--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The basic principle of the new education…" description: "\"“The basic principle of the new education is to be that dunces and idlers must not be made to feel inferior to intelligent and industrious pupils. That..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e8/c-s-lewis-121_education_the-basic-principle-of-the-new-education_2558365.jpg" --- # The basic principle of the new education is to be that… ![“The basic principle of the new education is to be that dunces and idlers must not be made to feel inferior to intelligent and industrious pupils. That would be ‘undemocratic’. These differences between the pupils—for they are obviously and nakedly individual differences—must be disguised. This can…” quote by C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e8/c-s-lewis-121_education_the-basic-principle-of-the-new-education_2558365.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e8/c-s-lewis-121_education_the-basic-principle-of-the-new-education_2558365.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e8/c-s-lewis-121_education_the-basic-principle-of-the-new-education_2558365.jpg) > ““The basic principle of the new education is to be that dunces and idlers must not be made to feel inferior to intelligent and industrious pupils. That would be ‘undemocratic’. These differences between the pupils—for they are obviously and nakedly individual differences—must be disguised. This can be done on various levels. At universities, examinations must be framed so that nearly all the students get good marks. Entrance examinations must be framed so that all, or nearly all, citizens can go to universities, whether they have any power (or wish) to profit by higher education or not. At schools, the children who are too stupid or lazy to learn languages and mathematics and elementary science can be set to doing the things that children used to do in their spare time.”” [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Education should mask innate ability differences so that all students appear equally capable, avoiding stigma for those less gifted. **In simple terms:** Hide ability gaps in schooling. Key Takeaway Design assessments that level the playing field. Themes equality education meritocracy inclusion Mood critical reflective Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - university admissions - standardized testing - classroom grouping - curriculum design Key Concepts social engineering educational policy psychology of achievement Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance fairness with encouraging excellence? - What are the long‑term effects of hiding ability differences? A Different Perspective May lower standards and demotivate high achievers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Higher Ed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/higher-ed/) [Higher education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/higher-education/) [Spare time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spare-time/) ## Related quotes > [The basic proposal of the new education is to be that dunces and idlers must not be made to feel inferior to intelligent and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/the-basic-proposal-of-the-new-education-is-to-be-that-dunces-and/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [ \[the difference between the old and the new education being\] in a word, the old was a kind of propagation-men transmitting manhood to men;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-difference-between-the-old-and-the-new-education-being-in-a-word/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If they embark on this course the difference between the old and the new education will be an important one. Where the old initiated,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/if-they-embark-on-this-course-the-difference-between-the-old-and-the/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [The new education must consist essentially in this, that it completely destroys freedom of will in the soil which it undertakes to cultivate, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-gottlieb-fichte/the-new-education-must-consist-essentially-in-this-that-it-completely/) [Johann Gottlieb Fichte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-gottlieb-fichte/) > [The world will not Change and find peace if there is not a new education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/u-thant/the-world-will-not-change-and-find-peace-if-there-is-not-a-new/) [U Thant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/u-thant/) > [No longer can we afford to stuff the brains of the young with facts. The time is too short, the necessity for results too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/no-longer-can-we-afford-to-stuff-the-brains-of-the-young-with-facts/) [Pearl S. 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Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“Scientists say that these things evolved this way over millions of years." He shook his head. "That's a bunch of bunk. I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-martin/scientists-say-that-these-things-evolved-this-way-over-millions-of/) [Charles Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-martin/) > [Playing video games is something I enjoy in my spare time. I'm a gamer, always have been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-garnett/playing-video-games-is-something-i-enjoy-in-my-spare-time-i-m-a-gamer/) [Kevin Garnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-garnett/) > [“I took ten days off and by 11 o’clock on the first morning I had drunk fourteen cups of coffee, read all the newspapers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-clarkson/i-took-ten-days-off-and-by-11-o-clock-on-the-first-morning-i-had/) [Jeremy Clarkson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-clarkson/) ## More by C.S. 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Lewis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) ## More Education quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) Ted Martinez > [“In school you are taught to obey and not to think straight for your own good. Otherwise the world would be full of millionaires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/in-school-you-are-taught-to-obey-and-not-to-think-straight-for-your/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. 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