To discipline means to teach, not to punish

On May 7, 2016, the 155th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore was celebrated across countries. Tagore, who was a prolific composer with 2,230 songs to his credit, began his climb to fame and his lifetime journey into the annals of Asian history, as a mere lad of eight when he penned his first poem. From there he graduated to short stories and dramas, which contributed to his international acclaim. This was confirmed in 1913 when his masterpiece Gitanjali won the prestigious Nobel Prize for Literature.

Among the countless words he wrote and the wisdom he expressed therein, the eight words that are still alive and known to most school pupils today, although over a century later, are: “To discipline means to teach, not to punish.” Tagore abhorred corporal punishment. Not only is the horrific act unlawful and morally wrong, but deplorable and grossly insulting to the great man that his teachings should be beaten-in to children through corporal punishment at schools. He would never condone it.

If only some parents and some teachers were to learn that single lesson taught by Tagore over a hundred years ago, Bangladeshi society would benefit enormously.

Sir Frank Peters
A foreign friend of Bangladesh