Bengal Education Bill.

The committee of the British Indian Association in expressing their opinion on the Bengal Primary Education Bill stated that a course of education for four years only would be too short. The age limit should be raised to twelve and primary education should include besides reading, writing and arithmetic also elementary instructions in agriculture, sanitation, hygiene and similar subjects as will take into account the needs and requirements of a rural population. They say that though primary education is principally a concern of local bodies it would not be unreasonable to expect a substantial contribution from the state towards the cost of extending it, and they invite attention of the Government to the recent education resolution of the Government of Bombay wherein it is announced with reference to the development of free and compulsory primary education that “the Governor in Council intends making substantial provision in the budget for carrying out the policy of introducing free and compulsory education in municipalities proposing to take advantage of the new Act.”