Muni Education Model: A Transformative Solution for the Modern Education System
Ashok
Thakur
Founder, Muni International School
Delhi
In the face of rising educational challenges—ranging from rote learning,
disconnection from real life, moral decay, and increasing stress—the Muni
Education Model offers a refreshing, holistic, and transformative approach.
Drawing inspiration from the ancient Indian Gurukul system and rooted in
the philosophy of Sah-Astitvavad (co-existentialism), this model
envisions education as a journey towards harmony within the self, in the
family, society, and nature. Unlike the fragmented and often competitive modern
education system, the Muni Model emphasises value-based, practical, inclusive,
and community-centred education that nurtures students as whole human
beings—intellectually, emotionally, socially, and spiritually.
1. Holistic Education with Practical
Application:
The Muni Education Model Approach: In the
face of mounting educational challenges—particularly the dominance of rote
learning and the disconnect between knowledge and its real-life
applicability—the Muni Education Model emerges as a transformative solution
that redefines the very purpose of learning. Rooted in the values of
co-existential philosophy and inspired by India's ancient Gurukul traditions,
this model offers a holistic, student-centric, and life-relevant approach to
education.
The Challenge: Modern education often emphasises memorisation over meaning, preparing
students more for examinations than for the multifaceted challenges of life.
This results in students lacking critical thinking, practical skills, and
emotional intelligence.
The Muni Model Solution:
1. Organized Knowledge: At the core of the Muni Education Model is a balanced integration of
academic, spiritual, and practical learning. This approach does not merely
impart theoretical knowledge but aims to develop well-rounded individuals
prepared to engage meaningfully with life. Drawing from traditional Indian
methods like Shravana, Manana, and Nididhyasana (listening, reflection,
and contemplation), the model encourages students to internalise knowledge in a
structured and experiential manner.
2. Skill Development: In contrast to a purely academic focus, the Muni model actively
incorporates vocational and life skills. Through the Eklavya Method and Guided
Discovery, students are encouraged to learn by doing—becoming both learners and
teachers in the process. This cultivates independence, critical thinking, and
problem-solving, aligning education with employability and self-reliance.
3. Experiential Learning: Experiential learning is not peripheral—it is central to the Muni Model.
Students engage in activities like agriculture, craft work, foreign language
learning, and community service, all of which ground theoretical knowledge in
everyday life. Tools like Kitchen Gardens, Activity Clubs, and the Buddy System
promote hands-on learning while reinforcing values like responsibility and
cooperation.
4. The Group Reciprocal System (GRS) and Centre Work
Methodologies further help students apply interdisciplinary knowledge in
practical, collaborative contexts. This reinforces the philosophy of
"learning by doing" and ensures that education is both meaningful and
memorable.
Philosophical Foundation: The model is
underpinned by principles of Sambandh (relationship), Vyavastha
(orderliness), and Sah-Astitva (coexistence), which guide the
integration of knowledge and life. Education is not seen as an isolated
academic pursuit but as a preparation for responsible, harmonious living.
By promoting organised, skill-based, and experiential education, the
Muni Education Model addresses one of the most critical shortcomings of modern
education—its detachment from real life. It prepares students not just to pass
exams, but to lead purposeful, socially engaged, and ethically grounded lives.
“Education is not just about
acquiring degrees, but about understanding life and contributing to the
well-being of all.”
2. Value-Based
Education: Cultivating Ethical and Conscious Learners through the Muni
Education Model
The Challenge: One of the most pressing shortcomings of modern education is its
inability to cultivate moral and emotional intelligence. While academic
excellence is emphasised, ethical grounding and value-based learning are often
neglected, leading to rising corruption, emotional alienation, intolerance, and
weakening of family and community bonds.
The Muni Model Solution:
1. Moral Foundation: Learning Through Living
Values
The Muni Education Model positions values at the heart of
education, not as an optional subject but as a way of life. It integrates universal
human values such as honesty, empathy, cooperation, and responsibility into
everyday classroom practices. This is achieved not through didactic preaching
but through:
· Storytelling and real-life examples that make abstract values relatable
and impactful.
· Daily reflections and the Oath System, where students introspect on
their behaviour and intentions, reinforcing internal moral clarity.
· Value-integrated pedagogies like the Self-Competitor Framework
and Socially Strong model, which help students track their emotional and
social growth alongside academics.
