EDUCATION.

Evening Post, Volume LXXII, Issue 65, 14 September 1906, Page 6

EDUCATION.

♦ THE MINISTER'S ANNUAL RE- " •- PORT. SATISFACTORY CONDITIONS. AN INTERESTING REVIEW. The first annual report by the new Minister for' Education (Hon. Geo. Fowlds) upon the progress and condition of public education during tho past year was laid on tho table of the House Ihis afternoon. The report showed that there had been a , satisfactory increase in , the average attendance, which totalled 120,26b during 190i>,- an increase of 3759 on the previous year's attendance at State schools. Though the standard of regulatity in. 19CW compared, very favourably with that of 'any other countiy in the world, it was ,even higher in 1906, reaching 85.9 per .cent- U;'he best average l(8'/.l)'was attained, during tho last quar,ter and, as usual, tho North Island jwas in a 'better position than the South. As regards regularity of attendance, there was a marked improvement in every district. Ola«o heads the list with a percentage or 89.7,\ r VVe'stland (89.3; and 'South Canterbury (88.2) coming next. Wellington's average was 86.7 for 1905 ,and 84. 1 for 1904. Alaori and mixed lace Ichildren attending "school - increased," by 340, to a totaf of 6itio. Ihe average age of children in Standard V. — tho standard of exsmptiqn-rrwaa in, Auckland and Westland 12 years and 7^monlli!j, and in Taranaki 13, years and 3 months, these being the lowest ' and highest figures respectively. "The Wellington average was 16 years. For ' the v. hole colony the average was 12 years and 10 months. Theie wore 1806 • schools open at tho end of the year, an increase of 21 for tho 'year. Small schools, with an average attendanco not exceeding 20, total 562, with a Toll of 7062 pupils. Seventy schools were closed : in Auckland 16, Taranaki 3, Wanganui 9, Wellington 3, Hawkes Bay. 6, .Mailbcrough 6, Nelson 11, Grey 1, Westland 2, North Canterbury 3, Otago 7, Southland 3. Some of theso included . lwlf-time schools, which were amalgamated w.jtk others to form full-time schools. Including -these, the total number of schools opened 'was 91, distributed as' follows": Auckland 31, Taranaki 3/ Wanganui 15,' Wellington 5, Hawkes Bay 8, Marlborough 7, Nelson 5, Westlana 2, North Canterbury 4, Otaco 5, Southland 6:, ' On the primary staffs in December last there v.cro teachers, of' whom 3137 were adults (1302. men and 1835 women) and 679 pupil teaohem, 151 of the latter being male and 528 female. The average number of childrcij per teacher was 31.5. A comparison, with other colonies in this direction shows- that New Zealand comes out fairly well. The heaviest average in 1904 was shown by Victoria, where the proportion of pupib to each adult teacher was 40.4. The English average was 34-.9, and the New Zealand for tho same year 34.3. - > The ratio of inalo "to femalo teachers hist year remained' unaltered. During the year there Vas an increase of 30 females and 30 mates. This, continues the report, cannot but be .regarded as a healthy signj ' undoubtedly brought about by the more liberal provision made of late for teachers' salaries. As to w salaries, . the average for adult males was £174 14s 9d, as compared with £170 4s 2d during the previous year, and for women £96 6s lid, as compared with £93 8s 8d for 1904. Fifty retiring allowances were granted under the teachers' superannuation fund, involving an additional annual outlay of £2506 13s sd. Ths balance" to credit on the 30th June was £13,073. The actual distribution of the ordinary vote for school buildings w.is as follows : — For maintenance and replacement : Auckland £11,446, Taranaki £ISOBJ Wanganui J34152, Wellington £4482, Bawkes Bay £3140, Maryborough £858, Nelson £2910, Grey £853," Westland £997, North Canterbury £7876, South Canterbury £2448, Otago £8729, Southland £4252'; total, £54,051. Rephcements by fire *cdst £4803 19s lid, and the total amount .expended- on additions to school.-, was £12,336, whilst now schools absorbed £9377 In the four training colleges of the colony there are • 221 teachers, as compared with 109 at the end of 1905. The demand for teachers 'in New Zealand ia still so great that many ex-pupils without adequate additiohfil training are being employed as teachers, and the needs of many of the smaller schools are still served by persons who, whatever their attainments J may; .bo, ! would .manifestly benefit' materially by even a short period of training under, proper, direction. The allowances to students are, however, so liberal, and the advantages of careful practical training so obvious, 'that the attendance at the training colleges is 'fast increasing, and it is expected that 'before long the numbers seeking admission will tax the present accommodation to 'its fullest extent." The cost of maintaining the four colleges in full working order as estimated at £23,000, which will provide not only for the training of 200 teachers, but also the instruction of 1600 children who attend the practising* schools. The strength of tho 264 cadet corn's established 'is '14,115 members, while ;127,386 children were receiving drill instruction at the end of the year. Arms', 'accoutrement?, and. ammunition for tho corps cost £3594, and the total expendi•ture was £57Q4 ,9b ,7d. The sum of £5801 was expended in conveying school children to school. The income from education reserves last year totalled £69,888, as compared with £63,571 during the previous year Primary education benefited to the ex;tent,of £49,348, from the fund, and seciondary education to tho extent of £3897. 'The average cost of administering these 'endowments during the last ten years was 6.98 of the income.