SOAS Research Online

Abstract

The aim of this study is to look into the problems and present status, and the development of social education in the Punjab since 1947. A considerable stress has been laid upon the rural reconstruction in the light of the development of social education. The first chapter describes the life, habits and customs of the Punjabis who are somewhat different from other Indians, It also explains that social education is, perhaps more required in the Punjab than in other Indian states, The second chapter attempts to define social education which does not include adult literacy only but also health and hygiene, occupations, citizenship and many other elements. Social education has been treated in its broadest sense. Attempt has also been made to determine that psychologically adults can really learn, perhaps much quicker than the younger generation. In the third chapter, a brief historical survey of social education since 1947 has been given. The history of social education reveals the different stages in its development and describes its present status. In chapter four is given an account of the survey of Sarangpur, a typically Punjabi village near Chandigarh, the Punjab capital. This chapter also reveals how a Punjabi village is quite unlike a Punjab city with regard to modern amenities, ways of living and social habits. In the fifth chapter, an attempt has been made to assess the assistance of mass communication media to social education. The use of audio-visual aids in social education has also been considered. It has also been suggested that the education of children and women, and the social education of the adult reinforce each other. The final chapter states the causes of the failure of social education in the Punjab and possible remedies to bring about improvement in social education.