As Ashok Thakur writes, "The education of values must be
reflected in behaviour and become part of the student’s identity—not just memorised
as moral science."
2. Conflict Resolution: Fostering Peaceful
Coexistence
A distinguishing aspect of the Muni Model is its emphasis on non-violent
communication, dialogue, and mutual respect, creating emotionally safe and
inclusive learning environments. Strategies include:
· The Buddy System, which promotes peer empathy, accountability, and
protection against bullying.
· The Group Responsibility System (GRS) and Child Parliament, which allow
students to engage in democratic processes and group decision-making,
cultivating negotiation, conflict resolution, and collective leadership.
· Cultural activities and community engagement, which expose students to
diverse perspectives and instil social harmony.
These frameworks help students develop interpersonal awareness, vital
for both family life and civic participation.
3. Character Building: Integrating Ethics with
Personal and Social Responsibility
The Muni Education Model encourages the development of a strong inner
compass in students through:
· The Eklavya Method, where students self-learn and self-regulate,
building discipline and a sense of ownership.
· The Parliament System, where students shoulder responsibilities in
school governance—developing initiative, simplicity in living, and a commitment
to the public good.
· Mindfulness practices such as yoga, meditation, and introspection, which
build emotional balance and self-awareness.
Through these mechanisms, students internalise values like simplicity,
self-restraint, and community service, making character development not a
theoretical ideal but a lived reality.
A Culture of Coexistence
The philosophical underpinnings of the Muni Education Model—Sambandh
(relationships), Vyavastha (order), and Sah-Astitva
(coexistence)—form the moral scaffold of its educational vision. Education is
seen not merely as a tool for self-improvement but as a path to meaningful
living in harmony with others.
"Values-based education at Muni is not
something additional to be taught—it is the foundation upon which all learning
takes place."
In a world increasingly marked by ethical erosion and social fragmentation, the Muni Education Model offers a resilient and practical pathway to nurture compassionate, reflective, and responsible citizens. Its deep integration of moral development into pedagogy, daily routines, and community life ensures that students are not just informed, but transformed.
By re-establishing the inseparable link between education and values,
the Muni Model moves us closer to the true purpose of education: to awaken the
human spirit and guide it toward individual and collective well-being.
3. Community-Centered Education
The Challenge: A major shortcoming of the
current education system is its disconnect from grassroots realities. Schools
often operate in isolation, delivering a standardised curriculum that neither
reflects the immediate concerns of the community nor harnesses its potential as
a learning resource. As a result, education becomes detached from lived
experiences, rendering it less meaningful and less effective in fostering
social transformation.
The Muni Model Solution:
1. Community Involvement: Schools as Hubs for
Social Development
The Muni Education Model radically reimagines the role of schools, not
as closed institutions, but as community hubs deeply integrated with local
life.
· The Child Parliament system empowers students to manage aspects of
school life such as cleanliness, health, and co-curricular activities, mirroring
civic responsibilities.
· Parents and local artisans are invited to actively participate in
educational planning and school events, reinforcing mutual accountability and
shared ownership.
· Through the Community Assessment System, families and teachers co-assess
children's development, aligning school values with home environments.
This participatory model ensures that education becomes a shared, lived
experience and strengthens the bond between institutions and the community they
serve.
2. Localised Curriculum: Learning through
Context
One of the unique features of the Muni Model is its commitment to a localised,
context-sensitive curriculum that connects students with their environment and
culture.
· Regional languages, indigenous knowledge systems, and cultural practices
are integrated into the curriculum, nurturing identity and relevance.
· Subjects are not taught in isolation but fused through thematic learning
in formats like Centre Work and Syllabus Merge, where lessons
reflect the regional socio-cultural and environmental context.
· The Kitchen Garden initiative, for example, not only teaches biology and
sustainability but also revives traditional farming wisdom.
This approach promotes educational sovereignty, enabling communities to
preserve their knowledge systems while preparing learners for the modern world.
3. Service-Oriented Learning: Education
Through Contribution
True to its philosophical roots in Sah-Astitva (coexistence), the
Muni Model emphasises learning by serving. Education becomes a vehicle for
local problem-solving, encouraging students to identify and work on pressing
community issues.
· Through project-based learning, students engage in water conservation,
sanitation, waste management, tree plantation, and sustainable agriculture.
