How Sumerian Civilization Gave us Our Present Schooling & Education System

The Oldest Recorded Civilization Known To Man is The Sumerian Civilization

The oldest recorded civilization known to man is the Sumerian civilization which existed in the present day area of Iraq starting from 4500 B.C. The Sumerians were the first to invent the Cuneiform Writing which later became the modern day Alphabet System. They were the first to advocate Individual Freedom and that’s why they started the first codification of laws to set the limits of the state. They were the first to ever record the concept of Democratic Assembly as mentioned in one of their poems. The concept of state started with the Sumerian. We are a civilization today because the basic foundations of it were laid in the Sumerian civilization

How We Are Still Following The Sumerian Schooling System

There are many contributions and interesting facts about the Sumerians. In this article we will concentrate on one of its most interesting aspects- Education & Schooling System. The facts concerning Education & School system is mesmerizing. The world till now follows more or less the Sumerian system of Education & Schooling. The wonderful and fascinating list is given below:

• The Sumerians were the first to develop the school system known to man
• Schools were called Edubba ( Tablet House ) as the teaching & writing were on tablets ( dried clay)
• We can relate it to the Slate System
• Schools were separate building in the center of the settlements
• The schooling system was from the very early youth till the person matured
• Schools had classrooms with baked clay benches on which 3-4 students could sit per bench
• School timings were from morning till late afternoon
• Schools had headmaster called “Expert” or “Professor” but they were popularly known as “ School Father “
• Headmaster was assisted by his vice headmaster called “Big Brother “
• Similar designations we can still see in convent and missionary schools
• There were other teachers also who looked after the curriculum
• The curriculum of the schools were very stiff
• The students were called “ School- Sons “
• There were “Monitors” in the class for attendance and discipline 
• There were special Proctors for maintain overall conduct and discipline
• Schools had strict discipline
• For indiscipline the students were caned also
• For coming late to school, students were punished 
• There was lunch system and students had to bring their own lunch box
• Schools charged fees from the students
• Teachers were paid from the school fees collected from the students
• School teachers were not so highly paid
• There is a strong indication that private tuition system was prevalent 
• School had Class work and Home work system
• Too much focus was put on “ Memorizing” the subjects and this continues till today in the form of “Rote System”
• Lecture system of teaching was present which is still operational
• There are numerous references of students bullying, quarreling, fighting, abusing and competing with each other professionally
• There existed school rivalries
• The Proctor had tough time maintaining discipline in the campus 
• Sumerian school system had concept of Alumni / Alumnus system. They were called as “ school- sons of the days past”
• Examinations were held for students
• The school system was not universal and it was elitist in nature
• The commercial nature of education which still is very much prevalent
• The Sumerian schooling system had basically two streams- Science and Arts stream
• This system almost stands till date
• In later part of their civilization they developed “Dictionary” also for the schools
• Those who graduated from the schools had very good job opportunities as scribes in administration, estate management, temple management etc

The Two Most Amazing Continuity Of The Sumerian System That Brings Smile

If we read the above points were are amazed at the way we are still following the Sumerian education system for almost close to 4000-5000 years. But there are still two interesting aspects that makes us smile at the way we have followed it in Toto..

1. The word sophomore which we use in our education system comes from the Greek compound word Sophos-Moros which literally mean “Clever Fool”. This Greek compound word has come from the Sumerian compound word “Galam-Huru“ literally meaning “clever fool”. This word Galam-Huru is used in one Sumerian essay in which one senior student describes his rival junior student from another school as Galam-Huru.

2. The other interesting aspect is the parental pressure on the students to perform to succeed in the job & employment market. There is the story of a father who puts lots of pressure on his son to study hard and excel in life. He wants him to become a scribe like him and get a good job. The father often laments that his son doesn’t listen to him for studies and wanders with his friends on streets in the evening

The Motto Of Sumerian Schooling & Education System

The Sumerians were very clear in their approach to education system. The Sumerians describe their schools and the purpose of schooling & education system in the following beautiful verse which is now immortal

“He whose eyes are not open enters it

He whose eyes are wide open comes out of it”