It is necessary to develop love for one’s own culture through the educational system because it strengthens nationalism. In order to make the country strong and prosperous, the spirit of nationalism must be nurtured. However, this spirit should not make one blind towards the inadequacies in one’s own country.
In each country there are various types of communities, classes, castes and interests. Due to the lack of national feelings many people ignore national interests. Minorities in any country are suspicious about the majority. In certain contexts this may be true of the majority as well.
Some of the activities of Hindus and Muslims in India may be quoted as examples. Sometimes Muslims raise a slogan of “Islamic culture and religion in danger” and sometimes Hindus protest that “Hinduism is in danger”.
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The Indian Constitution guarantees protection to all religions and communities. But this is not enough for the preservation of the culture of the country. It is necessary to inculcate love for the country’s culture. This is possible through the adoption of a national system of education.
In the context of Indian culture, the current educational system in India appears to be inadequate. Through our educational system, we have not yet been able to educate our citizens in national pride so that the Hindus may consider themselves Indians first and Hindus afterwards, and Muslims and Christians, Indians first and Muslims and Christians afterwards.
The history of education of U.S.A., U.K., Japan and France indicate that the people of these countries believe in certain traditions. So in their educational system, adequate attention has been paid to the preservation of these traditions. Consequently, in their systems of national education, we find a basis of cultural consciousness.
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By giving due place to religious faiths, ideals, social values and human values in the curriculum an attempt may be made to create a sense of unity in diversity. In this attempt the educational system of the country will get a cultural base. In the absence of this base, no educational system can be called national.
For the preservation of the country’s culture, it is necessary to give due place to the sub-cultures, of the land, as these are only the organic branches of the same ‘one’ tree-culture.
By doing so the followers of these sub-cultures are united together for the preservation of the country’s culture, of which their own is an essential part. Towards the realisation of this objective, education can be very helpful. Only when education is directed towards the fulfillment of this goal, the educational system of a country becomes national.