10 Main Disadvantages of Marxist Approach to Education are described below:
1. Marxist education is absolutely state- controlled education. It attaches too much importance to the role of the state in education. Consequently curriculum construction, determination of the methodology of teaching, examination system all are determined by the state. It does not allow any other agency in education. Regional or local need is totally neglected.
2. Freedom in education is absolutely neglected, in Marxist system of education. But freedom is a watchword in modern education. Without freedom the natural aptitudes of a child cannot be developed to the fullest extent.
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3. The role of the teacher in Marxist education is insignificant. He enjoys no academic freedom.
4. Competition is conspicuously absent in Marxist education. As a result initiative is not taken by an individual.
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5. Marxist education from the very beginning gives too much importance to science, technology, mathematics, commercial and industrial arts. Marxist education attaches less importance to the development of finer aspects of life. Man cannot live by bread alone. He wants something more. Marxism is based on the theory of ‘bread and butter’.
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6. Marxist educational philosophy believes that economics lies at the root of every human activity. But this is not absolutely true from scientific point of view. As economics occupies the pivotal position in the curriculum one of the principal aims of Marxist education is to acquire productive skill. As a result creative faculties of the child are neglected.
7. In Marxist education democratic principles are not taken into consideration. This hampers free intellectual development. In this respect the opinion of Bertrand Russell is remarkable. He says, ‘If the Marxist dogma remains as virulent as it is at present, it must, in time, become a great obstacle to intellectual progress’.
8. In Marxist educational philosophy too much importance is attached to class-division and class-struggle. But in the present world the acrimony between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat is not very acute. In this context Bertrand Russell opines: ‘The whole Marxist Philosophy is so much concerned with the class-struggle that it becomes vague and indefinite when it contemplates the classless world that it aims at creating’.
9. Bertrand Russell further remarks: ‘The educations in capitalist countries suffer from domination of the rich and the education in Russia suffers, conversely, from the domination of the Proletariat. Children of proletarians are taught to despise the children of the bourgeoise’.
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10. There is no scope of religious and world education in Marxist system of education. Perfection of life is not possible without values. In this regard Sri Prakash Committee say, The many ills that our world of education and our society as a whole is suffering today, are mainly due to the gradual disappearance of the hold of the basic principles of religion on the hearts of the people’.
Marxism is now at its cross-roads. It is now in crisis and trial History will determine its future.