Democracy, as a way of life and not a more political arrangnment,
requires of its adherence regard not only for their own rights but equally
for similar rights for others. It is based on the principle of equal freedom
and equal rights for all its members, regardless of race, religion, sex.
occupation or economic status. Education is the great instrument of
social emancipation by which a democracy establishes, maintains and
protests the spirit of equality among its members, if we develop the
temper of democracy, we will allow the freedom of conscience to others
like ourselves are competant to work out their salvation.
Equal opportunity does not mean identical opportunity for all. It means
the equal availability of education for every qualified person. Our
system must provide for every younger person education to the extent
that he can profit from it. and the character best design to assure the
maximum development of his nature. It must of course recognize
differences of gifts and interests. Education confined to those who come
from nobility or professional classes is suited to a society built on
economic and social hierarchy of classes. In democratic society the
opportunity of learning must be open not only to an elite but als0 to
those who have to carry the privelage and responsibility of citizenship.
Education is a universal right, not a class privilage.
The education attainment of our people is far below what is necessary
for effective individuals living or for the satisfactory maintainance of
society. For the great majority of boys and girls the kind and amount of
education they may hope to get depends not on their own abilities but on
the economic status of their family or the accident of their birth.
Meanwhile, the economic development of Western countries, including
the former rulers of South Asia. has preceeding faster and more steadily
than it did in the troubled period between two world wars. Indeed with
the major exceptions of Britain and the United States, the national
product of Western countries has been rising at least as fast and as
