PRIMITIVE,

SUMERIAN, AND
EARLY EGYPTIAN
EDUCATION
By Jeffrey Macalino
PRIMITIVE EDUCATION: Aims of
Primitive Education
1. Security and Survival
 Natural Disaster
 Wild Animals
 Evil spirits
 Hunger
 Other tribes

2. Conformity
3. Preservation and transmission of
traditions
PRIMITIVE EDUCATION: Types
of Education
1. Vocational (basic necessity)
2. Religious (animistic)
PRIMITIVE EDUCATION:
Content to be Studied
1. Ways of procuring the basic
necessities in life and of
protecting life from dangers.
2. Superstitions.
PRIMITIVE EDUCATION:
Agencies of Education
Home
Environment
PRIMITIVE EDUCATION:
Organization of Grades
None
PRIMITIVE EDUCATION:
Methods of Instruction
Allinstruction was done
informally
Observation and imitation
Simple telling and
demonstration
Participation
PRIMITIVE EDUCATION:
Financing
None
PRIMITIVE EDUCATION:
Outstanding Contribution to
Education
The primitive man started the
rudiments of education from
which evolved the modern
educational systems of today.
SUMERIAN: Aims of Primitive
Education
 Training of scribes
 Training of bookkeepers
 Training of teachers
 Training of learners to be good
SUMERIAN: Types of Education
 Writing education (cuneiform)
 Mathematical education (low
digit counting)
 Language education
 Vocational education
 Professional education
 Art education
SUMERIAN: Content to be
Studied
 Reading, writing, little arithmetic
 Astronomy for predicting the planting and
reaping
 Architecture, agriculture, and hydraulics
 Jewelry designing
 Carpentry, ship building, smithing
 Some simple rules and regulations to be
obeyed were taught and followed by the
people in their conduct of their daily life
SUMERIAN: Agencies of
Education
Home
School
Templeschool
Apprentice schools
SUMERIAN: Organization of
Grades
There were already organized
classes
There was higher education for
the professions. Education was
not universal.
SUMERIAN: Methods of
Instruction
Imitationand copying
Preparation of tablets
SUMERIAN: Financing
Itis not clear whether the
students paid tuition fees or not
but most probably the students
paid certain amounts.
SUMERIAN: Outstanding
Contribution to Education
Sumeria’s outstanding
contribution to education and
especially to civilization was its
cuneiform writing.
EARLY EGYPTIAN: Aims of
Primitive Education
 Training of scribes
 Religious
 Utilitarian
 Preservation of cultural patterns
EARLY EGYPTIAN: Types of
Education
 Religious education
 Vocational-professional education
 Military education
 Education for public administration
 Priesthood education
 Home arts education
 Writing, reading, and language
education.
EARLY EGYPTIAN: Content to
be Studied
 Reading, writing, and language
 Religious and secular literature
 Artistry in metals and lapidary
 Mathematics, especially geometry and surveying.
 Subjects in astronomy, engineering, architecture,
physics, medicine, embalming, dentistry, and law
were taught in the temple schools by the priests.
 Music, dancing, playing instruments and clapping to
rhythm.
 Sports, games, and physical education with
swimming, wrestling, archery
 The military schools offered training in the use of the
bow and arrow, battle ax, lance, mace, and shield.
EARLY EGYPTIAN: Agencies of
Education
Home
Temple schools
Military schools
Court schools
Vocational schools
EARLY EGYPTIAN: Organization
of Grades
 The young studied at home.
Mother as teacher
 At age 5, boys attended the
reading and writing schools under
the priests if the parents could
afford to pay the school fees.
 At 17, boys entered the schools
that offered their vocations.
EARLY EGYPTIAN: Methods of
Instruction
Apprenticeship
Dictation,memorization,
copying, imitation, repetition.
Observation and participation
EARLY EGYPTIAN: Financing
The students had to pay a
certain amount of school fees
even in the lower schools
EARLY EGYPTIAN: Outstanding
Contribution to Education
Geometrical measurement
and surveying.