The Dualism in Asian Education

Abstract

The modern history of Asia is inextricable related to colonialism. Nearly whole triangular area from Pakistan to Korea to Indonesia came under colonial aegis of Western powers up until World War II period. The two major exceptions were Thailand and Japan, with Japan herself ruling as an Asian colonial power over Korea and Taiwan. During colonial period, Western rulers pre-empted educational control in their Asian territories establishing, in varying degrees, two types of education. One type was patterned directly after education in motherland for children of colonialists and a select number of local youth, using a European language. The second was a more indigenous system involving a terminal elementary schooling for a minority of native children, using a local language. By and large, masses were neglected, perpetuating broad foundation of Asian illiteracy. Japan experienced a diametrically opposite historical development. In early I6oo's military ruler of Japan sealed off country to all foreign influences except a minute trickle in south. She became virtually isolated from rest of world for a period of nearly 250 years. It was during this Tokugawa military period which, paradoxically, brought with it an unsurpassed period of internal peace, that foundation for a Japanese indigenous system of education was established. The governmental promulgation both of military and literary arts stimulated spread of literacy in a milieu relatively secure from Western colonial expansionism spreading through Asia. The growth of education during Tokugawa period, while rest of Asia was being divided up under hegemony of European 'barbarians', is a fascinating story indeed. Recent publications evidence extent of proliferation of education for common Japanese people during this period of national isolation. ()1 From findings, it is manifest that a considerably higher percentage of population in Japan attended schools and could read and write a hundred and fifty years ago than is seen in many Asian countries today. For example, in Tokugawa Japan, the samurai class (warrior) was highly literate, and even for commoners, it is generally agreed that about 40-50 per cent of male