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Chapter 1
Education systems
Past and Present
From several thousands of years, education was conceived as a tool to impart knowledge.
There were two kinds of Knowledge. So, there were two kinds of schools.
Schools Within their homes:
The domain knowledge was imparted by father to his son. Typically the knowledge and skills were confined to a community of people living by one particular trade. That knowledge was guarded as secret. It was a matter of economics. So, the castes were born.
These schools produced artisans who in turn, delivered services and products to the society, for a living. One could compare it to domain (specialized) knowledge.
Schools Away from homes:
The other is the elite schools. Sought for and received by rich and powerful in the society. The royals, courtiers, merchants received it from away their own homes. The school was, the home of a Guru also known as man of knowledge.
There were several knowledge workers in the society and often known in different names.
Ordinary mortal, generally, do not seek this kind of education. If there is one it would be an exception. Ekalavya was one.
The students from these schools do not receive specilized knowledge or skills. Instead, they were taught to THINK.
The students and enabled to Learn along their lives. Because the students are no finite knowledge or skills to deal with. As a ruler, a public administrator or a globe tottering trader encounter new situations which is not knowable in advance. So they need to learn from the present, extrapolate into future.
An artisan is living in a limited and known world that would affect his life or affecting in other’s lives, unlike public men.
Public men are required to be problem solvers or solution providers.
Modern Education:
A good news about modern education is that it has broken the caste barriers of professional knowledge into open and accessible to all. Any one pursue a profession closer to his heart.
If this was the objective of education then we have met more than adequately. If the whole world is into an agrarian economy this is more than what is really needed. Unlike the long past, nearly every citizen of our country is literate. In today’s international scnerario, it is not enough.