It should be observed, of course, that no school, vocation or not, is helped by a confusion over its purpose.

【翻译】当然，我们应该注意到，任何一所学校，不管是职业学校与否，办学目标不明确对学校无益。

【分析】of course，是插入语，暂不管它。你句子中vocation or not 有误，应改为：vocational or not，这是省略的的让步从句，补充完整就是：whether it is vocational or not，意思是：“不管它是职业的还是不是职业的”。

1. It should be observed that...这是一个常见的结构。类似的有：It is said that..., It is noticed that...，It should be recognized that...等。It是形式主语，that从句是真正主语。

2. 在that从句中，whether it is vocational or not是让步从句，no school is helped by a confusion over its purpose是主句。

3. 为了理解方便，我们把no school is helped by a confusion over its purpose变成主动语态来翻译：

A confusion over its purpose helps no school. “对于办学的目的不清对学校无益。”