Plato has reckoned different stages of life and has prescribed proper education for these periods
Plato’s First Stage of Education. Plato’s first stage of education is up to seven years of child’s life. At this stage children should be educated by their mother or nurse in the house. The adults should tell them good moral tales to have good impressions on their minds. Up to the age of six, children of both the sexes may play together. After this age, they should be separated.
Plato’s Second Stage of Education. in Plato’s second stage of education prolongs until the age of seventeen. Music and gymnastics should be taught to children at this stage. Sports and games were considered important for their physical and mental development.
Plato’s Third Stage of Education. Plato’s third stage of education is from seventeen to twenty years of age. This is the time for the most practical education and training. At this stage, children should be brought to the field of battle, and “like young hounds, have a taste of blood given them.”
Plato’s Fourth Stage of Education. Plato’s fourth stage of education is from twenty to thirty years of age. For the training at this stage the choice characters are selected. They were to undergo the mathematical training preparatory to dialectic. This training continued for ten years and at the age of thirty another selection was made. The selected ones were admitted to the study of dialectic.
Plato’s Fifth Stage of Education. Plato fifth stage of education is from thirty to thirty-five years of age. Plato, deliberately, withholds the study of dialectic to this late age. The reason for this is that one has to be mature enough to carry on the study in dialectic.
Plato’s Sixth Stage of Education. Plato’s sixth stage of education is from thirty-five to fifty years of age. At this stage one is ready to become a ruler or a philosopher. Now he is ready to return to practical life to take command in war and hold such offices of state as befits a young man.
Plato’s Seventh Stage of Education.This stage comes after fifty years of age. Plato suggests that this stage should be dedicated to contemplation of the good.” When they are called upon to regulate the affairs of the state, their knowledge of dialectic enables them to mould the lives of individuals as of their own. They were supposed to make philosophy as their chief pursuit. They were called upon to participate in politics, and rule for the good of the people as a matter of their duty.