, according to Tagore, played the role of making a well-rounded citizen that was loyal to their country, but did not believe in nationalism. These citizens were well-rounded also because they were not mere citizens but human individuals who lived freely and cultivated their own interests.
“Thus, in the political vocabulary of nation-states, we all are citizens of a nation, but in the cultural sense, we are (or perhaps ought to be) citizens of the world.”
He came up with the ideal place of learning: Shantiniketan. Tagore’s Shantiniketan was based on the Ashrama style of learning, where the principles of freedom, natural trust, cooperation and joy were instilled in students.
Away from the hustle and bustle of city life, the Shantiniketan provided an abode where the students stayed, prayed and learnt the fundamentals of life. Here, teachers played a more important role than the content of education itself. Tagore believed that teachers should lead by example and inspire students through their own lifestyles. He also did not believe in textbooks, putting the entire onus of educating on the ‘guru’.
The discarding of textbooks was also due to Tagore’s belief that children could learn directly from natural objects and events. They did not need rules and directions to learn but intuitively knew how to imbibe knowledge from their surroundings. Rather than depend on rote memorisation, they could use all their senses to understand the world around them.
Tagore also disliked that English was the language of education. He strongly advocated for vernacular languages to be the medium of instruction for two reasons. One, he believed education could not truly be universalised without it being in the mother tongue. If education were only imparted in English, only a handful of privileged children could access it. Two, the emotions of and deep connection to the mother tongue were vital if a child was to be correctly educated. It was from the mother tongue that knowledge was born.
Apart from science-oriented subjects, music, dancing and other cultural activities were also considered an integral part of education at Shantiniketan. All these classes were conducted through live observation and independent thought rather than relying on textbook knowledge.
Overall, Tagore’s educational philosophy claims that worthwhile education makes possible a life, navigating under the sign of an ideal unity, that is capable of cultural empathy.
Influence of Tagore’s Shantiniketan
Famous alumni of Shantiniketan include the likes of Amartya Sen and Satyajit Ray. They both have noted the profound impact Shantiniketan had on their lives and works.
While contemporary education largely still follows the British method of education, Shantiniketan has influenced many alternative school systems in different parts of the country and the world. These alternative schools, like Tagore, believe that there is more to education than rote learning. They focus on imparting a lifestyle, not mere information.
References
Bhattacharya, Kumkum. Rabindranath Tagore: Adventure of ideas and innovative practices in education. Springer Science & Business Media, 2013.
Chatterjee, Ramananda. “Rabindranath Tagore.” Writers Workshop, 1985.
Das, Dreamsea. “Educational Philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore.” India: Department of Philosophy, Women’s College (2014).
Pushpanathan, T. “Rabindranath Tagore’s philosophy of education and its influence on Indian education.” International journal of current research and academic review 1.4 (2013): 42–45.
Tagore, Saranindranath. “Tagore, education, cosmopolitanism.” Asian interfaith dialogue (2003): 78–92.
