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.

388 EDUCATIONAL SURVEY OF THE PHILIPPINES

to do more good than harm, is dependent on the development in the
teacher of a certain technique, and the development of this technique
can only be the product of a period of training.
EXAMINATIONS.-At present final examinations for all high-school
subjects are prepared by the Bureau and are uniform throughout the
Islands. Although this question is treated at length in the chapter on
Measuring the Results of Instruction, it is of such importance to the secondary school that it should receive brief consideration here. Some of
the major defects in the instruction may be traced directly to this system
of examinations. The uniformity of procedure, which has already received comment, is certainly due in some measure to this form of control
from the central office. In all schools the teachers and pupils are preparing for the same examinations. Through a study of questions asked
in previous years, the instruction in a particular subject is constantly
controlled. Adaptation to local needs is not encouraged. But this system not only produces uniformity; it also places a premium on memoriter
work and the mastery of the textbook.
Teachers realize that, if they vary the instruction from the course
of study or the textual materials, they do so at their own risk and the
risk of their pupils. They consequently cannot teach; they must
prepare for these examinations. Especially is there a temptation to
employ the last weeks of the school year in reviewing and getting ready
for the examination. In the first high school visited, near the end of
January, members of the Commission found some teachers already at
the review stage. Thus, in some instances, the last two months of the
year are purposely used to prepare for the final examination.
This practice of examining from the central office should be abolished.
The responsibility for testing, which should be regarded as a phase of
instruction, should be placed directly upon the teacher. If teachers
cannot bear such heavy responsibility, they should not be entrusted
with the work of teaching. At present, because of these restrictive
measures, real teachers will hardly be encouraged to serve in the high
school. That the central office may know that the more essential phases
of secondary education are not being neglected, samples of pupils from
the different schools could be examined from time to time with power
tests. The quality of instruction would also be tested annually by the
methods employed in determining admission to college.
THE TEACHING STAFF.-In 1924 there were 787 teachers teaching
in the regular high schools of the Islands. Of these, 214 were Americans
and 573 were Filipinos. Upon the character, training, experience,
devotion, and contentment of this group of teachers the excellence of
the secondary education is very largely dependent. To the consideration of the qualifications of these teachers attention will now be directed.