Galeutta, Jan. 9.
Afghanistan has long been regarded as the land of a brave fighting race with a strong. spirit independence, but probably few people unacquainted with the country would. consider it m promising field for progressive ideas. It appears, however, that the present Amir' is an enlightened ruler who realizes that the nation in order to survive ennnot afford to be ignorant, Consequently, education there has' made great strides of recent years.
For the first time in the history et the country primary education has been made compulsory from seven to 13 years of age, There fare no fewer than 200 Govern ment primary schools in Afghanistan with courses running for five years, and a still larger number of Government schools, From 20,000 to 25,000 students study in the Government primary schools and a still larger number in the Government-aided institutions. In these schools they learn to read and write Persian with ease and get a good grounding in general knowledge.
Secondary school education has also made progress.. There are three such institutions in Kabul and one in Jelalabad, whilst, it is proposed to start schools of this Kind in each province. French, German and English are taught and science classes are given in Eng-ith, "Care is taken not only—of the boys' but of the girls' educa tion, Moreover students are sent brand to study engineering and medicine. There is a training school for primary school teachers, a school for drawing and litho graphy, a school for agriculture, carpentry and masonry and a school for training officials and clerks. Finally, a scheme for the establishment of a university in Kabul is in hand and has.been "presented to the Amir for sanction, Mr. Gandhi Retires An indication of the trend of Nationalistic polities is afforded by the announcement of Mr. Gandhi that he intends to retire from polities for one year. This decision was taken, he says, after consultation with many of his friends at Cawnpore. Meanwhile, he in= tends to devote himself \to the consolidation of the Spinners' Association which is the outcome of his agitation for hand spinning, an essential part of his social policy. His retirement from polities "will be regarded by many ay a confess sion of failure; on the other hand, the fact that he has limited it to a year seems to indicate that he intends to launch a come-back when the political portents sare more favourable than they are to-day.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.