THE STATE SCHOOLS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1088, 29 March 1911, Page 23

THE STATE SCHOOLS.

A-YEAR OF ADMINISTRATION. The Wellington Education Board's annual report states that the year. began with a/debit balance of .£3397 125. 2d., the receipts were i!117;393 Is. Id., the disbursements lGs. 4d., leaving a debit balaiico of ,£96G 7s. sd. The steady increase the board's liability on account of re-building schools erected oyer twenty years ago led , the board; during the year, to cover by insurance such risks as exceded .£IOO. The board strongly approves the policy of improving such of the teachers' residences as are below a reasonable standard of comfort. In this district, largely by reason of the mode of settlement and the small funds available at the time, a largo number-.of the residences require sub-stantial-expenditures to raiso them to the standard desired. At the end of 1909, IGO schools were in operation. During IDIO there were opened new schools at Waihoki, Akitio, Kaiwaka, Pcncarrow, Putara, and Pakowai, while small aided schools wero closed at Pakowai; Pakaraka, Rangi Tamaiti, Stronvar, Homeburn, and Maku, leaving "at;the end of the year ICO in operation. Tlio schools opened represent over GO children, those closed less than 40. Th average roll and attendance for the respective quarters and the year were:— Aver. Aver. Eoll. Attendance. , March 17,456 15;512 'June »•••. 17i517 . ' '15,497 September 17,511 15,404 December 17,771 16,067 Year «... 17,571 15,620 By comparison with previous years, the average attendance figures are:— 1894 80.9 , 1899 81.1 1904 84.7 1909 89.6 1910 88.9 In tho December quarter tho average for the first tim 6 exceeded 16,000. Tho number of ; breaches of. the law lost year reporter to'the'board, and alio tho number of prosecutions' wore less than in 1909, School committees for tho most part warmly -supported' tho efforts made to Improve tho attendance, but this was not Invariably the ea.se,. nnd in. one .instance tho prosecution of the chairman of a country committee was found nccessary, Tho following liro tho numbers of tenejiers,- pupil-teachers, and probationers who wepe in the board's service at tlw end of tho year:— " • „ , __ , Male. Female. Tl. Heads of'schools 05' 9 74 Solo teachers 27 59 SB Assistants 49 181 230 Total adults 141 249 390 Pupil tcachers 12 51 GO '153 303 456 Probationers 5 20 25 Grand total 15S 323 481 Of the adult teachers 122 men and 197 women, total 319, possess certificates; 71 were uncertificated, eight of them holders of a license to teach. The board s inspectors are of opinion that the timo has arrived when action should be taken in the case of those uncertificated teachers who are making no effort to improve their status., ' The intimation that shortly a scheme of medical inspection of school children will be put in operation is approved by the board.