Thoughts of Swami Vivekananda on Education

Vivekananda said that education is the manifestation of the perfection already in Man. It is the discovery of the inner self. It is a life building assimilation of ideas.

Swami Vivekananda

Aims

• The ultimate aim of education is man making.
• Education should aim at character development and formation of personality through hard work, good habits, spiritual and moral values, etc.
• Education should help an individual in self realization.
• Education should help in self confidence and thus increase the self esteem, self respect and self reliance of an individual.
• He supported the idea of Swadharma in education.
• Education promote universal brotherhood.

Curriculum

• Curriculum is based on the philosophy of idealism.
• He focused on the mother tongue as the medium of instruction.
• To keep the country united there must be a common language.
• Sanskrit forms an important part of curriculum.

Role of the teacher

• The teacher is to suggest and not teach. He is the facilitator.
• He laid emphasis on self teaching and self learning. 
• He favoured Gurukul System of education. 
• He regarded the student as the pivotal point of education.

Discipline

• He believed in self discipline.This discipline should not come through external pressure but through one’s own will.

Method of Instruction

• He emphasizes meditation, concentration, and yoga as an important methods of attaining knowledge.
• Discussion and contemplation were also encouraged.
• Love is the best means of education.

Views on religion

• He said that true religion is expansive and not contracting.
• It teaches us to help and not fight, assimilate and not destroy.

Views on women’s education

• He had a great respect for women. Women in the west had advanced and progressed largely because of education.
• He held Sita, Savitri, and Damyanti as symbols of womanhood.
• He was in favor of women learning science as well as housekeeping and household chores.

Views on physical education

• Vivekananda said that it is necessary to develop both mind and body.
• Self realization or character building is impossible in the absence of physical education.

Views on mass education

• He advocated universal education for biological, spiritual as well as socio-economic necessity