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So all these points should be kept in mind. We should devise our education system in such a way that our dangerous problem can be solved immediately. i.e. entire population can get employment through independent business and occupation, poverty and hunger can be avoided, agriculture can develop, village and cottage industries can develop, everybody can get food, cloth and shelter and in satisfying the basic needs of the people, people have not to depend upon the Government. So much should be the self reliance that Government interference can not work there. With these objectives, revolutionary changes should be introduced in our education system.
Agriculture is our main business. So trading of agriculture produce should be the subject which should be taught in every high school. Agricultural statistics and production of each particular agricultural commodity in Village, Taluka, Districts, State and in entire country should be taught in this subject. Subject should include yield per acre of the commodities, their prices per tonne, where these commodities are consumed, how it is transported there, how much is the transport cost, systems of market yards, their rules and regulations, administration of market yards, trade association of particular commodities, government taxation on agricultural produce, municipal taxation, whole sale merchants and their associations, their activities, rules, regulations and customs for purchase and sale of these commodities, commission agents and their services, government restrictions and exploitation of farmers resulting through such restrictions, Essential Commodities Act and slavery generated through this Act. All such knowledge should be taught in high schools. In short, as soon as student comes home from the school, the knowledge obtained by the student should be practically useful to his father. Once the student finishes his high school education, he should come out with so much self confidence that he can immediately plunge into trading of agricultural produce and he can earn his livelihood income. He will have no attraction to go to college simply for earning money.
The second important subject is processing of agricultural products. Students must be taught what type of small industries are possible from agricultural products. The curriculum should include flour mills, besan mills, pulse mills, oil mills, cotton ginning, cotton cloth making process, sugar and jaggery making process from sugarcane, study of machinery, its prices, production capacity, all related statistical information such as per acre yield of sugarcane, how much jaggery and sugar and baggase is produced from one tonne of sugarcane, what is the price of one kg. of lint cotton, how price is increased in making the cloth from it and how much it increases and why it is increases, which expenses are incurred, how much is the Government tax on each industry, what will be the production cost if everything is made at small scale level in villages and all such scientific knowledge. At present, everything reverse is taught that huge scale centralized production is cheaper. This subject is so much important that if it is taught systematically to every student, in next two decades there will be big economic revolution in the country in which all vested interests will be broken and village will prosper considerably. Hardly, any person understands the real importance of this subject.
Third important subject is "small industries". This subject will include various engineering industries, automobile industries, small industries relating to bricks, lime, cement, tiles, metal, wood etc, construction industry, plastic industry, transport industry, agriculture implement industry etc. There will be general idea of all these industries but in depth knowledge of about five industries must be given. A single teacher having knowledge of all these industries will not be available. So it should be arranged that various small industry owners can come to teach the subject. It is not hard to prepare books for this subject. But many specialized persons should meet together and work out the curriculum.
The above mentioned all the three subjects are most important which should be taught in detail at high school level. It is quite possible to impart the thorough knowledge of these three subjects by using TV and video cassettes. Students who have learnt these three subjects thoroughly will never go to find the job. They will have cultivated enough skill to start their own business. To give enough time to these three subjects, the present subjects will have to be removed or curtailed. In short, whatever can be practically utilized should be taught and whatever can not be practically utilized should be left.
This does not mean that higher and university education is to be neglected. But 80% of the people will take only secondary education. It should be enough for earning their livelihood. University education will be for specific knowledge and for specific purpose. It will be handled by the users of the specific knowledge as suggested by Gandhiji. Government should not spend money for it. e.g. association of drug manufacturers will run pharmacy colleges.
There should not be any control of Government on education. At present, teachers and professors have vested interest of their high salaries with the Government. They have no any responsibility towards the society. This is not tolerable. So education should be privatized or rather localized. Let the clever and efficient teachers establish their own schools and earn their money. But bogus teachers should be ousted. If there is no Government control, the schools giving the best practical education will be considered most valuable. So every school should be free to decide what to teach, when to teach, how much to teach. They should be able to decide their own curriculum. Then there will be healthy competition between the schools to impart best possible education practically useful in life.
Gandhiji insisted that every school must impart religious education. Every Hindu should learn Gita, Every Muslim should learn Koran and every Christian should learn Bible. Lack of religious education diverts the every objective of life. So to cultivate high virtues in life, religious education is essential. Main objective of education must be character building, which is not possible without religious education. Our country is secular country. But it is misinterpreted. Secular should mean equality of all religions. It should not mean country without religion. It is dreadful imagination.
English medium right from beginning in education has spoiled and ruined the education system. No any country can develop self respect and patriotism in foreign language. Even at present, English knowing people in India are not more than 5%. The menia of teaching all the subjects through English medium right from beginning is the biggest evil in the education. It is the biggest torture to the child. It reduces the sharpness of intelligence of children, it reduces the capability of adventure, of decision making and such crucial virtues required for life. It is completely unscientific and vulgar to teach in completely unknown foreign language to the children. But unfortunately, this disease of English medium has widely spread in cities and towns throughout the country. So market of English medium school is very hot for English fascinated parents. So Government should not encourage such schools. Government should impose ban on such schools. Such evil is no where in the world.
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