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Savitribai Phule
- 1. “Recent trends inEducation and its relevance with Savitribai Phule’s ideas” Theme : Contribution of Savitribai Phule in Indian education and reform Lecture by: Syeda Tamanna Yasmin PhD Research Scholar & Lecturer ( Microbiology), Dispur Paramedical & Nursing Institute, Guwahati , Assam
- 2. Introduction • Savitribai Phulewas an Indian social reformer, • Educationalist, and poet from Maharashtra. • Along with her husband, in Maharashtra, she played an important and vital role in improving women's rights in India. • She is considered to be the pioneer of India's feminist movement. • Savitribai and her husband founded one of the first modern Indian girls' school in Pune, at Bhide wada in 1848. • She worked to abolish the discrimination and unfair treatment of people based on caste and gender.
- 4. About Savitribai Phule •Savitribai Phule was born on 3 January 1831 in the village of Naigaon in Satara District, Maharashtra. • Her birthplace was about fifteen km (9.3 mi) from Shirval and about 50 km (31 mi) from Pune. • Savitribai Phule was the youngest daughter of Lakshmi and Khandoji Nevase Patil, both of whom belonged to the Mali Community. • She had three siblings. • Savitribai was married to her husband Jyotirao Phule at the age of 9 or 10 (he was 13). • Savitribai and Jyotirao had no children of their own. It is said that they adopted Yashawant Rao, a son born to a Brahmin widow.
- 5. Education and career •Savitribai was illiterate at the time of her marriage. • Jyotirao educated Savitribai and Sagunabai Shirsagar, his cousin sister at their home along with working at their farm. • After completing her primary education with Jyotirao, her further education was the responsibility of his friends, Sakharam Yeshwant Paranjpe and Keshav Shivram Bhavalkar. • She also enrolled herself in two teacher's training programs; the first was at institution run by an American missionary, Cynthia Farrar, in Ahmednagar, and the second course was at a Normal School in Pune.Given her training, Savitribai may have been the first Indian woman teacher and headmistress. • After completing her teacher's education, Savitribai Phule started teaching girls at the Maharwada in Pune. • She did so alongside Sagunabai Kshirsagar who was a revolutionary feminist as well as a mentor to Jyotirao. • Not long after beginning to teach with Sagunabai, Savitribai and Jyotirao Phule. They started their own school at Bhide Wada. Bhide Wada was the home of Tatya Saheb Bhide, who was inspired by the work that the trio was doing. • The curriculum at Bhide Wada included traditional western curriculum of mathematics, science, and social studies. By the end of 1851, Savitribai and Jyotirao Phule were running three different schools for girls in Pune. Combined, the three schools had approximately one hundred and fifty students enrolled. Like the curriculum, the teaching methods employed by the three schools differed from those used in government schools. • The author, Divya Kandukuri believes that the Phule methods were regarded as being superior to those used by government schools. As a result of this reputation, the number of girls receiving their education at the Phule's schools outnumbered the number of boys enrolled in government schools.
- 6. Education and career •After moving out of Jyotirao's father's home, the Phule's moved in with the family of one of Jyotirao's friends, Usman Sheikh. • It was there that Savitribai met a soon to be close friend and colleague named Fatima Begum Sheikh. • According to Nasreen Sayyed, a leading scholar on Sheikh, "Fatima Sheikh knew how to read and write already, her brother Usman who was a friend of Jyotiba, had encouraged Fatima to take up the teacher training course. • She went along with Savitribai to the Normal School and they both graduated together. • She was the first Muslim woman teacher of India". Fatima and Savitribai opened a school in Sheikh's home in 1849. • In the 1850s, Savitribai and Jyotirao Phule established two educational trusts. They were entitled: the Native,Male School, Pune and the Society for Promoting the Education of Mahars, Mangs, and Etceteras. • These two trusts ended up encompassing many schools which were led by Savitribai Phule and later, Fatima Sheikh.
- 8. Activities of Savitribai phule
- 9. Tribute to hercontributions.
- 10. Major works • Upliftmentof scheduled caste • Resettlement of poor people • Education of women • Education of slum children
- 11. Contribution of SavitribaiPhule on Education in 21st century • As a Mother of Modern Education: Today in India we found a woman in each and every field. They walk freely, talk freely, participate in social activities because initially Savitribai Phule struggled, criticized a lot in past. • She not only fought for the 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's education, even she understood the importance of knowing English. In spite of continuous harassment, she did not stop with her efforts.. She motivated students to ask for a library rather than giving gifts to her. • She used to conduct the 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 a meal to students as well. • As a Role of Educational Transformer: In the age when women were confined to their kitchen and children, Savitribai laid down the foundation for women's education and women's empowerment. Society was rigidly based on caste, religion and gender separation. On 1st January 1848, she started the first school for girls in Bhide Wada. Savitribai provided slates and pencils to the girls.
