TEXT QUESTIONS :
1. Match the following :
|
a. William Jones |
i. Promotion of English education . |
|
b. Rabindranath Tagore |
ii. Respect for ancient cultures . |
|
c. Thomas Macaulay |
iii. Gurus . |
|
d. Mahatma Gandhi |
iv. Learning in a natural environment . |
|
e. Pathshala’s |
v. Critical of English education . |
Ans:
| a. William Jones | i. Respect for ancient cultures . |
| b. Rabindranath Tagore | ii. Learning in a natural environment . |
| c.Thomas Macaulay | iii. Promotion of English education . |
| d. Mahatma Gandhi | iv. Critical of English education . |
| e. Pathshala’s | v. Gurus . |
2. State whether true or false :
(a) James Mill was a severe critic of the orientalists .
(b) The 1854 Dispatch on education was in favour of English being introduced as a medium of higher education in India .
(c) Mahatma Gandhi thought that promotion of literacy was the most important aim of education .
(d) Rabindranath Tagore felt that children ought to be subjected to strict discipline .
Ans:
(a) True (b) True (c) False (d) False .
3. Why did William Jones feel the need to study Indian history, philosophy and law ?
Ans: William Jones had been appointed as a junior judge at the Supreme Court . He was expert in law and was a linguist . He studied ancient Indians texts on law, philosophy, religion , politics,morality and the other sciences . He felt that in order to understand India , Indian cultures it is necessary to discover the sacred and legal texts that were produced in the ancient period .
4. Why did James Mill and Thomas Macaulay think that European education was essential in India ?
Ans:
i) They said that Indians should be made familiar with the scientific and technical advances that the west had made, rather than with the poetry and sacred literature of the orient .
ii) Macaulay emphasized on the need to teach the English language . He felt that the knowledge of English would allow Indians to read some of the finest literature’s of the world .
iii) It would make them aware of the developments in western science and philosophy .
5. Why did Mahatma Gandhi want to teach children handicrafts ?
Ans: According to Mahatma Gandhi western education focused on reading and writing rather than oral knowledge . It valued textbooks rather than lived experience and practical knowledge . People have to work with their hands, learn a craft and know how different things operated. This would develop their mind and their capacity to understand .
6. Why did Mahatma Gandhi think that English education had enslaved Indians ?
Ans: Mahatma Gandhi thought that English education had enslaved Indians because colonial education created a sense of inferiority in the minds of Indians . It made them to see western civilization as supervisor and destroyed the pride they had in there that is Indian culture. There was poison in this education and it was sinful .
7. Find out from your grandparents about what they studied in school .
Ans:
My grandparents studied English, Science, Mathematics, Social Studies and the local language. There were lot of outdoor activities and life-skills learning too . Weaving , pottery making, type-writing and short-hand were some of the skills they learned from school .
Schools were not very common during the days of my grandparents . The nearest school was about 2 kilometres from their house and they commuted this distance either by bullock cart or by walking .
8. Find out about the history of your school or any other school in the area you live .
Ans:
I study in VIDYA MANDIR SCHOOL,Fatorda,Margoa and here is the history of my school
The Vidya Mandir Trust and Management Society came into existence in 1982 to realize the educative vision of the great philosopher Dr J.J Kamakshi . It was registered under the Societies Act of 1860 and also under the Goa Education Board.
Today, it is the largest schools in the field of education in Goa . It has contributed to nation-building by pioneering private initiative in education. In these 38 years students have emerged as leaders in their chosen fields as scientists, sports persons, defence personnel, movie actors, media persons, CEO’s, making meaningful contributions to the economic and social development of India .
It also manages a few projects and semi-projects, discharges its social responsibility by running ashrams and orphanages for the underprivileged and destitute children and women .
Imagine you were witness to a debate between Mahatma Gandhi and Macaulay on English education . Write a page on the dialogue you heard .
Ans:
Macaulay : I think it should be made compulsory for everyone in India to learn English .
Mahatma Gandhi : I am sorry but I do not agree with you. English is not India’s language .
Macaulay : It would actually be good to make it the national language. Indians will find it easy to communicate with the rest of the world .
Mahatma Gandhi : Indians should first learn their national language Hindi and their mother tongue They can learn English as a supplementary language .
Macaulay : Well, I am not really sure that doing so would benefit them .
Mahatma Gandhi : Maybe you feel so , but I am sure that my country needs to first be educated in its languages before a foreign language .