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.

GENERAL ADMINISTRATION

527

technical task. It demands special insight and experience in curriculum
construction, in technical knowledge concerning how children learn, and
exact information concerning the financing and administration of the
schools. No persons outside of the Bureau of Education are really
qualified to decide such important educational questions.
Nevertheless, the Legislature has in this particular also ignored basic
principles of school administration and has given the control of textbooks selection into the hands of a board so constituted that the Director
of Education has virtually little power. The only member on the
board who is technically qualified is the Director of Education. A
second member is the President of the University who may know the
needs of the secondary schools but cannot be expected to be familiar
with the elementary-school situation. The others are representatives of
the Legislature.
The Commission thoroughly disapproves this change in the method
of textbook selection and recommends an immediate return to the
method formerly employed.
Four examples have been discussed to illustrate the hampering influences of direct governmental control over the administration of Philippine schools. The examples given provide adequate evidence to show
that the situation involves more than the mere potential danger of
political interference in the conduct of school work. They illustrate the
fact that in the past few years there has been and there is now actual
interference. In the judgment of the Commission the administration of
schools cannot become efficient until all aspects of control over education is given over definitely and fully to the Department of Public Instruction and to its Bureau of Education.
THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT HAS NOT ADEQUATELY FINANCED
THE ADMINISTRATION OF SCHOOLS
Not only in lack of complete control over its professional activities
is the Bureau of Education hampered in carrying on its work. It is
r the judgment of the Commission that it is blocked especially by the
lack of financial support by the general government. The conditions
upon which this judgment are based will be set forth.
1. The total funds allowed the general office of the Bureau of Education were actually less in 1923 than they were in 1913.-In spite
of an enormous development of the system in the past decade the provisions for its general administration have actually declined. Table 61
supplies the data.