The Need for Alternatives

Alternative education is about educating for an alternative, more sustainable vision of the world, and not simply about alternative methods of learning.

The ideas being discussed and defended by progressive movements across the country  and around the world- ideas on consumerism, sustainability, development and the relationship of the forces of growth to marginal communities- will have a greater impact on everyday rural life in India in coming years.

As society increases velocity, and problems become more intertwined, the need for objective, community-minded viewpoints is more critical. As with issues being currently contested, the issues that evolve can also be resolved with a sound understanding of local environment, community, traditional academics and the relationship of the various forces in the rural ecosystem. It is also imperative to think about the culture and values being carried into our future society. Education is the critical link to ensure this occurs.

A meaningful democracy requires a meaningfully democratically educated citizenry. Such an education produces students who have learnt to think rationally, who respect all opinions and are free to have and share their own informed opinions, who have been taught to fight apathy, who are able to weigh independently the issues that face them, and who are prepared and able to present their ideas in the broader social forum.

Truly effective education changes society, just as society continually changes education. 

Adharshila was started with the intent for laying a foundation stone for this new society.

The Roots of Adharshila

When we decided on starting Adharshila in 1997 friends asked us why we wanted to start another school – another doomed to fail project given the mad rush among tribal parents in remote areas to educate their children for a money earning career. But when we reached the village Sakad we had a dream and some ideas that we wanted to explore. We had a barren 5 acre piece of land and a clean slate, literally. The main questions agitating our minds were -

1.    What should be the content of an educational programme from the tribal farmer’s point of view?
2.    What should be the structure of the school - a space for interaction between society and the child as the decisive influence on the minds of children?
3.    What should be the role of learning as opposed to teaching?
4.    What could be an alternative to the formal school equation of education = employment?
5.    How could education become an active tool for social – political - economic change of the concerned community?

We had thus a critical view of the regular school system. The regular school concentrates on methodologies that promote learning by rote, the classroom is the main stage of action and so the children’s creativity is stifled. The culture that the school promotes through peer group pressure, behaviour of teachers, relationships of children coming from different economic and caste backgrounds is that of cut-throat competition promoting individualism.

At a slightly deeper level our critique extended to the content of school books which is based ostensibly on the purpose of development of human resource and promotion of values like nationality, freedom and democracy. Often the content of science and math books depends on what is seen as prerequisite for higher studies in engineering, medicine and other professional courses. The debates over content of books on history, geography and economics are coloured with the ideologies of the various debators. A more serious issue in the context of education of tribal children is regarding the purpose of the book - should it be that of handing down existing knowledge and tradition or questioning and analysing it?

When we expand our critique from just school to education – which we must – then we face the question of the purpose and nature of education. Here we have the great alternative views of thinkers like Mohandas Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore, Paolo Freire and Ivan Illich which are at variance from the present dominant view of market driven education. Most of our decisions relating to schooling methodology, content and structure depend on our view of education.
Then there is the question of the actors who deliver education – the Government or the private sector and the role of Non Government Organisations in this task. The responsibility, limitations and possibilities of these actors.
That is why we named the institution Adharshila Learning Centre, as it was to be a place where all would learn, including the so called teachers. On the basis of some of our experiences and learnings over more than ten years of trying to explore some of the ideas outlined we have reached a certain understanding of tribal education which we hope can contribute to the ongoing debate of what education for alternative visions of the world means.