· Community-based activities are not extracurricular—they are core to the
learning process, fostering accountability and civic engagement from a young
age.
· Programs like Activity Club and Habits for Harmonious Living cultivate
daily practices rooted in community well-being and ecological mindfulness.
By connecting education to real-life challenges, the Muni Model restores
the social function of schooling—preparing students not just for exams, but for
responsible citizenship.
An Ecosystem of Shared Responsibility
In the Muni philosophy, schools are not insular entities—they are organic
parts of the community ecosystem. This aligns with the ancient Indian
educational ethos of Gurukuls, where education was embedded in the rhythm of
community life and spiritual purpose.
“The success of education depends on its ability to engage the
community—not just in rituals, but in meaningful participation, responsibility,
and shared transformation.”
By grounding education in the local environment, culture, and civic life,
the Muni Education Model transforms schools into engines of social cohesion and
grassroots empowerment. It replaces passive consumption with active
contribution and isolated learning with community relevance.
The model doesn't merely teach children what to learn, but more
importantly, why, where, and for whom. It fosters not only knowledge and skills,
but a sense of belonging, identity, and responsibility—key ingredients for a
just and sustainable future.
4. Nurturing Teacher-Student Relationships
The Challenge: In today’s education system,
the classroom has increasingly become impersonal and transactional. Teachers
are burdened with administrative responsibilities, and students are reduced to
passive recipients of standardised content. This weakens the emotional bond
between teacher and student, eroding the moral and humanistic essence of
education.
The
Muni Model Solution:
1. Mentor Culture: Reinstating the
Guru-Shishya Tradition
The Muni Education Model revives the time-honoured Indian tradition of
Guru-Shishya, where the relationship between teacher and student goes beyond
academic instruction—it becomes one of deep emotional support, moral guidance,
and lifelong mentorship.
· Teachers act as nurturers of conscience, not merely transmitters of
information.
· A culture of dialogue is fostered in classrooms through methods like Eklavya
and Guided Discovery, where students feel heard and valued.
· Tools such as the Child Parliament allow students to interact with
teachers in a space of mutual respect and trust, enhancing communication and
relational depth.
2. Empowered Teachers: Training in Mindfulness
and Compassion
Teachers in the Muni Model undergo continuous professional development,
not only in pedagogy but also in emotional intelligence, empathy, and
mindfulness practices.
· Regular training includes value education, yoga, acupressure, and
reflective exercises, aimed at cultivating the inner growth of educators.
· Teachers are encouraged to become role models, embodying the values they
wish to instil in students.
· The school’s support system and collaborative culture reduce teacher
burnout, allowing them to focus on meaningful engagement.
3. Holistic Role of Teachers: Life-Guides in
the Learning Journey
In the Muni framework, the teacher’s role is redefined:
· They are facilitators of wisdom, not just academic tutors.
· They guide students in self-awareness, moral discernment, and purposeful
living.
· Through systems like Self-Competitor and Community Assessment, teachers
help students develop not only cognitive skills but character, discipline, and
resilience.
“A teacher’s touch goes beyond the textbook—it shapes the student’s view
of life. Muni teachers are sculptors of both mind and heart.”
— Ashok Thakur
Conclusion: By restoring the sanctity of the
teacher-student relationship, the Muni Education Model not only nurtures
learning but also builds trust, confidence, and emotional stability in
students. Teachers are empowered as mentors, guides, and co-travellers in the
student’s journey, making education a humanising and transformative experience.
5.
Promoting Inclusivity and Accessibility: Creating Equal Learning Grounds
through the Muni Education Model
The Challenge: Despite progress, India's education system continues to
reflect deep inequalities based on caste, class, and gender. Marginalised
communities, especially girls, children from rural areas, and those with
limited resources, often find themselves excluded or underserved in mainstream
education.
The Muni Model Solution:
1. Equal Opportunities: Removing
Discriminatory Barriers
The Muni Education Model operates with the firm belief that education is
a universal right, not a privilege. It dismantles social and economic barriers
by:
· Offering affordable, high-quality education through innovative low-cost
strategies, especially in Budget Private Schools (BPS).
· Promoting democratic governance through the Child Parliament, where every
student, regardless of background, has a voice.
· Encouraging inclusive classroom environments, where collaboration is emphasised
over competition.
