Education in the Broader Sense

In its wider sense, education is the complete development of the personality. In this direction. Education consists of all those experiences that affect the individual, from birth to death. Thus, education is the process by which a person develops his love freely according to its nature in a free and uncontrolled environment. In this way, education is a long process of the environment of the growth of life.

S. S. Mackenzie shares his thought about it as:

• In a broad sense, it is a process that continues throughout life, and was promoted by almost all experiences in life.

M. K. Gandhi said:

• By education, I mean the all-round development of the best in children and the body, the human mind and soul.

Dumvile said:

• Education in its broadest sense includes all influences, on an individual during his transition from cradle to grave.

John Dewey said:

• Education in its broadest sense is the means of social continuity.

Education in the broad sense is a life-long process. It begins with the birth of a child and it ends with his death. It is a nonstop process. Continuity is the law of life. Education is not limited to class only; it is also not limited to a particular period of life. Education is a life lengthy process and goes on from birth to death. Throughout the life one goes on learning to adjust oneself to the changing patterns of the life. Change is the fundamental law of human existence. Life is a continuous process of growth and development and so education is an ongoing process.

An individual learns through his experiences, which are acquired throughout his life. Education is not just collection of some information. It is achievement of experiences through life in the social and the natural environment. It includes all the knowledge and experiences, acquired during childhood, infancy, adolescence, boyhood, youth, manhood or old age through any organization of education, the travels, the press,  the club, and the nature- formally and informally. Therefore, the education becomes the sum of all experiences that the child obtains either in the school or outside in life. In this broader sense, life is the education and the education is life. Whatever broadens our horizons, deepens our knowledge, refines our responses and stimulates thought and feeling, educates us. In other words, education is the process by which a human being himself gradually adopted in various ways to the physical, social and spiritual environments. It is the development of all the capabilities of the individual, which will allow him to control his environment and fulfill its potential. “Education, in the broader sense, is transmission of life by the living, to the living, through living and for living”. Education is a means for the development of balanced all-round harmonious development of personality. Personality includes not only body and mind but also spirit.