A Scheme for The Education of Bengal

A Scheme

FOR THE EDUCATION OF BENGAL

The present condition of Bengal

From every point of view, Bengal is in a deplorable condition. She has forgotten her spiritual idealism and the worship of Matrishakti and is either under the influence of materialistic ideas or still bound to and satisfied with the rites and rituals of the ancient Dharma. As a consequence, intellectually she has become stagnant and has lost her creative genius, vitally weak, selfish and narrow, physically without strength and enthusiasm. Her moral life is degraded, economically she is ruined and in every phase of life she has become bankrupt.

Reason

The reason is that either there is no ideal of life or that people still have those

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old ideas which in the present circumstances do not fit in. When there is no solid base on which life can be built or organised, it is naturally bound to be in a chaos and confusion.

True ideal of life

See die Mother's writing on "The Science of Living" and the Special Appendix.

The way

So the best way to lift the Nation out of her difficulties is to hold the true ideal before the people and to educate them according to this ideal.

For that, is needed:

(i) A batch of people or leaders who will work. They should be honest, sincere, free from any kind of prejudices. They must have a broad outlook, and an

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ever progressive attitude. They should have the true ideal and apply it on every occasion of life, ready to sacrifice anything and everything for the execution of the cause.

(ii) The understanding of what is true education. (See the Mother's writings on Education and Sri Aurobindo's "Brain of India", "A System of National Education" and "A Preface on National Education).

(iii) A scheme for the organisation and methods to carry out the task of educating the people.

The Scheme

There must be a central body consisting of people who have achieved all the qualities mentioned above. They will be engaged in educating the people from four points of view:

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(i) Physical.

(ii) Vital.

(iii) Mental.

(iv) Psychic and Spiritual.

Each section will work for the culture and appreciation of its own subject quite independently but in collaboration with others and must see that no special emphasis falls on one subject or the other but that- the four things are carried out, given an equal importance.

This body will select a number of people who have the true capacity to lead and have all the qualities of a leader mentioned above. They should be trained in all the four branches of education and when they are ready, each one will be given the charge of a division where he will open a centre. These again will

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select and prepare leaders to open centres in every district. In the same way centres will be opened from the districts to sub- divisions, from the sub-divisions to unions and from the unions to villages. In this way there will be educative centres every- where all over the province. Each centre will work for educating the people of that place, always keeping in touch with the central body to which reports on the work will be sent regularly.

Physical Education

(See Message—by Sri Aurobindo)

It has two branches:—

a) Health Education.

b) Physical Training.

Health Education

The purpose of Health Education will be:-

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(i) To give information and education to the people about health and hygiene.

(ii) To look after the sanitation and cleanliness of the place.

(iii) To prevent and fight diseases and infections.

(iv) To arrange periodical health examination of the people and attend those who need special attention.

(v) To look after the purity of food and drink produced and sold in the country.

Physical Training

It has four branches:—

(a) Corrective measures for the defective and deficient children.

(b) Well-planned programme for normal children.

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(c) To organise competitions in different branches of physical education.

(d) To organise demonstrations of physical performances of the different branches of physical education.

Corrective Measures

Physically defective and deficient children should be separated from the normal children. A suitable programme should be made to correct their defects. Arrangements should be made to give them recreation and entertainment and the programme planned in such a way that instead of feeling it to be a troublesome burden and a period of boredom, they will like it. As the children improve and become free from their defects, they can be taken into normal groups and given the normal programme.

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Well-planned programme for

normal children

A complete programme for Physical Education is to be made for this group. Up to a certain age (18 years), the activities should be as varied as possible for the harmonious growth and development of all the parts and capacities of the body. They should be encouraged to take part in all the activities. The thought of specialisation in one or few subjects should not be brought in before a certain age (18 years), after which, if they like, they can go for specialisation. But still provision and opportunities should be kept for those who want to take part in all the activities.

The subject must be varied, i.e.. Gymnastics, Athletics, Games, Aquatics, Combatives, Rhythmics, etc. All to be blended in a programme, which will be followed throughout the year to fit every requirement of the body without giving a special emphasis on one subject or another.

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Thus progress will not be in a straight line but in a spiral movement which will include everything. An example of the programme may be seen from the organisation of J.S.A.S.A. But one thing should be taught to the children that they must understand the capacities of their body and stop when they have reached the limit of the endurance of the body. When they know it well, then whatever they do and as many things they take up, they will know where to stop and in this way avoid overdoing and accidents.

