Despite the express directives for special expansion of elementary education in the country little progress was made. The reviews of the progress of education made during (1855-80) by the government emphasized the need for expanding the education of the masses.
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The Education Commission (1882-83) was especially required to make an enquiry into whether the government had actually neglected the primary education and how its condition could be improved.
The Commission gave valuable suggestions regarding the policy to be followed. It said that “the elementary education of the masses, its provision, extension and improvement should be the main part of educational system to which strenuous effort of the state needed to be directed in a still larger measure than heretofore.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
It recommended that the control of primary education should be entrusted to District and Municipal Boards and the responsibility of meeting expenditure should be placed on different types of funds”.
The Indian Education Commission made recommendations on all aspects of primary education for its speedy growth but the pace of Progress remained slow because sufficient money did not come forth or its expansion and while additional funds were expended on higher education, primary education was allowed to starve.
The pace of progress was checked during the next two decades that followed, especially because the masses were indifferent to education and standards of recognition of primary schools were so raised that the enthusiasm of indigenous effort was chilled.