Pojulu People - Education

Education

Education to the Pojulu is lifelong. It takes place anywhere in the community, at work and at play and from cradle to the grave. Such education is defined as the “aggregate of all the process by means of which a person develops abilities, attitudes, and other forms of behavior of positive value in the society in which they live”. Education includes all the learning experiences that shape one into a person.

Traditional goals

The goals of Pojulu traditional education include:

1. To teach children customs, mores, and traditions in order to preserve the culture and ideals of the Pojulu society.
2. To give young people skills and knowledge for making a living as adults. For instance the skills of: gardening, farming, hunting, gathering, fishing, marriage, singing and dancing.
3. To preserve the Pojulu traditions, leading a life loyal to the elders, clan, and tribe and to be faithful and respectful to the gods.
4. To improve ethical character, training for obedience and self-discipline. The goal is a disciplined individual, in a disciplined family, living in social harmony in a disciplined society.

Early education

The Pojulu initiated and developed their own indigenous system of education suited to their environment and for their needs. The Pojulu therefore have practiced education since their cultural formation.

The home is the child’s first school in the Pojulu society. The fireplace is the classroom. It is here that the foundation should be laid for a life of service. Its principle is to be taught not merely in theory but in practice. They are to shape the whole personality and life of the Pojulu child.

The subject matter taught at home is various and wide. Very early the lesson of helpfulness are taught to the child. As soon as strength and reasoning powers are sufficiently developed, they are given duties to perform at home. They are encouraged to help the father and the mother and convenience them first before their own needs, to watch the opportunities, to cheer and assist brothers, sisters, playmates and to show kindness to the aged, the sick, the old and the unfortunate. They are taught to find joy in service and sacrifice for the goods of others and the community at large.

Teachers

The family circle, the neighbors and the tribal groupings exercised great influence and impact on the growth, development and education of the Pojulu child. This is the principle of communitarians. This is the concept that the Pojulu child is not left to the parents to bring it up. The community also participates in the development and education of the child. The child is a collective responsibility of the parents, clan and the tribe.

Pojulu indigenous type of education started at the time the child is born and ends with death. The Pojulu system of education is participatory, practical system of education. It imparts what the child must know through the family and clan traditions. It is generally informal education. In this system, there are no buildings, classrooms or schools, only the fireplace, big shady trees, etc., which provided the classrooms. But teachers are available in the person of the father, the mother, grandmother, baby-sitter, brothers and sisters, relatives and the entire community or neighborhood.