Idealism in education tends to develop an individual in such a way that he becomes a facilitating factor for the human society. Education is said to be ideal when it aims at mental, physical, spiritual and social development. Plato's education system primarily outlined in The Republic , aims to cultivate virtue and wisdom , ultimately leading to a just society. It emphasizes on a holistic approach, encompassing physical, artistic and intellectual development with a focus on understanding the " Form of the Good" .Education is not merely about acquiring knowledge but about developing character and guiding individuals towards their highest goal that makes him an ideal man. And it has been observed that God sent prophets to this world with the only purpose of educating the people about divine setting of this universe and man's interaction with nature. They used to preach and teach the human values and principles of a smooth life in the world and would often advise people to strive and strife for the survival in a justified way and practicing honesty ,truthfulness and dedication. The religious scriptures, both revealed or unrevealed tend to guide the man to adopt a straight path that leads him an ideal goal and ultimate destiny to have salvation/ Nirvana/ Mukti etc.
Dr. Sheeba JoJo, Vice Principal at GEMS-Our Own English High School, Dubai, in her article, "Education in an ‘ideal state’ – just a platonic dream!" Published Jun 22, 2019, writes: “Plato deemed education as the most significant thing in life. So many centuries later, education still is the most significant thing! However, many things have changed with the passage of time. There has been a drastic paradigm shift in education in terms of ‘what to learn’ and ‘how to learn’. There is a greater thrust on ‘assessment’ than there is on ‘real’ learning. Even at a time when it was believed that knowledge and learning were vested with a privileged group of Erudite and Elite in society, a great philosopher like Plato claimed that the quintessential purpose of Education is not to fill minds with knowledge, but, rather to illuminate the soul, to earn the ability to live a virtuous life. We certainly may want to define ‘virtue’ in our own right; I doubt a great discrepancy in the attempt to interpret the same though. In short, the key focus of Platonic education was simply the ‘common good’ of mankind. Is that too lofty an ideal to work towards?
I think, no time is better than today to promote the ideals of Plato on education; perhaps, in snatches, to avoid opening doors to controversy and resentment. Plato advocated that, Early education ought to focus on everything that would inculcate a love for learning in young, impressionable minds: play, story-telling, music & arts. In addition, early schooling must heavily focus on developing the physique and mental health of children. We must be able to nurture individuals who possess ‘sound minds’ in ‘sound bodies’. During the formative years, if learning is forced up on young minds, it is going to have nothing but adverse effects, with children reeling under pressure; detesting school, teachers and learning. Knowledge acquired in a controlled environment will have little hold on the mind, and will fail in terms of producing any authentic outcomes. What a sad state of affairs! As far as higher education is concerned, Plato recommends ‘benchmark’ exams at strategic intervals to assess current learning and evaluate the potential for advanced learning. These exams must help glean individuals for various occupations/careers in society with the most competent of the lot, making it to the levels of leadership and governance. Thus, a successful educational system would be able to nurture an ‘ideal state’ where all the citizens would be ‘just, honest & happy’. A platonic dream indeed!" Although some modern educationist stress on pragmatism that doesn’t necessarily mean that idealism is totally invalidated. "
Today's society being utilitarian in approach and attitude hence focusing just on material benefits like jobs and earning money by hook or crook. The present teaching methodology focusses merely on making the children learn formulae and concepts that have a very rare application in practical life .It seems as if we are leading our young towards destruction instead of empowerment. And there is no denying that we are creating robots and not the ideal citizens. A movie wherein Amir Khan played as a student with innovative ideology hence rejecting the dogmatism in education that always tends to create memorizers and copiers instead of creating great minds. According to that movie, we are supposed to take our children out of this confused system where a leaner starts an aim of doctor and ends his studies with a post of VLW, Accounts assistant, Patwari etc. The results is that we are creating fragmented souls and confused minds. As a person having the purpose of serving humanity is transfixed Amidist the winds of utilitarianism where he is caught in the whirlwind of corruption, nepotism, fraud and cheating. If education system had been going in a right direction, we would not have to face the problems of corruption, nepotism , burglary, murders, rapes, loot and plunder. The rising crime rate in today's society simply indicates that there is a large loophole in present education system. If education had been set right, we would not have to face the problem of parental abandonment that too in old age. very recently a news was viral on social media that the mother of two earing hand sons was found helpless because her sons have refused to adopt her with them. If education had been going fairly, we would not have to see divorces and extra marital affairs.
So, the matter of concern being that who can be held responsible for all this chaos and confusion. it is only the utilitarian mindset of masses that has led our society at the verge of moral degradation. Because, at the time our children are innocent , we only and only teach them to make a path through the material void ,what may come. The result is that when those children become grown ups they start treating parents as a burden over them. Every now and then we watch videos or listen to the news that Mr XYZ has lost lakhs while playing online games with the intention to become a millionaire within a night for they have not been trained in the sense that life is the name of continue struggle and strife. The goal we have set for life is not the day's work. It is common sight to see sons ruthlessly beating the parents who have given them the birth and cared for them throughout days and nights. We see that mothers/ sisters / wives etc are being murdered. Brothers are being killed only for the sake of money and property.
Every lay man like me is often meditating on what can be the possible solution to this problem. But, very hardly anyone come out with the required solution. If we want to make our society nd nation as an ideal one , we shall have to ensure the re-establishment of ideal education system that trains both mind and sprit of the students. A system that provides the children with an insight that God is there to look after the matters of all. It is God who makes means of survival available to all. Our role is that of an explorer. A system is required that doesn’t put our children into the destructive waves of competition. As the idea of competition is not healthy for an ideal state. By nature every human is born with an inborn potential and yet with the same type of potential. The five fingers of can work as the metaphor for this idea. And it is also a fact that a hand is not complete with a minor finger. So , it imperative to say: Give the devil his due. there is denial that we have to move our arms and legs with the intention that we shall strive for the existence without making harm to human and animal world. It is said that God doesn't leave any soul unattended until and unless every mouth is fed before falling of the night. Hence, moral education is paramount need of the hour. We can no longer afford to be passive listeners and mute spectators.

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