17
Friday, January 19, 1973
"If we broaden and smooth out the path too much it will become
valueless for social advancement, parents will say this is a second best and all real quality will go.
"It is a difficult problem but it is essential for school like yours to keep in touch with this major problem so that they can guide and advise. They must not turn their back and become totally divorced from
this educational crisis."
Speaking about examinations, Mr. Lowe said: "One of the saddest
developments affecting education is the hypnotic effect and tyranny of
examinations.
Examinations
"We must force ourselves to consider examinations as the slaves
of education and they should never never become the masters. They exist to
measure in a very rough and ready way achievement in education. They are not education. Here they are becoming our masters. Here far too often the
examination is being taught not the subject, and even worse exams and tests
are becoming a teaching method.
"This is disastrous and schools must be more determined to despise
examinations at any rate in Forms I V and they must encourage pupils and
parents in the same attitude. It is the mark of a confident school. This does
not mean less work. Indeed more original, less exam oriented answers should
get better results.
/Paying