Back to: Contemporary India and Education – Unit 3
Sargent Report in Education 1944
The British took many initiatives to spread education in India one of which was the Sargent report in Education 1944. John Sargent was given the responsibility to create a comprehensive scheme for Indian education in 1944. A committee of 22 members was set up. They submitted their report in 1944 to the Central Advisory Board of Education who accepted the report and agreed to its implementation. This report was the first attempt towards the development of the Indian national education system.
Recommendations of the Sargent Report in Education 1944
The main recommendations of the Sargent report in Education 1944 were as follows.
Enhance behaviour
It recommended the establishment of primary schools for the promotion and enhancement of general behaviour and social experience.
Free Education
The report recommended that education for the pre-primary and nursery stage should be free.
Division of Schools
It recommended that the schools must be divided into two groups – junior basic schools and senior basic schools.
Technical and Vocational Education
The report recommended the inclusion of commercial and industrial subjects to enhance the skills of students.
Appointment of trained teachers
Trained and competent teachers were to be appointed by the schools as per this report. They had to be well trained and educated.
Mother Tongue
The report also recommended that the medium of instruction should be the mother tongue while English should be compulsory and be taught as the second language.
Adult Education
The report also recommended educating people above 10-40 years of age. Vocational education, technical education, and general education were recommended for them.
This report was the first scheme that took into account all levels of education. Teacher training was also given much importance. It focuses on making the students skilled enough to be self-sufficient in the future. Education for the physically disabled was also emphasized. In 1945, the government established the education department. Explain in Detail the Main Recommendations of Sargent report in Education 1944
