The Progress of Education. November 1930

Though the nature of the defects selected for criticism and the measures of reform suggested to remedy them have varied with the angle of vision of the different critics the one point that has been unanimously agreed upon by almost all of them is that the present system of examination is to say the least entirely unsatisfactory. [...] This system was almost destroyed in the chaos of the middle ages and with the beginning of the new eduction under the British rule the system of examinations followed mainly the lines laid down in the western countries. [...] The teachers pay no attention to the imparting of the proper sort of education and have no reason to look to the attitudes that the students form to the character which the students develop so long as the students continue stuffing their heads with information and making a successful display in response to the examining machine. [...] Such topics as funds freedom of local authorities making of text-books framing of curricula the harshness of the inspecing officer the inborn conservatism of the teacher and the need of a sense of vocation in the educationist were referred to but the majority of the speakers confined their remarks to the problem of the schoolroom proper. [...] The inadequacy of women's education the need of more and better trained teachers and the importance of the bearings of the experiences of the past and the present system of education were referred to by the opener three other lady teachers and a number of men.