Under the Chairmanship of the Duke of New Castle, a Royal Commission was appointed in 1858 with two main purposes in view. The first was to study the prevailing condition of elementary education in the country, and the second was to suggest measures for making elementary education healthy, cheap and available to all.
The Commission began its work with above two purposes in view. Some of its major recommendations were:—
1. The grants given in 1833 could not give desirable results. Therefore, these grants were not adequate. So adequate grants should be given by the State for the expansion of elementary education.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
2. The educational system prevailing in 1833 was defective, but still useful.
3. The prevailing system of education should be made easier and it should be given a clearer form.
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4. It was good to give financial grants on the basis of examination results.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
5. The Commission recommended that the schools which were found satisfactory after inspection by Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Schools should be given grants, but such grants would be additional grants if pupil- teachers were getting some grant from elsewhere.
6. The local grants to be given to counties and boroughs should be prescribed.
7. The amount of the grant should not be higher than the total income accrued from fees and charities.
8. The Commission recommended starting the system of tution fees and urged that the Boards of counties and boroughs should be empowered to administer the local grants. But these boards should neither interfere with the school affairs nor with religious education.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
The above recommendations were just suggestions, but due to opposition none of them could be implemented.