Commemorating the 150th anniversary of Sri Aurobindo, 9 members of Eager to Forge Ahead (India) Modern Institute of Teacher Education (MITE) conducted a colloquium on Sri Aurobindo’s integral education on December 3.
A press release from MITE, principal Dr. Kate Dandesh Kumar stated that according to the convenor of the colloquium, Dr. T.S. Pandian, the followers of Sri Aurobindo enunciated Sri Aurobindo’s philosophy on integral education and discussed various strategies for fostering the same. They lamented that many educational institutions give emphasis only on the three pillars of education enunciated by the UNESCO such as “Learning to know; Learning to do; and Learning to live together” which are focusing on the external realities and leaving aside the fourth pillar “Learning to be”’ that requires one to look into one’s inner self.
In spite of education commissions and policies emphasizing on the holistic development of children in educational institutions, there are challenges to provide integral education in educational institutions. This requires the enlightened teachers and the colloquium was an awakening programme for the prospective teachers.
The two sessions of the colloquium were followed by interactive sessions and distribution of certificates by MITE Kohima vice-principal H.L. Gangte.