Education for Liberation

This article attempts to dwell on four aspects specific to Mahatma Phule’s work in education: (i) Mahatma Phule’s own social and educational background which undoubtedly had a fair degree of influence on his subsequent social activism. (ii) The article will also attempt to explore Phule’s educational activism in terms of his founding and establishment of schools and other aspects connected to the continued functioning of the schools. (iii) The key to understanding Phule’s views on education would necessarily involve paying close attention to two of his most important works— Ghulamgiri (Slavery) and Shetkaryacha Asud (The Cultivator’s Whipcord). An exhaustive scrutiny of all of Phule’s writings which constitute a fairly extensive canon to gather his views on education, is too wide-ranging. Instead, an attempt will be made in this article to gather in one place his work specific to the educational field as gleaned from his more famous writings. By presenting a selection from his texts, the reader is also invited to scrutinise the works herself to further develop her understanding. (iv) Many of Phule’s ideas were something of a first. An attempt is made to draw a parallel between Phule and his ideas of education and some of today’s educational ideas.