A.

Historical
Foundations
1. Global
a. Ancient Period
In the ancient system of
education, which primarily took
place in gurukuls or ashrams,
the students were meant to
observe strict discipline. They
were meant to follow.
 ANCIENT EDUCATION
SYSTEM IN INDIA
In ancient India, both formal and
informal ways of education system
existed. Indigenous education was
imparted at home, in temples, pathshalas,
tols, chatuspadis and gurukuls. There
were people in homes, villages and
temples who guided young children in
imbibing pious ways of life
 Temples were also the centres of
learning and took interest in the
promotion of knowledge of our ancient
system. Students went to viharas and
universities for higher knowledge.
Teaching was largely oral and students
remembered and meditated upon what
was taught in the class.
 Gurukuls, also known as
ashrams, were the residential places
of learning. Many of these were named
after the sages. Situated in forests, in serene
and peaceful surroundings, hundreds of
students used to learn together in gurukuls.
Women too had access to education during
the early Vedic period. Among the
prominent women Vedic scholars, we find
references to Maitreyi Viswambhara,Apala,
Gargi and Lopamudra, to name a few.
b. Middle/Medieval
Period
b. Middle/Medieval Period
- it was often conducted by the
Church. Very few girls, if any, were
educated at proper institutions, most
girls were taught basic reading and
writing at their own homes. The
students were taught seven liberal arts;
Latin, grammar, rhetoric, logic,
astronomy, philosophy and
mathematics.
The Education during medieval
period looked like and how it has
influenced the modern educational
process. Here are several interesting
facts.
 1.The education was absolutely
religious
In comparison with the time of Roman
Empire education during the first centuries
of the medieval time was in a decay as
fighting skills were considered more
important. However, the impact of other
cultures still reminded of the importance
of knowledge and the educational system
has been taken under control by the
Church.
 2. Only wealthy people
could afford to study
The religious representatives taught
predominantly people of upper-class society.
That happened mainly because it was costly as
the fees were rather high, books were very
difficult to obtain, extremely expensive and
teaching serfs came out of the rules of feudalism
as the task of both serfs and peasants was to
serve the representatives of the upper class.
 3.Only Upper-class women
could study but according
to the limited course
It goes without saying that all schools and
universities founded in the Middle Ages
were created for boys. Only wealthy males
could attend schools, but upper-class
women were also not left uneducated. They
could not visit educational institutions but
were taught at home.
The schooling has been
divided into 3 main
types
 The medieval schools have
been of 3 main types:
• Song schools, where boys were taught to sing
religious motives and sometimes they learned reading
and writing;
•Monastic schools meant for boys who wished to
connect their lives with religion. Sometimes these
schools opened doors to boys whose families were very
poor, but they had to serve in the cathedral for the
opportunity to study;
•Grammar schools that were established on the territory
of a church or cathedral and taught boys basic subjects.