- 12. Cont. • Formation NightSchool: In 1855, a night school for agriculturists and labourers was started by the Phule couple. Many downtrodden people had no option to go to regular schools but could themselves available only at night so to cater their needs Phule couples started the night school. They took initiatives to reduce malnutrition in children by taking care of the health of each and every child in school. • They introduced the RTE and Mid-day Meal Schemes in 1850. Manifesting and Inspiring Students: Savitribai Phule is also said to have inspired a young student to ask for a library for the school at an award ceremony instead of gifts for herself. She inspired the young girls to take up painting, writing, and other activities. • She had taken revolutionary steps to educate women which were not liked by orthodox society. Role of Women Empowerment in Society: Jyotirao and Savitribai started schools for children from the Mang and Mahar castes, who were regarded as untouchables. Three Phule schools were in operation in 1852.This year she also started the Mahila Seva Mandal to create awareness among women regarding their rights, dignity and other social issues. • In 1863, Jyotirao and Savitribai also started a care center called ‘Balhatya Pratibandhak Griha,’ possibly the first-ever infanticide prohibition home founded in India. It was set up so that pregnant Brahmin widows and rape victims can deliver their children in a safe and secure place thus preventing the killing of widows as well as reducing the rate of infanticide. Savitribai worked tirelessly against social evils like child marriage and sati pratha, two of the most sensitive social issues that were gradually weakening the very existence of women. • She is one of the much-devotedpersons who fought against the totalitarianism of caste and social evils in India.
- 13. Cont. • She declaredwar against casteism and Brahminic caste culture. Contribution to Women’s Rights in India: A leading social reformer Savitribai Phule is hailed for her contribution in the field of education • Savitribai was a crusader for women's empowerment as she broke all stereotypes and spent her life promoting the noble cause of women’s education. • The school was open to girls from all sections of society. Girls from different religions, castes, and socioeconomic backgrounds would come to study. However, the school was temporarily closed due to a shortage of funds. • Social Prosperity, Awareness and Responsibility: Today women have realized their strength in the 21st century and created their own identity in this world. Theyneed to know that how to fight Savitribai for her rights in society and how to fight against injustice. She is walking shoulder to shoulder with men intellectually. • She broke the boundaries of traditional social life and brought women into the light and sound of education, as well as making them aware of the responsibilities and duties in civil society. • The Mahila Seva Mandal, formed in 1852, has been one of the organizations that have successfully carried out her ideas. Women are trying to throw away traditions and the beliefs that girls have to look after the kitchen and children after marriage and are firm that education is very important. The women have become more self-reliant by taking the required education. They are creating their own positions not only at home but also abroad. • The present-day modern Indian women have no idea about the contributions of Savitribai as a liberator from an unjust system. Everyone should know how Savitribai Phule plays an important role in Women’s, Prosperity, Social Awareness and Responsibility.
- 15. Savitribai’s idea androle on Education ( women education and empowerment) • The first indigenously-run school for girls in Pune (at that time Poona) was started by Jyotirao and Savitribai in 1848 when the latter was still in her teens. Although they were ostracized by both family and community for this step, the resolute couple was given shelter by a friend Usman Sheikh and his sister Fatima Sheikh, who also gave the Phule couple place in their premises to start the school. • Savitribai became the first teacher of the school. Jyotirao and Savitribai later started schools for children from the Mang and Mahar castes, who were regarded as untouchables. Three Phule schools were in operation in 1852. • On November 16 that year, the British government honoured the Phule family for their contributions in the field of education while Savitribai was named the best teacher. That year she also started the Mahila Seva Mandal with the objective of creating awareness among women regarding their rights, dignity and other social issues. • She was successful in organizing a barbers strike in Mumbai and Pune to oppose the prevailing custom of shaving heads of widows. All the three schools run by the Phules were closed by 1858. • To check the school dropout rate, Savitribai started the practice of giving stipends to children for attending school. She remained an inspiration for the young girls she taught. She encouraged them to take up activities like writing and painting. One of the essays written by a student of Savitribai called Mukta Salve became the face of Dalit feminism and literature during that period. • She conducted parent-teacher meetings at regular intervals to create awareness among parents on the significance of education so that they send their children to school regularly. In 1863, Jyotirao and Savitribai also started a care center called ‘Balhatya Pratibandhak Griha,’ possibly the first ever infanticide prohibition home founded in India. • It was set up so that pregnant Brahmin widows and rape victims can deliver their children in a safe and secure place thus preventing the killing of widows as well as reducing the rate of infanticide.
- 16. Curriculumn • The Phulecouple began two educational trusts i.e., the Native Female School, Pune, and The Society for Promoting the Education of Mahar's, Mangs, and Etceteras in 1850. • By 1851, the duo started three schools in Pune with 150 girls students. Their teaching techniques were better than in the government schools and later the number of girls educated was higher compared to the boys in the government schools. • She had a fire for the importance of education which she penned down in her books. Her books of poems were Kavya Phule and Bavan Kashi Subodh Ratnakar, which were published in 1854 and 1892 respectively. In her poem, she urged the oppressed classes to get educated and break the chain of oppression. • She opened an ashram for widows and orphans. She organised a boycott by barbers against the tradition of head tonsuring of widows. Savitribai appealed to women to come out of the caste barriers and encouraged them to sit together at her meetings. • When Jyotiba died in 1890, Savitribai set a new precedent by lighting her husband’s pyre, amidst all opposition. • She constantly underscored in the importance of curriculum in education and physical work for knowledge equality, empowerment & prosperity. • She discussed many important subjects like Law, Science, Social Science , Medical Science, Sociology, Arts education- those are help to develop social reform in the Society. Savitribai Phule Jayanti 2022: Social Reforms • Savitribai initiated Mahila Seva Mandal to create awareness of women's rights in 1852. Equality prevailed and members of all castes were made to sit on the same mattress.
