Adult Education

This has been woefully neglected by Congressman. Where they have not neglected it they have been satisfied with teaching illiterates to read and write. If I had charge of adult education, I should begin with opening the minds of the adult pupils to a greatness and the vastness of their country. The villagers India is contained in his village. If he goes to an other village as his home. Hindustan is for him a geographical term. We have no notion for the ignorance prevailing in the villages. The villages know nothing of foreign rule and its evils. What little knowledge they have picked up fills them with the awe the foreigner inspires. The result is the dread and the hatred of the foreigner and his rule. They do not know how to get rid of it. They do not know that the foreigners presence is due to their own weaknesses and their ignorance of the power they possesses to rid themselves of the foreign rule. My adult education means therefore first true political education of the adult by word of mouth. Seeing that this will be mapped out it can be given without fear. I imagine that this is too late in the day for authority to interfere with this type of education but if there is interference there must be a fight for this elementary right without which there can be no swaraj. Of course in all I have written, openness has been assumed. Non-violence abhors fear and, therefore secrecy side by side with the education by the mouth will be the literary education. This is itself a specialty. Many methods are being tried in order to shorten the period of education. A temporary or permanent boards of  experts may be appointed by the working committee to give shape to the idea here adumbrated and guide the workers. I admit that what I have said in this paragraph only points the way but does not tell the congressman how to go about it. Nor is every congressman fitted for the highly special work. But congressman who are teachers should find no difficulty in laying down a course in keeping with the suggestions made herein.