Consequences of the British model of education in colonized third world nations with special reference to India

Abstract

The central proposition of this study was to examine the consequences of the British Model of Education in colonized Third World countries. One of the causes of underdevelopment is the dominance of industrialized nations over less developed countries. It is the structure of the colonial metropolis that was the cause of dependency of Third World nations. The dependency theory explains the process of national economic development in underdeveloped nations, emphasizing the structural dissimilarities between Western economic development and the contemporary situation of Third World countries. Economic resources of Third World countries, once under the British colonial policy, were exploited. In keeping with this policy, formal education was left to be developed by the missionaries with the active encouragement and support of the colonial government. The education of Indian elites was supported by, as well as, dominated by the colonial government. This thesis sought to illustrate the theoretical and practical consequences of the British Model of Education in colonized Third World nations. This was completed through an analysis of the educational structure in India that produced particular types of behaviour that maintained colonial dominance. Consequences of colonial education for India were discussed.