2. Adaptable Education: Serving Diverse and
Rural Contexts
Recognising the diversity of learners, the model promotes customised,
flexible education for students from underprivileged and rural communities.
· Uses tools like Syllabus Merge and UPLC (Understanding, Practice,
Learning, Creativity) to simplify complex content and make it accessible to all
learners.
· Incorporates local languages, regional knowledge, and cultural practices
to ensure the curriculum is rooted in the student’s context.
· Develops methodologies like the Community Assessment System, which
aligns learning with family participation and rural realities.
3. Focus on Girls’ Education: Empowerment
through Inclusion
Girls’ education is treated not just as a need, but as a cornerstone of
social transformation.
· Through inclusive classroom practices, mentorship, and leadership
opportunities in the Child Parliament, girls are encouraged to develop
self-confidence and leadership.
· Families are sensitised through PTM Files and community dialogues,
reinforcing the importance of educating daughters as key to family and societal
well-being.
· Girls actively participate in community initiatives like hygiene,
health, and environmental projects, reinforcing their role as change-makers.
“At Muni, every child counts. Every girl matters. No student is left
behind—not by design, not by accident.” — From Muni International School Practice
Manual
Conclusion: The Muni Education Model redefines
inclusivity, not just as access to education, but as meaningful,
context-sensitive, and empowering participation. It levels the playing field
for all learners and ensures that education becomes a tool of justice, dignity,
and upliftment.
Through this inclusive lens, the model envisions a future where no child
is excluded because of where they come from, who they are, or what they lack, but
empowered for who they can become.
6. Fostering Environmental Awareness: Cultivating Ecological
Consciousness through the Muni Education Model
The Challenge: Conventional education systems often overlook ecological literacy and
sustainability, producing students who may excel academically but lack the
awareness or motivation to address pressing environmental challenges. As
climate change, resource depletion, and ecological imbalance intensify,
education must evolve to promote respect for nature and sustainable living.
The Muni Model Solution:
1. Eco-centric Curriculum: Educating for
Sustainability
The Muni Education Model integrates environmental values into its
teaching framework from the ground up.
- Topics such as organic farming, waste
reduction, and renewable energy are not abstract discussions but hands-on
projects embedded into the curriculum.
- The Kitchen Garden initiative is a living
classroom where students learn about soil, seasons, nutrition, and
sustainable food systems.
- Concepts like reuse, recycling, and
conservation are practised in daily school operations, reinforcing theory
through tangible action.
2. Learning in Nature: Nurturing Reverence for
the Earth
True to its emphasis on experiential learning, the Muni Model promotes education
in natural settings, enabling students to observe, interact with, and
appreciate ecosystems firsthand.
- Outdoor classes, eco-walks, and agricultural
field activities replace the traditional four-walled classroom structure.
- By experiencing the rhythms of nature,
students internalise the importance of balance, interdependence, and
ecological care.
3. Sustainability Projects: Turning Students
into Green Citizens
Environmental awareness is translated into action through project-based
learning aligned with local and global sustainability goals.
- Students actively participate in water
conservation drives, waste management campaigns, and tree plantation
activities.
- Initiatives like Activity Clubs and the Parliament
System allow students to lead and implement green projects, building
ecological leadership from a young age.
“Education must connect students not just to machines, but to Mother
Earth. Only then can we prepare them to protect the planet they will inherit.”
— Ashok Thakur
Conclusion: The Muni Education Model places sustainability
at the heart of its educational vision, cultivating a generation of learners
who are not only informed about environmental issues but empowered to act. By
embedding ecological values in everyday learning, it transforms education into
a force for environmental stewardship and planetary healing.
7. Supporting Mental Health and Emotional Well-being: Building
Resilience through the Muni Education Model
The Challenge: The pressure to perform
academically, combined with limited emotional support systems, is causing a mental
health crisis among students. Stress, anxiety, and emotional fatigue are
increasingly common—yet these issues are rarely addressed meaningfully within
the traditional education framework.
The Muni Model Solution:
1. Mindfulness Practices: Integrating Inner
Wellness into Daily Learning
Recognising the need for emotional balance, the Muni Model incorporates mind-body
practices that strengthen students' psychological resilience:
· Yoga, meditation, and acupressure are daily practices that cultivate
calm, focus, and emotional stability.
