Towards New Education

Gandhiji's ideas in regard to this New Education did not, of course, suddenly emerge from his brain in 1937, but were the outcome of long years of sustained thought and experience. The present book relates to this earlier formative period when he revolted from the prevailing system of education and sought in various ways to substitute it by educational practices more in harmony with his own conception of the function of education. To understand adequately the Basic Education scheme which he formulated in 1937 it is essential to go back to this earlier period where we can see it in origin and growth. The present book may, therefore, be said to be a necessary companion volume to the one on Basic Education. The material for this book was collected by Prof. Nirmal Kumar Bose and Prof. Anath Nath Bose. But for editing and arranging it in its present form they are not responsible. An attempt has here been made to arrange the writings in such a way that the reader may see for himself the evolution of Gandhiji's ideas in regard to Education. Section I deals with his period of revolt; Section II with experimentation, and Section III and the others following with formulation of principles. It is hardly necessary to say that these sections are by no means rigid, for even in his period of revolt and experimentation we find Gandhiji formulating principles. Nevertheless it is hoped that classifying his writings thus will help to provide a clearer understanding of the development of his ideas. For the most part the titles of chapters and of extracts have been altered to suit the above arrangement. - Bharatan Kumarappa