Among the basic necessities identified by Prout, education, is unique. Food, water, health care and shelter are required for survival. Without education, however, people may survive while their society stagnates or even degenerates. In a well-functioning educational system, individuals can both thrive and grow.
Educational policy is necessarily complex since educational provisioning is complex. Yet Prout identifies core principles on which a sound educational policy can be built. When properly provided, education allows for simultaneous physical, mental and spiritual development.
Prout emphasizes moral education and morality should be a fundamental part of education at all levels. Every society and religion recognizes certain core principles: honesty, truthfulness, non-violence, non-theft, cleanliness (good hygiene), appropriate respect and so on. Using such universal core values, a set of moral principles can be developed that are acceptable to all. These moral principles must then be at the core of education at all levels.
When it comes to financing education, there are several considerations. In the United States, education is financed primarily through local property taxes. This leads to a system in which the quality of education and the level of expenditure vary widely, depending on the wealth of the neighborhood in which one lives.
The only remedy is to break the link between local educational expenditure and local property taxes, and thus local wealth. Education must be federally funded so that per-student expenditure is similar everywhere (taking into account regional cost differences). Only in this way will excellent educational opportunities be afforded to children of lower-income parents. When this is accomplished, all children, rich and poor, will have access to the same, high-quality educational opportunities. For similar reasons, public money should not go to private schools, as this diminishes the funds available for public schools.
There are also some considerations about the teachers in a Proutist educational system. Teacher pay must be commensurate with other educated professionals. This is necessary, although not sufficient, in obtaining and retaining high quality teaching staff. Teachers must be encouraged (trained) to maintain cordial relationships with students of all ages; otherwise the exchange of ideas may be impeded. Society must also treat the teaching profession with respect, above and beyond teacher salaries; otherwise the best and brightest will be discouraged from pursuing this important career path.
In addition, teachers must be allowed to determine educational policy. Programs for ongoing teacher training should be free, encouraged and rewarded. Teachers should also be evaluated on the basis of student improvement, enthusiasm, imagination, growth and well being, not on student performance on standardized exams.
Educational policies for a Proutist society would include:
- Having proper facilities for the teaching of arts, sciences, languages, etc., available at all schools
- Ensuring that administrators are trained professionals, rather than political appointees
- Preventing educational systems from being used to indoctrinate the ideas of a ruling party, a particular economic system, principle or religion
- Grouping students according to capabilities and interest, not grade levels or age
- Requiring school uniforms rather than personal clothing
- Teaching younger students through play and stories
- Imparting idealism to adolescents and classes in civic responsibility and public service
- Requiring young adult students to know and understand realism as well as idealism
- Making diverse languages available, without insisting on too many requirements. At a minimum, students should be able to learn in their mother tongue and also learn the standard universal language (which at present is English).