Education and Healthcare

“Education is that which liberates from bondage”.

There are three types of bondages – mundane, supra-mundane and spiritual. Mundane bondage relates to physical and worldly wants like food, clothes, housing, education and health-care etc.. Supra-mundane bondage refers to mental inhibitions such as conservatism and blind dogmatic belief in caste, race, creed, religion, region and customs. Spiritual bondage is a result of rites, rituals and ignorance which keep man away from realization of the Self or Atma. Real education, thus, is that which is capable of liberating man from all the three kinds of bondages and leads one to the Great Union.

Modern education, alas, has been unable to liberate man even from the mundane bondage in our country. It is because of this faulty system of education that social problems such as exploitation, injustice, heinous crimes like murder and rape, dacoity, fraud, corruption, communal violence, Naxalism, separatism, poverty, the growing gap between rich and poor, dissatisfaction, even illness of many kinds have dramatically increased and the whole country is baking in this fire.

The human mind, shackled by various kinds of bondages is crying for liberation. The question arises – is the present education system capable of imparting such freedom to our imprisoned minds?

Even after 64 years of freedom the government of India could not declare a uniform national education policy. The present system is a hodge-podge of different viewpoints and methodology. Greed and capitalism dominate a large part of the education system with the result that higher and technical education has become so expensive that the poor, howsoever meritorious, cannot even think of it. Education for the smartest students has been hijacked by the private sector which has raised the fees sky high!

Furthermore, there is a wide spread shortage of faculty in all government institutions especially the higher and technical ones mostly at university level. Almost all of them are infected with indiscipline. In rural areas teachers’ valuable time is often spent in extra-curricular activities outside their profession of teaching. These institutions even lack basic infra-structure. That is why people in rural areas are compelled to send their wards to private colleges in urban areas increasing their education bill several times. With such an unnecessary influx, combined with lack of employment and other factors, towns have now become cities and cities mega-cities, causing a population explosion in every township and its attendant negative side-effects.

Therefore Prout declares that it will bring out a Uniform National Education Policy. Education will not be allowed to fall in private hands. Education, including higher or technical, will be free right from primary to university and will be made accessible to each and everyone subject, of course, to the merit and capacity of the individual.

The standard of education and educational facilities in rural areas will be made equivalent to those in urban areas. Thus there will be little scope for migration from rural areas on this account. The meritorious may, of course, go out for higher or technical education.

In addition to learning the most up to date theory and practice in science, technology and humanities, students will be also be given a thorough exposure to yoga and spirituality. For practical use they will be taught yama niyama, asana and pranayama. In short, they will be equipped with moral and spiritual values. This will go a long way towards removing materialistic, conservative, dogmatic and immoral tendencies and will bring a qualitative change in the social fabric of society.

Though the government will be made to bear all the expenses of education it will not be allowed to interfere in education policies or curricula. Educationists, thinkers and spiritualists of the highest calibre will be entrusted with control of the education system.

On completing education graduates will be given apprenticeships according to their merit, interest and capability which will prepare them for proper jobs and responsibility in the future. By guaranteeing free education and liberating youth from the anxiety of unemployment a qualitative improvement in social outlook will be ensured.

Healthcare Policy

There are practically no healthcare facilities in villages. People have to travel long distances even for routine checkups. Even in towns government hospitals carry insufficient facilities either for diagnostic purposes or for distributing medicines to the poor. Helpless villagers and townspeople are compelled to purchase from outside sources. Pharmaceutical companies have increased the cost of medicines so exorbitantly that they have become out of reach of the poor who thus must often go without proper care and treatment and trust their health to the grace of God! Whatever small grants are provided from the government side get usurped by the staff due to a high level of corruption.

Prout appreciates that healthcare is an area which is a source of constant worry and insecurity for everyone and a major factor causing people to engage in corruption out of concern for their future care and security. Fear and uncertainty concerning peoples’ health needs will have to be removed.

Considering these problems Prout declares:

Healthcare will be provided free of charge to everyone and will include not only diagnosis and prescription of medicine but all related procedures such as surgery (however expensive), transplants, transfusions, food, accommodation, etc..

Any negligence or carelessness will be treated a crime and a cognizable offence.

With the establishment of free and comprehensive public healthcare private health centers, clinics, nursing homes and pharmacies will have a very limited scope. However, here also, the fees charged for every consultation, diagnosis, procedure or prescription will be regulated.

Provision will be made for special care of the elderly so that they will not feel ignored, neglected or uncared for at the end of their lives.

Rural areas will be fully covered and hospitals will be established according to need and population with all medical facilities, whether diagnostic, medicinal, surgical or pathological, of the same standard available in urban areas.

Prout administration will ensure that there is no discrimination between different sections of society or individuals in the provision of medical care.