THE PURPOSE OF EDUCATION IN UKRAINIAN PEDAGOGY (second half of the nineteenth century – first third of the twentieth century)

Abstract

Summary. The article highlights the content of the concept of “the purpose of education” in Ukrainian pedagogy of the second half of the nineteenth century – the first third of the twentieth century. The factors that influence the formulation of the purpose of education (socio-political structure of society, its internal forces and external needs, state-building processes, national characteristics of the people, their worldview, the level of human and cultural development) are outlined. The goal of education corresponds to the mental and natural properties of the people, is determined by the national character, the tasks that the present and future pose to us. The goal is specified by a system of educational tasks. Education has existed as long as the people themselves. Education must grow out of traditions, out of the cultural state of the people, and must be rooted in the character of the people (K. Ushynskyi, I. Franko, H. Vashchenko). The main thing of education is the formation of a personality with high moral qualities and national consciousness. The purpose of Ukrainian education is to help children understand and love their language, literature, and culture (Ya. Chepiha), and to raise a child to be a conscious member of the family, community, and humanity (S. Rusova). It is possible to raise a harmonious person only when education is free, individual, national, takes into account the child’s natural inclinations, and meets the social and cultural needs of the time. There is no need to invent new laws of education; they should be tailored to each child and each situation. Education should turn into self-education. It is necessary to understand the child, to arouse his curiosity, interest in himself, in his work, in his environment, in people, observation of nature, activate his creative forces, interest in learning, and develop ethical and civic consciousness. The family, language, church, history and culture are of primary importance in realizing the goal of education (I. Ohienko). In the Ukrainian pedagogy of the period under study, the goal of education crystallized, based on universal and national values and traditions of the Ukrainian people.