Elaborate on the Structure and Organisation of education in India.

Structure and Organisation

Education in ancient India was offered at two levels; elementary and higher.

Elementary Education

Education in India just as the case in other societies at the time started in the family with the home or place of work as the venues of education. In India, boys were educated by their mothers up to the age of five years. Elementary schools were generally simple and conducted their affairs in open air or under trees. This education was initially meant for the Brahman class but with time rules were relaxed to include other two classes; Kshatriyas and Vaisyas.
The content in these schools touched on the inculcation of laws, traditions and customs. Writing occupied a very important place in elementary schools. This was learned through the imitation of the teachers' copy. The process involved the use of stick in the sand, followed by the stylus on palm leaves before the use of ink on dry plane leaves. It also focused on the vocations, religion and practical aspects of life such as bathing, domestic and military training that was carried out through imitation and drilling. In addition, the boys engaged in archery, wrestling and yoga.
The classes were generally small with no mere than 15 children and lasted for several hours. Among the methods used for instruction were; memorization, imitation and oral or mnemonic teaching. Instruction never emphasized on mental or intellectual activity.
One major characteristic of this level of education was the respect that was given to the Brahman teacher, the Guru. The title guru simply meant the destroyer of darkness.


Higher Education

Higher education in ancient India played a very important religious role as a means to salvation. A number of colleges offered this level of education.

i) Brahman colleges which were called perishads offered education for the Brahman class.
ii) Forest colleges attracted distinguished scholars and emphasized on religion especially contemplation.
iii) Temple colleges imparted religious knowledge.
iv) Court schools offered secular education.
v) Buddhist monasteries offered opportunities both to the ascetics as well as to those interested in searching for knowledge per se. Memorization, and imitation were used to impart traditions.
This foundation helped the Brahmans to establish great universities which taught grammar, phonetics, rhetoric, logic, 'Arabic' notation, Algebra, astronomy and medicine.
Some major characteristics of education in ancient India touched on the following: Initial emphasis on the Brahman class that only made up 5% of the population in the society that received intellectual education. The Buddhists however, tried to offer educational opportunities to everyone. The Indians did not bother to explain or give reasons for what was learnt both at the elementary and at higher levels. The system of education was conservative and concentrated on past traditions and did not give room for innovation, creativity and individual initiative. Discipline was highly emphasized in terms of corporal punishment and torture such as throwing

ii) Forest colleges attracted distinguished scholars and emphasized on religion especially contemplation.
iii) Temple colleges imparted religious knowledge.
iv) Court schools offered secular education.
v) Buddhist monasteries offered opportunities both to the ascetics as well as to those interested in searching for knowledge per se. Memorisation, and imitation were used to impart traditions.
This foundation helped the Brahmans to establish great universities which taught grammar, phonetics, rhetoric, logic, "Arabic" notation, Algebra, astronomy and medicine.
Some major characteristics of education in ancient India touched on the following: Initial emphasis on the Brahman class that only made up 5% of the population in the society that received intellectual education. The Buddhists however, tried to offer educational opportunities to everyone. The Indians did not bother to explain or give reasons for what was learnt both at the elementary and at higher levels. The system of education was conservative and concentrated on past traditions and did not give room for innovation, creativity and individual initiative. Discipline was highly emphasized in terms of corporal punishment and torture such as throwing water on the culprit or sleeping on litter of rushes, arising before down among others. Last but not leased, a lot of respect was accorded to the guru. He was taken to be holy and wise and had the responsibility of molding the youth in the right way. They were not given salaries but gifts as a way of preventing them from striving for wealth and positions. They were to serve as good examples to learners by helping them seek freedom from material and human desires. The learners used to run and greet the Guru by touching his feet whenever he was seen walking to school in the morning.

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marto answered the question on March 19, 2019 at 08:20