A survey of the educational system of the Philippine islands by the Board of educational survey, created under acts 3162 and 3196 of the Philippine Legislature.

MEASUREMENT OF INSTRUCTION

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is handicapped by lack of funds with which to employ trained and
experienced American administrators and supervisors. An educational
system in a new country, if it is to grow rapidly, must be guided by wise
leaders from countries in which education is well developed. The Bureau, however, has been unable to employ an adequate number of such
leaders. A moderately good supply of enthusiastic, pioneering American teachers and superintendents came out to the Islands in 1900.
If that personnel could have been constantly increased and stimulated
in service as the system grew with unexpected rapidity, the present
impasse in lack of trained personnel would not have developed. Money,
adequate funds, however, were not available, and the Bureau has
had to struggle with its huge problems with an underpaid, undertrained
staff.
The Commission approaches the discussion of results of instruction,
therefore, with appreciation for the pioneer achievements of the school
system and with the fullest recognition of the difficulties which have
beset the course of its work.
Under the Existing Handicaps What Has Been the Success of the
Bureau's Educational Program?
Do Filipino Children Learn To Use the English Language Well
Enough To Guarantee Facility in Its Use in Adult Life?
In a few conspicuous school systems, Yes; in the rank and file, No.
In the primary school they develop marked ability to comprehend
spoken English, sufficient we believe, to carry them through the ordinary
language necessities of this generation of adult life in the Philippines.
They learn to speak English with sufficient clearness to make themselves
understood either by other Filipinos or by Americans, but with an accent,
tonal expression, and rhythm that are thoroughly Malay. They learn
to recognize correctness and incorrectness in written English nearly as
well as do American children but they cannot use the language fluently
and correctly in writing or in oral speech. They receive dictation and
spell in English nearly as well as do American children. All of these
are definite achievements of the public-school system. We shall consider
them more fully in succeeding sections.
There is one outstanding deficiency, however, that must be considered
with the successes-the inability of the graduates of the Philippine
schools to read in English. Because of the central importance of
reading ability in a school system dominated by book learning we
shall canvass the reading situation first. Following that, the case for
spoken and written English, and the other aspects of the school work,
will be examined.
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