Question- In search for the right man-in-society relationship, some stress the importance of the individual, others value adaptation of the self to the demand of others. What is your attitude in regard to these views?

Answer -

The educational system has always raised an issue should education train good citizens or good individuals? Are the social needs in education more important than the needs of the individual? This question of Individual vs. Social Aim of education has been widely considered and debated. Very often individual and social aims of education have been regarded as opposed to each other. But in the final analysis, it will be seen that development of individuality assumes meaning only in a social setting. It has been rightly observed, "Schools of every type fulfil their purpose in so far as they foster the free growth of individuality, helping every boy and girl to achieve the highest degree of individual development of which he or she is capable in and through the life of a society."

Individual Aim of Education

Following are some of the main views and points in favour of individual aim of education:

1. Individuality the ideal: "Individuality is the ideal of life," thus observed Sir Percy Nunn, and added that "a scheme of education is ultimately to be valued by its success in fostering the highest degree of individual excellence". Exalting the 'individual development' as the aim of education Sir Percy Nunn observes "that nothing good enters into the human world except in and through the free activities of individual men and women, and that educational practice must be shaped to accord with that truth." His belief in this aim is based upon the fact that individual is an architect of his own fate. He is responsible for his own destiny. Education, therefore, must cater for the complete development of an individual.

2. Based on the Socio-political Philosophy: The concept of individual development aim is based on the socio-political philosophy that social institutions, such as the family, the school and the state exist only for believing and improving the life of the individual. The individual is the end and these social institutions are the meAnswer - Therefore, they justify their existence only if they are conducive to the promotion of the individual's welfare. The society, the state, and in fact all the social and political institutions exist and work for the welfare of the individual. Therefore, the aim of education should be the fullest possible development of the individual. The school as one of the important social institutions exists for the educand, and not the educand for the school. Therefore, the school should offer an environment and atmosphere which is conducive to the development of each and every student.

3. G. Thompson’s view based on Biological belief: The biologists believe that every individual is different from others. Every child is a new and a unique product and a new experiment with life. Prof. G. Thompson says, “Education is for the individual, its function being to enable the individual to survive and live out its complete life. Education is imparted to preserve the individual life. Community exists for the individual not the individual for the community. Therefore, individual and not society should be the centre of all educational efforts and activities.”

4. Rousseau’s Naturalistic View: The Naturalists like Rousseau hold that “the central aim of education is the autonomous development of the individual.” According to Rousseau, “Everything is good as it comes from the hands of the Author of Nature, but everything degenerates in the hands of man. God makes all things good; man meddles with them and they become evil.” He believes that man and citizen cannot be trained simultaneously, we have to make our choice between the two.

5. Modern View of Psychologists: The Modern Psychologists are of the opinion that education is an individual process. No two children are identical in intellectual capacity and other dispositions. Therefore, a rigid and uniform curriculum for all the children is not justified. The process of education should be individualised.

Criticism of the Individual Aim: The Individual Aim of education is criticised on the following points:

1. Isolated individual – a figment of imagination: According to T. Raymont, “An isolated individual, is only a figment of imagination.” In fact, says he, “we cannot conceive of an individual living and developing in isolation from society.”

2. Every individual is a social being: According to Dr. Dewey, “As a social being, he is a citizen, growing and thinking in a vast complex of interactions and relations.” So, an educational activity that does not swear by the social end, consequently fails even to serve the individual.

3. Inherently defective: In the extreme form, the idea of absolute freedom to the individual may take the form of unchecked ‘self-expression’ or ‘self-assertion’. This sort of unchecked ‘self-expression’ will ridicule all social conventions or moral laws which form the bases of society’s regulated life. Even Sir Percy Nunn, the greatest exponent of individual aim, believes that “Individuality develops only in a social atmosphere where it can feed on common interests and common activities.”

4. Against spiritual nature of man: The critics of individual aim believe that the individual, left to himself, is an animal, selfish and undisciplined.

5. Individual must be made fit for society: Rusk is of the view that aim of education is not development of individuality but the enrichment of personality. Education must lift him from the level of a reasoning savage. It must give him character, moral and aesthetic sense and thus make him fit to live in society. An enriched and exalted personality is the one that thinks not only for itself but also thinks for others.

6. The basis of individual’s greatness is social: The great contributors to the progress of human civilization did not work in a vacuum. The fact remains that their greatness was due to their assimilation of the rich heritage of thought, wisdom and action evolved and preserved by others in society. They worked against some social background. Hence the very basis of their great achievements was social.

7. Adverse effect on politics and economy of a country: The unwarranted claim of the individual may adversely affect the politics and economy of a country. The 18th and 19th century emphasis on the political independence of an individual led to the education of the individual and for the individual. It also led to laissez-faire i.e., a free hand to exploit the material wealth for personal advantage.

Social Aim of Education

Following are some of the main views and points in favour of social aim of education:

(1) Society or State alone is Real: The supporters of social aim of education believe that society or state alone is real, and the individual is only a means, and therefore, must always work for the welfare and progress of the society or the state. They, therefore, hold that an individual should be educated for the good of society. The interests of society are supreme; and the position of the individual is always subordinated to that of the state. The supporters of social aim cannot think of an individual living and developing is isolation from society.

(2) State is an Idealised Super-human Entity: The social aim, in its extreme form, regards the state as an "idealised super-human entity, over and above the individual." The state or society alone is the reality, and the individual is only "a throb in the social pulse." They believe that "Individuality is of no value, and personality a meaningless term apart from the social environment in which they are developed and made manifest." Therefore, the function of education according to the social aim is to work consistently for the welfare of the state, subordinating the welfare of the individual to that of the state. Hence the state is to control and direct every affair in life including education which is but a means of shaping its citizens into a certain mould. The state has the right to mould and shape the individual, so as to suit its own purposes and progress. It uses education as the most convenient means for preparing individuals to play different roles in society.

(3) Education through Social Control: The exponents of this school of thought believe in imparting education through social control, and their emphasis in the educational process is on strict discipline and obedience. In the end, it is the state which determines the field where the services of the individual are most needed, and not where he can do his best according to his own ability and aptitude. The state is supreme to dictate what shall be taught and how shall be taught. Discipline is its watchword, willing acceptance of authority is the method, and obedience is the rule.

Synthesis of Individual and Social Aims

In reality, the above two types of aims may be opposed to each other if stressed in their extreme form. But, if their sharp edges are rounded off, they become rather complimentary to each other. The individual aim, if stressed greatly, will produce egoists, while extreme emphasis on social aim will create suppressed personalities. Therefore, the extreme form of either of the two should be avoided.

If we examine both the aims dispassionately, we shall find that neither the individual nor the society can exist without each other. The individual is the product of society, while the society finds its advancement in the development of its individual members. It must be admitted that the individual cannot develop in vacuum. He is a social animal. His potentialities are stimulated by the environmental forces. Therefore, individuality cannot and should not be emphasised by neglecting general human ideals. Thus, both the schools of thought have made valuable contribution to the art and science of education.

A synthesis of the two aims will be the ideal condition. The school should try to develop the individuality of each child through social contacts and social control, with maximum possible freedom for each individual. "Individuality is not a private possession, but is the means through which real good can enter the world. The good of all is the good of each." So, the real aim of education may be defined as "the highest development of the individual as member of the society."

Hence the individual and the society may both be regarded as equally important, neither of the two being absolutely independent of the other. Instead of being regarded as isolated entities, the individual and the society should be considered as functionally related to each other; the individual acting on the individual.

The personality of the individual has to be developed but, this cannot be done in isolation. The individual personality is essentially a product of the interaction between the individual and society.

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