Liberty and Equality in Education: Exploring the Vision of Tagore, Gandhi, Noddings and Wollstonecraft

This paper analyzes the educational ideas of Tagore, Gandhi, Noddings and Wollstonecraft in context of liberty and equality in education. Each thinker has a different background and period of focus, but at the core of their philosophies, they all appreciate the role of education in improving individual freedom and social justice. This paper sets out to examine the gaps in the education system when compared to the social reality and the commonalities of these thinkers. Tagore urges to pursue self-expression, but along with that, he reminds us to be deeply curious toward nature. Gandhi, on the other hand, gives priority to the moral and spiritual development of a self-sustained community. Noddings as well argues for a caring approach tends to education, as one that promotes advancement that also enables caring for others and not just oneself. Wollstonecraft fights against denial of education to women and gender-based discrimination and seeks to elevate women by granting them equal education. This paper uses the information from these readings to show how their ideas came together with liberty and equality and shed light on how they were critical of the existing systems of education. The insights shared by these thinkers can indeed help solve the issues of justice and dignity of human beings from the perspective of the changing systems of education.