“The object of education is to turn the eye which the soul already possesses to the light. The whole function of education is not to put knowledge into the soul, but to bring out the best things that are latent in the soul, and to do so by directing it to the right objects. The problem of education, then, is to give it the right surrounding.”

-(Plato’s Republic, Book vii, 518)

No scheme of human life was so important to Plato as education. He himself calls it as “the one great thing”. Birth as a criterion for distributing function has been rejected by Plato. In its place he had substituted ‘capacity’ or ‘nature’ as a standard. Plato’s Theory of education was an indispensable necessity. It was a positive remedy for the operation of justice in the ideal state.

Spartan Influence on Plato’s Scheme of Education:

In his scheme of education Plato was greatly influenced by Spartan system of education. In the Spartan system the family had no control over the education of its members. The state was controlling all aspects of education. The great purpose of education at Sparta was to develop courage through test and trials which were sometimes

Plato also felt the necessity of moral education. The members of a society should learn that they are the members of one society & that they should live in the spirit of harmony & co-operation. Plato says that men by nature are acquisitive, jealous, combative & erotic & for correcting that nature a policeman’s omnipresent club is a necessity. Then he realizes that the better way of imparting moral instructions, is the sanction of supernatural authority. We must have a religion & Plato also believes with conviction that a nation cannot be strong unless it believes in God. It will do us no harm to believe but it’ll do us & our children immeasurable good. From 18 to 20, there was to be an inclusive training in gymnastics, including military exercises calculated to develop courage & self control, character & discipline.

Now at the age of 50, those, who have stayed the course of this hard & long process of education, are to be introduced to their final task of governing their country & their fellow-citizens. It is , in this way, after receiving a sort of perfection, as it were, the rulers will exercise power in the best interest of the state. The ideal state, thus, will be realized & its people, balanced in soul, will be just & happy.

Another great advantage of Plato’s theory of education is that it aims at the harmonious development of human personality. His scheme of education includes instructions for the training of body, mind & soul. The purpose was to produce the right type of individualities in the state.

A further selection will be followed by another 5 years study of dialectics. But even at this stage the education of the ruler is incomplete. After 5 years of dialectics there comes 15 years of practical experiences, during which they will be exposed to all sorts of temptations. “They will be tried more thoroughly than gold is tried in the fire” so that the incorruptibility & self control of the future rulers may be established beyond doubt.

Plato’s theory is wavering between the ideal of action & that of contemplation. Sometimes the goal is the attainment of the Idea of the Good & other times to do social service. At one time its aim is perfect self-development, at other social adaptation.

The importance of environment through successive stages, proceeding from simple to complex, giving to the child an opportunity to play an active role in the process of learning, the system of selection of candidates for the higher stages of education these are some of the doctrines of Plato which are involved in his scheme of education & by which the modern educators have greatly benefited themselves.

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