Savitribai Phule: Mother of Modern Education

Savitribai was founder of modern women education in India. She struggled, criticized a lot in past. She not only fought for right education for girls but also for the right to dignity for widows, unwed mothers and women with unwanted pregnancies. She understood the importance of women education, even she understood the importance of knowing English. In spite of continuous harassment, she did not stop with her efforts. Many revolutions took place in the world like agricultural revolution, industrial revolution, information revolution, bio revolution but all these revolutions could not end the problems and sufferings of human being. She worked for the women when women were objects to be used, education for them was considered as a crime. She spoke against all boundaries because she was the woman of modern thoughts. She ignited many lives for which today’s women should be grateful.

Today’s women tasting the fruit of that tree of education which was planted and nourished by Savitribal Phule. Education for her was not only literacy or knowing the words but for her education was igniting the minds and personality of everyone. She used to teach in simple language. Mostly participative and activity based teaching methods she used in her teaching. In today’s education Right to Education act, Mid day meal scheme, Earn and learn scheme are new concepts. But Savitribai Phule used all these concept in her education. She used to give stipend to students to prevent them from drop out of the school. She motivated students to ask for library rather than giving gifts to her. She used to conduct parent teachers meeting at regular intervals so parents can understand the importance of education and they can motivate their children for education. She was very well aware about the relation between education and malnutrition so she used to provide meal to students as well.

Savitri Bai said, “Work hard, study well, and do good” she constantly underscored the importance of education and physical work for knowledge and prosperity. She felt that women must receive an education as they were in no way inferior to men; they were not the slaves of men (Braj Rajan Mani and Pamela Sardar 1988: 66) Savitri Bai Phule emphasised that education is the key to self- reliance and further to the social reform. In her work, Kavyaphule, She went to the extent of calling the ignorant people as animals (Lalita Dhara 2012: 77).

For Savitribai Phule education was not only gaining knowledge and getting degrees. Her thought was that everyone should get education through free mind and free thought. She used to say that education is one of the basic need as like food, shelter and clothing. She realised the main reason for the backwardness of people which was none other than education. So she look towards the problem of educational upliftment of the masses as a pragmatist.