Traditional Buddhist education centered solely around the monasteries, since the Buddhist world did not offer educational opportunities apart from its monasteries. All education, religious as well as secular, was controlled by the monks, and involved the initiation ceremony into the Buddhist Order, the education of the monk, the viharus or…

This lecture describes the legal status of parental rights pertaining to German schools, and ideas about the practical problems of cooperation between parents and schools in Germany, especially under the auspices of a multicultural society. Four legal parental rights are listed: (1) the right to decide if their child should attend private or state…

Develops a critique of the "special diglossia" idea: the notion that Navajos speak Navajo but read and write English. Describes uses for English and Navajo literacy in one community on the Navajo reservation. Applies concepts such as institution, ideology, power, and empowerment to these uses. (JS)

From the earliest historical period up to the present, Hindus have linked education with religion. This paper examines the evolution of the Hindu educational system from the Vedic period (up to 1000 B.C.) to the present. Topics covered include the historical development of the Hindu education from the earliest period when it consisted of…

By looking at changes in the status and role of the fqih or traditional Islamic teacher in Morocco, it is possible to trace the transformation of the entire learning system from an independent, teacher-centered approach to a government-controlled educational system, of which religious education is only a part. In the traditional system, students…

The medieval school came into existence after the fifth century to satisfy ecclesiastical demands for a minimum amount of literacy and scientific knowledge whereby young priests could learn to carry out priestly functions in the Church. During the course of the Middle Ages, the medieval school gradually changed its structure and function until the…

Education was so much a part of Jewish thought and way of life that it was often taken for granted, e.g., the early sages never wrote an articulated plan for education principles and practices. The introduction to this overview of traditional Jewish education discusses the basic concepts of belief in the efficacy of education, the integration of…

An historical and descriptive account of the Islamic school system is presented. Traditional Islamic schools began with the founding of Islam in the seventh century A.D.; the madrasas or Islamic universities were considered to be among the world's finest higher education institutes. Although Islamic scholarship began to wane in the 14th century,…