Primary Education

ON every side one finds huge structures being raised on weak foundations. The teachers selected for primary education may be called teachers through courtesy. In fact, to call them teachers is a misuse of this word. Childhood is the most important period of one's life. Knowledge received during this period is never forgotten. But the child gets little of it then, and he is put in any so-called school. I hold that the amount of money spent on decorating and furnishing high schools and colleges is so vast that our poor country can hardly bear its burden. If, instead, primary education were to be given by well-educated and experienced teachers of high character at places where the health of the boys and the beauty of the natural scenery around them is well cared for, we would see good results in a short time. Our purpose will not be achieved even if we double the monthly salaries of the present teachers in order to bring about this change. Big results like that cannot be brought about through such small changes. The very nature of primary education must be transformed. I know that this is difficult to do and that there are several obstacles in the way. And, yet, it should not be beyond our power to find a solution to this problem.

Here, I must mention that it is not my purpose to point out faults in our primary school teachers. They have to work under enormous handicaps and yet they do, at times, show results beyond expectations. I attribute this to our noble culture and tradition. I am sure that given sufficient encouragement, they will show results of which we cannot even think at present.

— True Education : p. 34