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.

52 EDUCATIONAL SURVEY OF THE PHILIPPINES

Supervision is a highly specialized work for which technical training
is necessary. The training recommended for the preparation of supervisors is of three parts: (I) Complete normal-school course preparing
for elementary school teaching; (2) not less than two years of successful teaching experience; (3) a year of work specifically preparing for
supervisory and administrative work. It is recommended that this
training be given by the Department of Education of the University
of the Philippines if that institution is willing to undertake it. Otherwise, one or more of the normal schools must offer the necessary courses.
The Commission believes that nothing will more stimulate professional
growth of supervisors and of teachers than to give them responsibility
as rapidly as they are prepared to carry it. This responsibility should
be for school results in terms of pupil attainment. Administrative
interest should center in this. Administrative effort should be directed
toward finding and preparing people for carrying this responsibility, not
in preparing minute instructions and in examining voluminous reports.
SECONDARY EDUCATION
During the first years of the present century the American high school,
almost unchanged, was imported into the Philippine Islands. Very
early this institution met with popular favor and in recent years it has
grown with great rapidity. So long as the high-school enrollment
remained relatively small, whether its curricula and procedures were
adopted to Philippine conditions or not, was a matter of little social
consequence. Without looking too closely into its operations, the
country could perhaps afford the luxury of maintaining an inexpensive
institution. But today the public high-school enrollment is approximately 50,000 and, if the present rate of increase continues, the
100,000 mark will be reached before 1930. Moreover, the cost of
this form of education is expanding with the enrollment. It is now
two and one-half million pesos annually; in five years at the present
rate of increase this sum will be doubled. Secondary education is
consequently becoming a great social enterprise. The time has arrived
when the public high school should be submitted to a most thorough
examination.
Although thirty-one of the eighty-five secondary schools are vocational
schools of one type or another, and although seven of the eight curricula offered in these schools are vocational curricula, more than 70
per cent of the pupils registered are enrolled in the academic course.
The great majority of all these boys and girls come from the farm and
rural areas; yet comparatively few ever return to the occupations of their
parents and to their home communities. Even though they leave the
school before graduation, they seek employment in Government office,