- 17. Methods of teaching •Her education reflects the image of utilityism and application of pragmatic ideas. • She was biased towards making education a reality. • As one of the methods of education she talked about the free environment. • One of the teaching methods that she has talked about is the • -method of lecturing • -the practical method • -the method of experience • -the question answer method etc. Discipline • According to her, education is not a binding element for women. • Education will be organized in complete free environment and open discipline. • Unlike the men and women, discipline will be the same for all. • According to her, The knowledge of knowledge or the content of knowledge is created only in the open environment. Teacher • The backbone of a teacher will be equality. • He or she will be the symbol of the independent and free thinking section. • The teacher will always benefit the society by applying his right knowledge. • He or she will be involved in education work without his or her personal bias. School • She always speaks free education for everyone, the main spine of which is the school. • In school, everyone will have equal access to education regardless of race religion. • In addition to men, women also enjoy equal opportunities and benefits in school.
- 18. Proposal of basiceducation • A crusader for women empowerment, Savitribai Phule’s contribution in the field of women education has left an evergreen mark on India’s historical pages. At a time when India was plagued with women’s outraged modesty, she acted as a messiah for all those women who were living a life of servitude. Savitribai Phule exhorted women and people from the backward castes to get education as a means to break free from the shackles of socially-constructed discriminatory practices. • Initially, Savitribai started teaching girls at Maharwada in Pune. Here, Sagunabai, Jyotiba’s mentor and also an activist, supported Savitribai’s efforts in this direction. Later, the couple along with Sagunabai, started their own school at Bhide Wada, which became India’s first girl’s school run by Indians. • The couple introduced several innovative measures in teaching with a special focus on curriculum and teaching methods. They introduced stipends for students to motivate them to attend school. Also, regular parent-teacher meetings were arranged to educate parents on the importance of education. Special emphasis was given to subjects like English, science, mathematics and social studies. • Consequently, the number of girls in their schools became higher than the boys enrolled in government schools in Pune. • Encouraged by improved enrolment, the couple opened a total of 18 schools for girls across Maharashtra from 1848 to 1852. Recognising this feat, the British government honoured them. Afterwards, the couple opened a night school for women and the children of those from the working-class community. They set up 52 free hostels for poor students across Maharashtra. • Besides education, the couple involved themselves in several social service activities. On September 24, 1873, they set up Satya Shodhaka Samaja, a platform which was open to all, irrespective of their caste, religion or class hierarchies, with the sole motto to bring about social equity. • As an extension, they started, ‘Satya Shodhaka Marriage’ where the marrying couple has to take a pledge to promote education and equality. Likewise, widow re-marriage was also encouraged. Simple ceremonies without priests solemnising the wedding were conducted. Awareness programmes against dowry were also organised. They also dug a well at their courtyard for untouchables, who had no access to public drinking water facilities. • Savitribai, a true feminist, set up Mahila Seva Mandali to raise awareness among women against child marriage, female foeticide and the sati system. • At the time, widows were often sexually exploited and pregnant widows suffered even more physical abuse and humiliation. To address this problem, the couple set up ‘Balyata Pratibandak Gruha’, a childcare centre for the protection of pregnant widows and rape victims. Savitribai also encouraged the adoption of children borne out of such sexual abuse.
- 19. Conclusion • Savitribai Phuleis a different character in different fields of education. • Although married at a very young age, she did not live in the darkness of illiteracy. She was a signatory as well as showing the direction of literacy of the society. Her husband gave her courage behind all her actions. She and her husband were jointly involved in the spread of social work and education. • A review of her various activities shows that she was involved in the spread of education for almost her entire life. Philosophical ideology is a significant feature of any great person. Savitribai Phule has been called an Indian feminist in the light of her philosophical thinking. She was vocal about women's freedom, women's socio-economic status, access to education, right to education, etc. • Her contribution to various aspects of general education at that time and in the present time as well as in the 21st century can be seen. She has contributed to the elimination of gender inequality in education, equal rights, and the modernization of education, from the establishment of schools. The way she jumped into the spread of education despite being a married and worldly wife is truly incomparable. • The Women's Education movement and the spread of women's education are the main part of her activities. That is why she has been called an Indian feminist. From the establishment of the first women's school to women's liberation, women's education, women's socio-economic status in all fields, her contribution is noteworthy. As a result of her women's education movement, a long change can be noticed in society. • As a result, the rate of female education in the present society is increasing rapidly. Therefore, judging from all aspects, it can be said that not only the society and education system of that time, but also the present education system and her contribution in the 21st century is relevant. • Therefore, various aspects related to her education need to be included in the curriculum. She is still revered and remembered today for her educational contributions.