Foundations of Education

Education is a very comprehensive term. It applies not only to the knowledge of the three R’s but much more beyond that. That’s why a person, despite having sufficient knowledge of reading and writing, is sometimes called ‘uneducated’ or educated unpadh’, i.e., so-called educated. In fact, the very first education starts ipso facto from mother’s lap. Here, a child learns the fundamentals of behaviour or conduct. Apart from school or college, the informal education picked up from home and society plays a major role in building one’s character. It includes social interaction, religion, different ‘isms’, political influences, individual efforts and intellect, motivational factors, cultivation of education, educational methods and teachers’ contribution, etc. All the above-mentioned factors go in making a person educated in the real sense of the term. With the passage of time, a child grows physically and mentally. Simultaneously, other factors also keep influencing him or her. Academically and technically, education’s roots are in philosophy and different theories, formulated by various educationists and scholars, over the years. Strictly speaking, one’s education gets its approximate completion after obtaining certain certificates or diplomas. But unless and until one acquires a little knowledge of social norms of behaviour, traditionally practiced rites and rituals and effective co-operation of teachers or guardians, one’s education cannot be called ‘proper’. That is to say studying beyond syllabus is as necessary as anything for proper growth and development. But apart from all these essential factors, the foundation of education gets its strength from the familial environment. That’s why the initial period is of crucial importance for a child’s development. The more solid and firmer the foundation, the stronger the edifice. The present comprehensive book aims at throwing light on all those issues relevant to the foundation of education. Hopefully, it would prove to be an asset for educationists, scholars and students alike.