HUMANE EDUCATION

HUMANE EDUCATION

Humane Education is quite essential for the students even from their early age.  Because, it is easier to inculcate the ‘Humane Values’ in their tender mind.  They then will develop noble qualities and salient attributes, and shine as useful citizens in their later years.  By implementing the humane education, we can inculcate kindness and compassion in the minds of children towards animals, birds and human beings.

The Schools and Colleges must allocate atleast one period in their time schedule, for teaching about the ‘Humane Values’ like animal welfare, prevention of cruelty to animals, non-violence, compassion and kindness, vegetarianism, environmental and ecological values.

The Humane Education must have its inception in early childhood.  It is nourished during the years spent in elementary schools.  It attains maturity during the years in junior high school.  The ages which range from 4 to 10 are the most crucial ones, and it is at this stage of the child’s life, he is more receptive for humane training.

The children must be taught compassion, kindness and mercy towards all human beings and animals, irrespective of castes and creeds.  Those are the real virtues of manhood and womanhood.

Elizabeth Harrison aptly pointed out that children’s sympathies can be easily aroused and by means of this channel of sympathetic interest the teacher may inculcate lessons, fair dealings and responsibility towards animals, which must react in their conduct towards their fellow human beings.  The humane education in elementary schools for children is vital.

Another humanitarian, Alice Belsher said that our schools must implement humane education, especially from kindergarten to 8^th grade.  The training of compassion, kindness, love and mercy is of utmost importance in the formative years rather than reading, writing and arithmetic.  Such a training would make them as more responsible individuals, nobler adults and the best citizens of country and also of the world.

Hope Sawyer Buyumihci, the naturalist and artist, delivered many lectures to children at her wild life refuge in New Jersy.  She explained as how the animals are part of our world and how they feel pain and hunger just like human beings.

If humane education is implemented and the humane sentiments inculcated, it will definitely enrich the character of the children.  We must always bear in mind, that every kindness exhibited, every service rendered, whether to a fellow human being or to so called voiceless creature will bring us more benefits, rather than the one for whom we do it.

It is actually impossible to over-estimate the benefits resulting from judicious, humane instruction.  The child who has been taught no mercy, nothing about humanity and never about the claims of animals will turn as a criminal and ruthless human being in his later period.

According to L.T. Dashiell, a member of the Texas legislature “The principal cause of all crimes is due to lack of Humane Education”.

Humane Education in Schools can be classified under 3 categories:

1.        The first category is most vital and it has to commence from Kindergarten to III grade.

2.        The second category covers the pupils from IV to sixth grade.  They must be allotted two one hour periods for humane education.

3.        The third category covers the entire junior high school.

The dissection of small animals such as cockroaches, frogs, calotes, rats, rabbits and birds in getting scientific knowledge is torturous, ghastly and cruel.  The animal lovers and N.G.O’s like PETA, PFA, SPCA and Karuna International must raise a big hand to put an end to this ghastly experimentation and inhuman activities.