Plato's Education Scheme : Introduction , Concept , Criticism

 Introduction: Plato's Education Scheme

While criticism of Plato's outlines for the perfect state comes readily to mind, it must be acknowledged that his argument is powerful and pervasive. The principle that the state should be ruled by those who know is not easily refuted and it has had its supporters through the ages. In proposing his own plan of education, Plato attacked the Athenian system. In Athens, even though education was compulsory, it was privately administered. To Plato, the state's welfare depended upon its citizens' educational training; therefore, the state was guilty of gross negligence in permitting private agencies to control the system. Moreover, there was only elementary education in Athens, which according to Plato, was not adequate to train statesmen properly.

Plato's education plan has two phases i.e. Elementary and higher.

Elementary education;

The first phase consists of elementary education for citizens up to the age of eighteen and is followed by 2 years of military training.

Subjects: The subjects for this phase are gymnastics and music.

Gymnastics is to include not only exercise but all training in body care including diet. An essential purpose of physical education is the development of a sound physique.

Music training is to be directed less toward singing and instrumental music and more toward the study of poetry and literature in general. A rigid system of censorship is proposed to assure that music training will conduce to the desirable social and political character of the state. All existing literature is to be revised to conform to the accepted standard.

Higher education. After 20 years, a selective screening process for elementary education must be taken. Those who survived would start the journey of advanced study. This group starts the program at the age of twenty and remains in it for fifteen years if its members prove it.

The first ten years are devoted to the study of mathematics, from its basic to its higher form and astronomy. The final five years are spent on the study of dialects or philosophy. This last is the ultimate and final instruction. Here the first principles are exposed and the search for truth is launched.
At the age of thirty-five, those who have successfully completed their advanced education must be sent to civil and military administrative services so that the state benefits from their educational training. Even during this period, however, the screening process goes on, for the ultimate stage of state service has not yet been attained. For fifteen years more the training continues, now in the form of concrete and practical principles. At the age of fifty, those who have demonstrated real ability and served with genuine distinction reach the pinnacle of the state order. They join the groups of guardians, whose time is divided between matters of administration at the highest level and periods of high speculation. The guardian class always labors for the state, for the preservation of just the community.

Criticism: Plato's Education Scheme 

• Too lengthy education system
• Ignore some important subjects, i.e. economics, law, and political science.
• Anti-democratic: His scheme of education leads to the rule of minorities and totalitarianism.