THE EDUCATION REPORT.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXIX, Issue 20, 6 September 1912, Page 6

THE EDUCATION REPORT.

j INCREASED ATTENDANCES. COST £1 3s 5d PEE HEAD. The principal statistics in connection with the education system of New Zealand for the year ended December 31, 1911, are contained in the report of the Education Department which has been presented to Parliament. This voiume contains a summary of 11 papers which will come down during the session. The number of public schools open at the end of 1911 was 21(36, an increase of 70, and the aggregate number of pupils on the roll was 161,648, an increase of 5324. The addit.ons to the roll were again much more marked in the North Island than in the South island, but with the exception of Marlborough and Grey every district showed at least some increase. The average attendance for the year was 142,186, an increase of 4.8 percent. Increases of percentage were recorded in every district except Hawke's Bay, which has remained stationary for the past three years, and in the case of five districts the percentage reached over 90 per cent, of the roll number. Otago j headed the list with the excellent perj cent age of 91.7, with Marlborough second with 91.6. Wellington led the North Island with 90.1, and the average for the Dominion was 89.3 per cent. TEACHERS AND SALARIES. The number of teachers employed in ■ public schools was 4551, an increase of j 1-43, this number comprising 1672 males I and 2879 females, two pupil-teachers [ being counted as one adult. It is shown ! that each adult is in charge of 48.3 children. The total amount of salaries and allowances was £631,251, but this does not include the amount (estimated at £26,600) saved in rents where bouses are provided. The average over all schools of the rates of salary, including allowances for adult teachers in public primary schools, was £159 14s 9d, and in schools with an average attendance over 15 £225 Is 7d for men and £l3l 4s Id for women. A certificates are held by 119 teachers (an increase of 3), B by 392 (40), C by 939 (178), D by 1488 (decrease of 2), and E by 441 (decrease of 39). NATIVE SCHOOLS. There were 104 native schools in actual operation at the end of the year, and in addition live mission schools giving primary instruction to .Maori children, while Maoris were in attendance at 551 .public schools. The roll number of all native schools was 5174. MANUAL AND TECHNICAL. Recognised classes for manual instruction were held in 1436 schools, the attendances being as follow: Cookery, 6110; woodwork, 6742; agriculture, about 15,000; o:her branches, 118,026

SECONDARY SCHOOLS. There are 32 secondary schools, the total number of pupils being 5465, an increase ot 289. The district high schools number 59, with an average attendance in the secondary department of 1889. The total average weekly roll was 9858, excluding those in private schools, of which the Department has no information. The proportion of persons receiving some form of secondary education was 93.1 per 10,000 of population. The regular staff of the secondary schools was 259, and thero were also 81 part-time teachers. The average salaries of the permanent teachers was £464 lor principals (men £493 and women £401) and £204 for assistants (men £243 and women £155). COST OF THE SYSTEM.

There are now over 60 well-equipped of all schools giving secondary education manual training schoos in operation. The number of individual students at day technical schools was 13-11 (an increase of 125) and at other classes 13,032 (an increase of 380). The aggregate expenditure on education in Mew Zealand during the financial year 1910-11 is shown in the following table, the expenditure per head of population being also shown:— Total Per head. Primary £919,000 £0 17 6 Secondary 128,000 0 2 5 Continuation ... 58,000 0 11 University and higher technical 57,000 0 11 Industrial schools 43,000 0 1 0 Special schools ... 12,000 0 3 0 Superannuation and miscellaneous 15,000 0 3 0 Totals ... £1,232,000 £l3 5