Education in Ancient India c9.2

c9.2

Primary Education not important in Ancient Times :—Having finished our survey of higher literary education in the last chapter, let us now turn to primary education. Primary education in the sense of the knowledge of the 3 R's has become important only in the modern age. At a time when paper and printing were unknown, the ability to read and write was not a very valuable or useful attainment for the smith, the carpenter or the agriculturist. Today it is rightly held that even the ordinary labourer or the artisan should receive primary education, for it enables him to utilise his spare time in reading useful literature which increases his knowledge, widens his outlook and makes him a more useful and intelligent member of society. Literacy however did not serve this purpose in ancient times both in the East and the West. Paper and printing being both unknown, books were fragile, costly and beyond the means of the average workman or the agriculturist. The ability to read and write did not thus afford the means of a wider intercourse with the thoughts and ideals of the best minds of the race, as far as the ordinary man was concerned. He could obtain access to the best wisdom of his nation rather by attending *Kathās* and *Kīrtanas* (popular religious sermons) delivered by religious preachers, than by trying to reach the doors of a library, which was a rather rare institution. Primary education as an end in itself therefore did not appeal to ancient Indians; they could look upon it only as a step to higher education. It therefore naturally does not much occupy their thoughts; Smritis say next to nothing about it.