OUR SCHOOLS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 773, 23 March 1910, Page 4

OUR SCHOOLS.

BOARD'S ANNUAL REPORT. A RECORD OF PROGRESS. The report of the Wellington Education Board for the year 1909, which was adopted at yesterday's meeting of that bpdy, states that at the end of 1008, 159 schools were in operation. During 1909 there were opened now schools at Maranui, Lansdowne, Petono West and Homeburn, while small aided schools were closed'. at . Toro, Mangaoronga, and Pakowai, leaving at the end of tho year 160 in operation. It may be noted that tho schools opened represent over 800 children, those closed loss than 20;'.' The averago ; roll and average attendance for the respective quarters and the year were: ■■, •' .- Roll. . Attendance. ' March 17,424 15,782 June .'„ 17,522 15,662 ' September '. .... 17,791; . 15,906 December ~...'..17,683 : 15,520 . ; Year ......„,..." : 17,(305T\ . 15,768" The increase in. 1909 over the numbers of 1908' was' ■'564'.in enrolment, and 760 in- average'.attendance.: The;.average attendancs was "thus 89.6-per cent: o'f the* .average roll, an'-, improvement of 1.5- per- cent, bii the corresponding percentage .in 1908. It was 2:5 per cpnt. higher -than the- average percentage for the Dominion in the preceding year, i9OB. This sat'isfactory result is' largely due to the favourable weather and health conditions, the improving road ■ conditions, the of parents and teachers, and the attention of the board's Truant Officer. The factor.in producing good attendance, on the potency of which the. board desires most to rely,. is the faithful and eflicient service of those teachers who succeed not only in imparting sound instruction,, but also in making 'the school at the same time so attractive to the pupil, that, he will strive to attend school every day. Laxity of Parents. Notwithstanding the satisfactory results above noted, and making due al-' lowance for misfortune, there still remains quite a large number of parents who, as regards education, are by no means alivo to the' best interests of their children. Over 40Q0 breaches of .the attendance sections of the Education Act were reported, and in 119 cases it was found necessary to take legal proceedings. Convictions were recorded in 104. The number of legal attenders —those who make the bare number of attendances required by law —is still so very.considerable that the board sees no reason to withdraw, but rather desires to . emphasise its previous recommendation that with proper exemption safeguard, every child should, during the years of compulsory attendance, be required to attend each ..day, except where satisfactory explanation is given. The board again notes with regret tho quite considerable number qf-withdrawals of children from school long before their age, and tho advancement' of their education justify their removal —and this notwithstanding a law of compulsory attendance... up to Standard V. This'leakage must result in future serious loss, to the State, through tho reduced efficiency of, those ■lylio, aro thus . hurried from school' to labour no more than half equipped. '■'■■]■ Teaohing Staff. '. •" Tho board has in'its employ 158 male and 340 female ..teachers, total 498. Of the adult. teachers.; 122 ..men and 190 women, total 312;:; '.'possSj'ss'ed. ..icertificates; 82 wero uncertificated, to six of whom licenses had been issued. .Several ;courses of instruction for . "teachers :woro hekWdurmg'• the year,..'and—theboard is pleased to note the' continuance" to country teachers of 1 the privilege of■■ railway: travel to courses'of instruction, 'for, : while it may be possiblo, to point to isolated- instances:of teachers .who have not derived the.'full jbeuent -of their, 'opportunities, -the ma'jority have studied with, a' praiseworthy enthusiasm which has undoubtedly resulted in increased efficiency.