Though the programme should be varied, yet in the beginning of an organisation one must not aim at a big start. One must make a modest beginning and be satisfied with what is easily available, advancing in a progressive manner, while keeping the broad vision always in front.

The programme of the different age groups may be arranged as follows:—

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(i) Children under 5 years

They can be given free play in the open air under proper supervision.

(ii) From 5-10 years

They can be given free play and varieties of simple and minor games in the open air and can be taught very simple calisthenic exercises for the proper development of the different parts of the body. Attention should be paid to bring to them the sense of grace, harmony and beauty in each movement. Thus their body will be prepared for advanced training which will come when they grow up.

(iii) From 11-14 years

In addition to the programme of the 2nd group they can be taught the preliminary technique of all the different branches of Physical Education.

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(iv) From 15-18 years

Now more concentration should be given for the proper and proportionate development of all the parts of the body through body building exercises. At this age they can start to learn in details all the technique of the different branches of Physical Education.

In no way a child before the age of 18 should make any vigorous effort or strain himself in doing physical exercises. It is only after 18 years that they should put their maximum effort, but still refrain from all kinds of overdoing and straining.

To organise competitions in different

branches of Physical Education

In order to give a stimulus for keeping up interest and enthusiasm, competitions in different branches of Physical Education are to be organised and the successful performers may be awarded prizes.

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The competitions can go on all through the year, devoting certain time to each subject. How the practices as well as the competitions can be carried out side by side all through the year will be found by studying the organisation of J.S.A.S.A.

Naturally with the competitions the children should be taught the spirit of fair play without which the thing turns out to be meaningless.

To organise demonstrations

For mutual understanding and exchange of ideas and growth of fellow feeling, some festival of Physical Education is to be organised. There, arrangements will be made for the demonstration of the different branches of Physical Education.

Two days in a year, once on the 2ist February and then on the i5th August there will be a festival of Physical Education.

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On the 21^st February, the festival will be in each centre, in each village. A programme should be made for the day and the demonstration will be made on a mass scale.

On the 15^th August, all the centres will meet in one centre and each one will give its performance, showing the speciality of the centre, if any. This central meeting will be held by turn in one district every year.

See the Mother's writings on physical Education for further details.

Vital Education

All about Vital Education is discussed in the Mother's writing on 'Vital Education.'

People should be educated through exhibitions and teaching to understand, appreciate and develop all kinds of

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arts, literature, poetry, music, etc., so that their vital being gets trained in refinement and beauty.

Mental Education

Consult the Mother's writing on 'Mental Education5. '

General Education of the People

General Education will be compulsory for everybody from the age of 4 to 14. During this time, the children will learn to read, write and speak as well as possible in their own mother tongue. They will be taught also preliminary lessons in Mathematics, Science, History, Geography and their national language.

After the i4th year the students should be divided into two groups:—

i) Those, who are interested, successful and want to continue their studies.

li) Those, who are not so very successful.

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The first batch of children will continue their studies in greater detail and afterwards will specialise in a subject according to their interests and aptitudes, to become Scientists, Engineers, Doctors, Administrators, Industrialists, Educationists, etc., each serving the Nation according to his point of view.

The second batch of students should be taken for education in different trades according to their interests and aptitudes. There should be different centres under expert guidance, organised by the Government for the maintenance and progress of various trades in the country, such as agriculture and food production, craftsmanship of various kinds, etc., where these children will be taken as apprentices, for a certain number of years. When they will have learnt their work, they will be either employed by the Government in different centres of activities, or given opportunities for private enterprises. Finan-

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cially the condition of everybody in the country should be such that all would have a decent, healthy, simple and beautiful life. All kinds of exploitation over others should be stopped rigorously. All work should be done for the sake of the country and not to satisfy any personal greed. To begin with, governments must be free from all corruption and when this is realised, then only one can think of nationalising all activities. Meanwhile everybody should be taught that the work they do must be done in a spirit of service and offering to all.

Psychic and Spiritual Education

See the Mother's writing about this subject. (To be published in the Bulletin of Physical Education V. IV No. I.)

It should be borne in mind that man and woman should be given equal rights and opportunities in every sphere of life.

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