· Reflective techniques like the Oath System and Self-Competitor model
encourage self-awareness and personal accountability.
· These practices help students manage emotions, reduce anxiety, and
develop a deeper sense of purpose and peace.
2. Balanced Approach: Redefining Success and
Learning
Muni International School moves away from competition-driven education
toward a development-centric model.
· Emphasis is placed on self-growth rather than comparison, using
frameworks like the Progress Chart to track holistic development rather than
test scores.
· The Eklavya Method fosters confidence and independence, reducing fear of
failure and performance pressure.
· Students are encouraged to set personal goals and reflect on their
progress, promoting intrinsic motivation over external validation.
3. Holistic Well-being: Integrating Emotional,
Physical, and Spiritual Health
Education under the Muni Model is viewed as a path to inner and outer
harmony.
· Emotional wellness is nurtured alongside academic learning, supported by
empathetic teachers trained in emotional intelligence and counselling.
· Physical health is reinforced through regular exercise, nutritious
routines (linked with Kitchen Garden programs), and personal hygiene education.
· A sense of spiritual connectedness and social empathy is cultivated
through practices that emphasise Sambandh (relationships) and Sah-Astitva
(coexistence).
“Education is incomplete if it sharpens the mind but ignores the heart.
Muni teaches children to listen to both.” — Ashok Thakur
Conclusion:
The Muni Education Model provides a robust
framework for student well-being, integrating mindfulness, emotional
resilience, and holistic health into the core of the school experience. By
focusing on the inner world of the learner, it nurtures individuals who are not
only academically prepared but also emotionally grounded, mentally strong, and
spiritually aware.
8. Economic
and Social Relevance: Aligning Education with Real-World Responsibilities
through the Muni Education Model
The Challenge: In today's rapidly evolving
world, education systems often fall short of equipping students with the skills
and mindset required to engage meaningfully with economic life or solve social
problems. Students may graduate with theoretical knowledge but remain unprepared
for livelihood, entrepreneurship, or community leadership, resulting in
dependency and disconnection.
The Muni Model Solution:
1. Entrepreneurial Spirit: Education for
Innovation and Self-Reliance
The Muni Education Model fosters self-reliance and creativity by
training students to be problem-solvers and innovators from an early age.
- Students engage in hands-on learning,
entrepreneurial simulations, and project-based education that sharpen
critical thinking and initiative.
- The model encourages students to identify
local challenges and design context-based solutions, bridging the gap
between knowledge and utility.
- Through practices such as the Eklavya
Method and Activity Clubs, learners cultivate leadership and take
ownership of their learning journey.
This not only promotes economic independence but also strengthens community
resilience by generating homegrown solutions.
2. Civic Engagement: Nurturing Social
Responsibility
The Muni Model places equal importance on civic consciousness as it does
on academic achievement.
- Students are actively involved in health
campaigns, literacy drives, and rural development initiatives,
transforming them into socially aware citizens.
- The Parliament System in Muni schools
assigns students roles like Health Minister or Environment Minister,
offering practical training in governance and public service.
- Activities rooted in, local
needs—sanitation, hygiene, plantation, water conservation, imbue students
with a deep sense of purpose and collective responsibility.
This civic engagement fosters active citizenship and prepares students
to contribute to social reform.
3. Vocational Training: Linking Learning to
Livelihood
To bridge the education-employment gap, the Muni Model provides vocational
education as an integrated part of schooling.
- Students learn essential skills such as organic
farming, basic health care, IT, crafts, and communication, enhancing their
employability.
- The Skill-Based Education approach
ensures that learners can contribute to the local economy even before
graduation, reducing dependency and unemployment.
- Moreover, the school’s emphasis on interdisciplinary
learning helps students understand the economic, ecological, and ethical
dimensions of work.
“Real education doesn’t just prepare students to pass tests—it prepares
them to uplift their families, economies, and societies.” — Ashok Thakur
Conclusion:
The Muni Education Model shifts education from
a content-heavy, career-delayed system to a socially conscious, skill-rich, and
economically relevant framework. It empowers students not just to earn a
living, but to lead with vision, act with compassion, and solve problems with
intelligence and integrity. In doing so, it aligns schooling with the broader
needs of national development and global well-being.
