What are the objectives of education according to Aurobindo?

Defining the objectives of education Sri Aurobindo said. “It must be an education that for the individual will make its one central object the growth of the soul and its powers and possibilities, for the nation will keep first in view the preservation. Strengthening and enrichment of the nation-soul and its dharma and raise both into powers of the life and ascending mind and soul of humanity.

Sri Aurobindo was not only one of the greatest philosopher and yogi of his time but also one of the greatest political leader, social reformer and educationist of his era. He was a great patriot whose first concern was always the good of motherland. Therefore, he presented a national system of education which may be adopted for the educational reconstruction in India and at the same time develop the Indians as world citizens and the fore- runners of the advent of the only gives and important place to individual and nation but also to humanity. The national scheme of education will be not only from the point of view of the needs of the country but also from the standpoint of the needs of humanity. It is so since the highest principle governing the life of individual and nation is the humanity itself. Sri Aurobindo everywhere considers fulfilinent of Swadharma as the law of life. Each individual in a nation has to fulfill his Swadharma. The purpose of education in a nation is to prepare the individual to serve their roles according to their status in society. Individual differences are the basis of modern system of education. The child is, “A soul with a nature and capacities of his own, who must be helped to find them, to find himself, to grow into their maturity, into a fullness of physical and vital energy and utmost breadth, depth and height of his emotional, his intellectual and his spiritual being.” Sri Aurobindo’s philosophy is summarized thus, “The meaning of the word education is to reduce the inner, hidden, latent, dormant, potential secret within every human being, secret because it is not of the senses but of the inner truth of being and because it is that most unknown part of the being which has yet to evolve to its full stature”.