A COMPARISON
Japan immersed an entire generation in the American education system. Nearly a century later, this investment bore fruit, producing a generation that propelled Japan to the forefront of the world’s leading nations.
In 1834, Lord Macaulay arrived in India and, as a key member of the Supreme Council of India, introduced an educational system that ultimately became known as the ‘English Education System’ throughout the country. According to Macaulay, the purpose of this system was to create a generation that would be Indian by birth but English in thought:
“So that a generation may arise which will be Indian in birth and English in thought.”
Almost all Muslim leaders (except Sir Syed Ahmad Khan) opposed this educational system. They protested against it, with some calling it a “slaughterhouse” and others expressing disdain through poetry:
“Bachchon ke kabhi qatl se badnaam na hota,
Afsos ke Firaun ko college ki na soojhi.”
Most people refrained from participating in this educational system. Those who did often left halfway, distancing themselves from it. This opposition led Muslims to fall behind other communities in education by at least two centuries. Today, the root of many problems faced by Muslims can be traced to this educational backwardness, as a lack of education results in a lack of awareness, and those who lack awareness are often destined for ruin in this world.
Now, let’s examine another scenario. After World War II, in 1945, Japan was defeated and found itself under complete control of the United States in the political, military, and administrative spheres. The U.S. disarmed Japan and introduced radical changes to its educational system. In December 1945, American General MacArthur issued foundational instructions regarding educational administration aimed at eradicating militarism and the nationalistic mindset among the Japanese.
Many wartime teachers were dismissed, and a strict separation of religion and politics was imposed. Shinto teachings were removed from the curriculum. The goal was to shape Japan’s new generation according to American ideals. In 1946, a team of American education experts arrived in Japan to implement a detailed plan, culminating in the Report of the United States Education Mission to Japan. In line with this report, Japan’s Basic Education Law and School Education Law were established in 1947, and an educational board was set up in 1948 to ensure that Japan’s educational system aligned with American preferences.
Unlike Muslim leaders in India, the Japanese did not protest or boycott this “educational colonialism.” Without losing a single day, they enrolled their entire generation in this “American education system.”
Nearly half a century has passed since then, and the results are evident. The individuals who emerged from this American education system remained truly ‘Japanese’ in every sense and never transformed into ‘Americans,’ as the U.S. had hoped. Against American expectations, these Japanese graduates sparked a new revolution in Japan, creating a legacy of remarkable progress that even the U.S. couldn’t match. They propelled Japan to the top ranks among the world’s nations.
This is the key to progress in today’s world. Success belongs to those who can turn adverse conditions into favourable ones, those who can transform hostile plans into beneficial resources, and those who can turn ‘no’ into ‘yes.’ People with this higher capability are the ones who succeed in the competitive world. Those who fail this test are left with nothing but protesting from the sidelines, destined to be ignored by the pages of history.
In this matter, both the secular and religious groups in our country have failed. Leaders like Akbar Allahabadi and Abu’l A’la Maududi labelled English educational institutions as ‘slaughterhouses’ and tried to prevent an entire generation from engaging with them.
This was a foolishly misguided approach. The true role of Islamic leaders should have been to instil awareness among Muslim youth, encouraging them to acquire knowledge from English institutions while discarding the ‘Englishness.’ However, due to shallow thinking, they took a negative approach, resulting in the educational downfall of an entire generation.
In this regard, the people of Japan demonstrated greater wisdom.