Implementation of the Muni Education Model
To integrate the Muni Model effectively into the mainstream system,
several steps are crucial:
- Policy Integration: Aligning the Muni Model with frameworks like NEP 2020 to embed
values, skills, and sustainability in education policy.
- Teacher Training: Developing holistic training modules that empower teachers with
the philosophical and practical dimensions of the model.
- Public-Private Partnerships: Collaborating with NGOs, spiritual institutions, and local bodies
for resource sharing and community involvement.
- Community Participation: Encouraging parents and local leaders to actively participate in
curriculum development and school management.
Implementation of the Muni Education Model: Strategic Steps toward
Educational Transformation
Effectively implementing the Muni Model in mainstream education requires
a multi-layered approach involving policy innovation, teacher empowerment,
community integration, and institutional partnerships. The goal is to embed its
core philosophy of Sah-Astitva (coexistence), value-based learning, and
practical wisdom into the national education landscape.
1. Policy Integration: Bridging Vision and
Governance
- The Muni Model aligns seamlessly with the
National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, particularly its emphasis on values,
skills, multilingualism, experiential learning, and holistic development.
- Its **pedagogical innovations—Child
Parliament, GRS, UPLC, Activity Clubs—**can serve as models for NEP’s
goals of competency-based, child-centric education.
- Policy-level support is crucial for scaling
low-cost, high-impact education innovations, especially in underserved
regions.
2. Teacher Training: Building Transformational
Educators
- The success of the model hinges on empowered
and reflective teachers trained in both pedagogy and philosophy.
- Training modules include value education,
communication, mindfulness, classroom democracy, self-assessment, and
compassion-based practices.
- The teacher is not just a facilitator,
but a mentor, motivator, and co-learner, deeply embedded in the life of
the student.
3. Public-Private Partnerships: Collaborative
Growth
- Collaboration with NGOS, local
governments, civil society, religious institutions, and socially conscious
businesses helps to expand the reach of the model.
- Public-private initiatives can help in capacity
building, teacher training, curriculum development, and technological
integration.
- These partnerships allow for resource
pooling, innovation scaling, and long-term sustainability.
4. Community Participation: Education Rooted
in Society
- The Muni Model sees the community not as
a recipient but as a co-creator of education.
- Parents are actively engaged through PTMS,
PTM Files, and school-community projects, fostering shared accountability.
- Local leaders and artisans help co-design
contextual curricula, making education more relevant, rooted, and
responsive.
“To reform education is to reconnect it with life, with society, with
purpose. The Muni Model shows how.” — Ashok Thakur
The implementation of the Muni Education Model
is not a technical fix—it is a transformational movement. It invites schools,
teachers, students, and communities to reclaim the human essence of education:
learning as a path to wisdom, service, and harmony.
When embraced thoughtfully, this model can become a blueprint for
national regeneration, creating an education system that is not only inclusive
and innovative but also deeply Indian and universally human.
Conclusion: A Path Forward for Education in
India
The Muni Education Model stands not merely as a nostalgic return to the
past, but as a visionary response to the present and future needs of Indian
education. While rooted in the ethical and spiritual soil of the ancient Gurukul
system and the co-existential philosophy of Sah-Astitva, it is
structured to address the multifaceted crises of modern schooling—be it
emotional detachment, ethical erosion, social inequality, environmental
neglect, or economic irrelevance.
By integrating value-based education, skill development, community
engagement, sustainability, emotional well-being, and inclusivity, the Muni
Model constructs an education ecosystem that is holistic, human-centred, and
socially conscious.
It envisions students not just as job seekers, but as contributors to
family well-being, local development, national progress, and global harmony.
Its participatory methodologies, experiential pedagogies, and democratic
classroom culture make learning alive, relevant, and transformative.
“True education does not merely fill the mind—it
frees the spirit and prepares one to live rightly in the world.”— Ashok
Thakur
Adopting the Muni Model is not just an educational reform; it is a renaissance
in the truest sense—a return to the soul of learning, with the tools of today
and the vision for tomorrow. By embedding this model into the mainstream system
and scaling it through policy support, teacher empowerment, and community
participation, India can pioneer an educational paradigm that is both indigenous
and globally inspiring.
In a world searching for balance between knowledge and values,
development and sustainability, individuality and interconnectedness, the Muni
Education Model offers a timeless yet timely path forward.
