Officialism in Education

Abstract

THE British Science Guild has issued a Memo randum on the subject of bureaucratic inter vention in education, which, it states, has reached an acute stage and “has become detrimental to educational development and efficiency.” The main charge made by the Guild is that official intervention in educational administration, as distinguished from efficient educational control, is now so excessive- both on the part of the Board of Education and Local Education Authorities-that governing bodies of Technical Institutions and Secondary Schools are becoming mere advisory bodies, without any freedom of action which would allow them to develop the individuality of their institution and take a lively and responsible interest in their progress. It is also pointed out that heads, appointed for their educational powers, are crippled by officialism, both as regards initiative and freedom to experiment on one hand, and on the other by the large demands for clerical work in the nature of “returns,” which unduly curtails the time which they can devote to their proper work as educationists.