Fr Chavevara Characteristics

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1 MA English

Research Methods and writings (MEL 132)

UNIQUE CONTRIBUTIONS OF FR. CHAVARA IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION

ABSTRACT:

The paper focuses on the unique contribution of Fr. Chavara in the field of education. He is the pioneer educationist who revolutionized the education system of Kerala. In the 19 century only the Brahmins and the higher class people had education. Sanskrit language was considered to the language of the higher class and especially Brahmins. Fr. Chavara revolutionaries the concept of education by starting a Sanskrit school for all the people of the society. He started many schools not only for the Christian community but also for the common folk, the weaker and marginalized of the society. The vision of Fr. Chavara

Education is concerned with learning experience, with developing cognitive and also affective and emotional attitudes, which are formative of man as a person. Since man is essentially a dependent social being, education might be termed as the introduction of the young into the society. Education is more than the developing of specific subjects, be they of science, history or even morality or religion; it signifies an initiation into a highly developed and complex understanding of reality. It also includes initiation into culture, which endeavors to see things as they are, to lead to a knowledge of the universal order, which seems to be intended and aimed at in the world. In the broad sense, thus education means developing knowledge and skills as well as cultivating attitudes towards life in all its respects, i.e. formation of man. In the narrow sense, it means formal education or

Indeed it was a great challenge and a highhanded revolutionary step. Chavara wanted to start schools adjacent to every church as the temples and mosques had their school at that time. In the beginning these schools mainly concentrated their efforts for the education of Christians. But later, without any discrimination, the savarnas and avarnas were given admission in these schools. Even though there were protests against this, the ultimate result was a great success. The social renovation of Chavara for improving the social as well as spiritual condition of the depressed classes was a complete success. The effort of Chavara was the first phase of the literary campaign among the people of Kerala. As schools were auxiliary to the churches, the schools were known as pallikoodangal (John, 59). Thus he had to develop them, bring them slowly into the mainstream of the society and help them to equal themselves to be eligible for