The Role of Rabindranath Tagore as an Educationist

Rabindranath Tagore, who is customarily regarded as “India’s supreme educational mastermind”, had indefatigably reviled the educational system that was followed in this country. He, forever and a day wanted students to go through a holistic education system that not only shaped their vocation, but developed their liberated mind as well. Rabindranath’s worldview of education is not obtainable in any solo volume: rather it is observable in an assortment of expressions. It may be garnered from his addresses and may be read in his essays. The poet’s ideas on education were derived for the most part from his own understanding. His educational models have been shared by a host of other educationists and several of his innovations have now become a part of widespread educational practices.

Discussing the problems of education, Tagore said that a boy should be allowed to read books of his own preference additionally to the prescribed text books he must read for his school work. To quote him: “A boy in this country has very little time at his disposal. He must learn a foreign language, pass several examinations and qualify himself for a job in the shortest possible time. So what can he do but cram up a few text books with breathless speed? His parents and his teachers do not let him waste precious time by reading a book of entertainment, and they snatch it away from him the moment they see him with one."

Rabindranath played a momentous role in the National Education Movement. His involvement was two-fold. First of all, he took an active part in this movement and through his writings he provided inspiration to it. 

Secondly, he put the ideals of National Education into practice in the Brahmacharyasram established by him in Santiniketan, Bolepur, in 1901. He introduced a novel system of education based on the ideals and traditions of ancient Indian education.

Rabindranath deemed that the principal aspiration of education is self-realization. Being an ace-poet, who had, through his psyche, seized the collective soul in himself and in nature, Tagore held that this consciousness was the objective of education. Defining the aim of education, Rabindranath says, “The fundamental purpose of education is not merely to enrich ourselves through the fullness of knowledge, but also to establish the bond of love and friendship between man and man." This is the humanistic aim of education in Tagore s philosophy. His educational philosophy is an appendage of his general philosophy of life. He believed that every human being is one who has potentialities of making headway towards the Super human being, the universal soul. His design of the universal soul bore clear imprint of the Gita and the Upanishadic philosophies. He regarded education as being synonymous with life and hence the aim of education according to him was to bring about the all-round development of the pupils.

In "Sikshar Herfer" he showed how English education had created a gulf between life and education in India. Instead of emphasising the nature and meaning of the subject-matter, it emphasised only bookish knowledge. It destroyed the learners powers of thinking, imagination and discovery. So he suggested that the importance being attached to rote learning and formal examination should be replaced by the development of the powers of free thinking and constructive imagination in the students. He also suggested that the subject-matter should be presented in accordance with the growth and maturity of the students. 

Regarding the method of teaching he said that it is the teacher, who imparts knowledge, not the method of teaching. We try to fill up the gap left by a dearth of good teachers with the help of the method of teaching. He envisaged education through constructive, work in contact with nature. Like John Dewey he believed in learning through doing.

Rabindranath Tagore said that since language helped us to master the subject-matter, the mastery over these two should proceed together. But this has not been possible due to the fact that the medium of instruction is a foreign language. Too much time is devoted to the learning of the language and not enough is left for the study of the subject-matter.

In 1905, in his address to the students, he stressed the fact that total education could be imparted through a combination of modem western knowledge and the freedom of the students in the national context. The curriculum should consist of a harmonious combination of eastern and western knowledge.

He directed the students to prepare themselves for service to the nation. He stated that patriotism will be achieved through oratory or bookish knowledge, but through contact with and love for the country and the people. This love for the country will come from being acquainted with it, through the acquaintance with the nation's language, literature, sociology and history.

This purpose, he felt, could best be secured by the Gurukul system of ancient Indian education. To fulfill this objective he established the Brahmacharyasram at Santiniketan in Bolepur in 1901. He believed in a congenial and close relationship between the teacher and the taught, based on co-operation and understanding. 

Rabindranath’s educational endeavours were revolutionary in countless quarters. Being one of the first in our country to advocate a benevolent educational system that was in touch with the environment and aimed at overall development of the personality, his Santiniketan became a role-model for vernacular instruction and the development of Bengali textbooks; as well, it offered one of the earliest coeducational programs in Asia. The subsequent establishment of both Visva-Bharati and Sriniketan led to ground-breaking attempts in many directions, including models for idiosyncratically Indian higher education and mass education, as well as pan-Asian and global cultural exchange.

Rabindranath emphasised the need for practical and vocational education. In the Sriniketan attached to Santiniketan, technical training was imparted especially in rural crafts and vocations. He was a member of the "ways and means" committee which had advocated technical and vocational education along with other types of education. He was also a partner of the National Shipping Company.

He further stated that the system of education introduced by the British was turning the Indians into slaves. Hence he advocated that the Indians should somehow take over the responsibility for education in India. 

Rabindranath placed an enormous importance to the fine arts in his educational curriculum. To him, game, dance, music, drama, painting etc. had to be an indispensable part of the educational process. He felt that students should dynamically partake in the finer facets of human life for they were very crucial to enrich soul. To quote him, "Speaking is for mankind and music for nature speaking is clear and limited by its needs; whereas music is mystic and expressive for a romantic eagerness. That is why; speaking creates nearness between man and man, while music helps us to identify ourselves with nature. When the harmonies of sounds are released with our expression then speaking loses much of its limited significance, but on the contrary getting together of the two muses had an all pervading character".

Through his thoughts and efforts he not only helped the growth of the National Education Movement but also gave a concrete shape to it. 

Rabindranath, by his ventures and accomplishments, has become part of an elite group of innovatory educators, such as Rousseau, Montessori, and Dewey; who have striven to fashion non-authoritarian learning systems apposite to their respective surroundings. The visionary in Rabindranath and the great educationist in him solved the problem of today as far back as seventy five years. Tagore solved the problems of modern education, viz attendance, use of other unfair means and discipline in a dignified manner. Lack of restrictions in the class solved the dilemma of attendance, nonexistence of invigilation solved the copying or use of unfair means. Thus Tagore's educational system is an enormous exploit. It is lamentable that we do not try to apply the formulas suggested by him. 

Article contributed by: Adarsh Vidyarthi