Abstract:
This paper attempts to discuss the Plato’s
theory of education and its relevance to Sri Lanka’s
education system. Education means ‘upbringing’ and it
deals with the cultivation of virtues. It gives humans the
ability to achieve their fullest personal, spiritual, physical,
mental, emotional and intellectual potentials. During the
learning process, pupils acquire variety of skills, creativity,
thinking knowledge and attitudes. The aim of education
is formulated by educational thinkers and policy makers
who emphasized that the aim of education is social justices,
happiness and freedom. And the educational system
should be work out reached this highest goal, in their
perspective. Plato’s approach to education is a holistic,
including facts, skill, physical discipline, ethics, music,
and art as well. His great concerns was on generating
more creative and talents pupils who can shine as a ruler
of the state and to lead the government for benefits of the
nation. The present education policies of most countries
try best to promote educational setup to achieve in the
same goals expressed by Plato in personal and public life
of children and. Though there is a significant difference
exists between the educational policy of Plato’s time and
the present context, there is the assumption, that to some
extent Plato’s educational philosophy and new educational
paradigm are the same namely, the concept of physical
education, moral education, aesthetic education, liberal
education, music in education, educational guidance,
free education for all, citizenship, community service,
and discipline in schools. It shows that our present day
curriculum is already formulated and emphasized in the
Greeks and Plato’s thought. In this point, exploring the
educational theory of Plato will expand our knowledge
in the field of education, to create responsible citizens
and to the development of the welfare of the society.
The conceptual analysis and comparative method used
in this study are mainly based on Plato’s two dialogues:
The Republic and Laws. In addition, data is collected
from books with critical analysis, scholarly articles,
conventions, newspapers and recognized source of web.
