Notes on basic education or wardha scheme of Gandhiji.

1. GANDHIJI’S
SYSTEMOF
BASIC
EDUCATION.
AbhishekPB
English

2. INTRODUCTION
▪ BasicEducationorWardhaSchemeofEducationisanationalsystemofeducationput
forwardbyMahatmaGandhiin1973asarevolt againstthesterile,book-centered,
examinationorientedsystemofeducationpropagatedbytheBritish.
▪ Thissystemiscalledbythename'WardhaScheme’becausethesalientfeaturesofthis
schemeofeducationwasfirstpresentedbyGandhijiintheAllIndiaNationalEducation
ConferenceheldatWardha(Maharashtra)onthe22nd and23rd ofOctober,1937.
▪ ThisschemeofeducationisalsoknownasBasicEducationorWardhaSchemeof
EducationorNewEducationorNaiTalim.
▪ Gandhijiusedtheterm basictodescribethisschemeofeducationbecauseitis
intimatelyrelatedwiththebasicneedsandinterestsofIndianchildren.
▪ Itisaneducationalschemeforcommonmanwhoconstitutesthebaseorbackboneof
ourcountry.
▪ BasicEducationorNaiTalimwasbasedonthefundamentalprincipleof“learningby
doing”.Gandhijibelievedonactionandhencehisconceptofbasiceducationcanbe
classifiedasactivitymethodorpracticemethod.

3. FEATURESOFBASIC
EDUCATION
1. Freeandcompulsoryeducationfromtheageofseventofourteenyears.
2. Mothertongueasthemediumofinstruction.
3. Craftcenterededucation.
4. DevelopmentofCreativityandCriticalthinking.
5. ImportanceofMoraleducation.
6. Itaimedtoachievetheharmoniousdevelopmentofthechild’sbody,mind,heartand
soul.
7. TheidealofCitizenship.
8. Itisself–supportedthroughsomeproductivework.
9. AwarenessonSocialservices.

4. MERITS
▪ Life-centerededucation.
▪ Self-supporting.“Earnwhileyoulearn”isanotherfeatureoftheplan
▪ Thecraftcenterededucationwillgivegreaterconcretenessandrealitytothe
knowledgeacquiredbychildren.
▪ Itwasaneedbasededucationwhichcurtailedruralunemployment.
▪ Basiceducationtakesintoaccounttheneeds,interestandaptitudeofthechild.
Thusitisessentiallychild-centered.
▪ Gandhiji’sschemewashighlypracticalasitstartswithactionratherthanreflection.
▪ Ultimateaimtocreateansocialorderwherethereisnounnaturaldivision
between'haves’and‘have-nots’.
▪ Basiceducationprovidesfortheinculcationofanattitudeoftruthtochildren.

5. DEMERITS
▪ Theoveremphasisoncraftsandproductiveactivityhasoftenbeencriticizedas
childlabour.
▪ Itneglectseducationintermsofpersonalitydevelopmentanddevelopmentof
highermentalabilities.
▪ Thecraft–centerednesshasresultedinenormouswastageofmaterialandsmall
childrenarenotinapositiontoproduceanythingworthwhile.
▪ Schoolswoulddegradeastradecentres
▪ Itmayarrestthechild’sspontaneousdevelopment.
▪ Thecallforcorrelationbecomesforcedandunnatural
▪ Thebasicschemeoverlookedthepossibilitiesofhigherintellectualdevelopment
ofchildren.
▪ Makinghandicraftasnucleusofteachingwillamounttothrowingthecountry
furtherbehindinthisageofscienceandtechnology.

6. THANK
YOU!