Here are some letters to editor Source: - http://www.nepalitimes.com/issue/342/Letters/13379 LITTLE MAOISTS The Maoists’ proposed education scheme is appalling. Why on earth should a child’s mind be filled with political rubbish and deadly knowledge about making guns and explosives, and wars? Compare their ideology with the age-old idealistic belief that children should be taught physical education, music, poetry, and natural sciences. If a condemnable scheme such as the Maoists’ were to be implemented, I’d rather teach my children at home than send them to school. No conscientious guardian will allow their children’s minds to be filled with such rubbish at such a young age. Khanal, Stanford University • The rest of the world may view Maoism as it does the dodo, albeit less fondly. In Nepal people want to give the dying ideology new life by indoctrinating children. This is fanaticism. If Maoists want to be looked upon as reasonable, normal people—i.e., part of the ‘mainstream’, they had better play the part. Only a crank would want to teach philosophy and economics to nine- and ten-year-olds. Not to mention ‘military science’, and the technology behind ‘homemade guns’. I’m sure the syllabus for 12-year-olds includes a section on nuclear weaponry. And I suppose 15- and 16-year-olds will have considerable practical studies of ballistic missiles. The Maoists don’t seem to just want to replace capitalism with another system. It looks like they want to reach into children’s minds and distort their thinking. They think their ideology must be preserved unconditionally, even at the cost of permanently disfiguring childhood. Manish, email • What are these commie educational experts thinking? This ridiculous curriculum will do nothing to achieve what we desperately need—jobs, economic growth, and prosperity, capital, investments, a strong middle class, and a democratic system. How will memorising Prachanda’s biography and communist ideologies help our nation? Yes, the communist revolution has become a significant part of our history, and students must be aware of what it was and the players involved. But this has to be done in an unbiased, objective manner. We should also not forget all the other important actors and events that have shaped our history. More importantly, we need an apolitical curriculum that encourages students to think and analyse critically, that fosters entrepreneurship and rewards hard work. We need a capable citizenry up-to-date with the constantly shifting economic realities of the world. Instead, our students will be taught to live off barter, as in medieval times. And military education? Fourth- and fifth-graders learning to make guns and explosives works if you want to introduce the draft. Mr Prachanda, if you are listening, our kids don’t need to learn route-finding—we don’t want to live in the jungle like you did. Looking at this curriculum, it’s easy to imagine Nepal turning into North Korea, with a military dictatorship that glorifies its tyrannical leaders. If this is implemented, I am moving with my kids. Deepti Satyaki, email • Granted Ms Yami’s take on education has its limitations, some of which were pointed out in last week’s letters (‘We will link education with labour’, #340, ‘Mis-education’, Letters, #341). But it was irresponsible to paste the Maoists’ guerrilla education policy and curriculum and attribute it to the present-day mainstream party (‘Little Maoists;, #341). Had the Maoist stayed in the jungle to fight the war and won, this curriculum might have been implemented. But with the change in their political status, I am sure their education policies have changed, and I don’t think this absurd curriculum does justice to their outlook. Nepal’s education does need reform. We do not need the monarchical propaganda replaced by communist propaganda, but we do need reform. And the Maoists’ quasi-’scientific’ answerable-to-the-people brand of education has merit—as long as it remains scientific and non-communist (between which they’ve ceased to see the difference), and answerable to the people and not to ideology. SK, email • Re: ‘Little Maoists’. Are you serious?! I was about to congratulate the Ass for his wacky genius, but then I realized this was a bonafide story. Thanks to you, Hisila, with your plan Nepali kids in the Maoist version of fundamentalist madrasas will find themselves not only brainwashed with laal salaamism, but also glaringly incompetent in the software-driven Asian economy. We’ve already paid the price for an educational experiment gone wrong—the Naya Shikshyaa Yojanaa. We cannot repeat the mistake. After 10 years of bloodshed and trauma, our kids deserve better. Nirmal Niroula, email