Our Schools.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XIX, Issue 1800, 26 February 1886, Page 3

Our Schools.

We'haveljust received the report of the Inspector of Schools for the year 1886 There has been a falling off in the number of per centage of passes, respecting which the Inspector says —“ Where is the weakness ! and what is its cause Last year I was pleased to state that there were no casts of serious failure with badlytaught classes in large schools ; and, again, that there were few cases of schools which had suffered considerably by change of teachers. It is not so this year. One large city school, two large IVairarapa schools, several country schools, besides largo classes in one or two others, hare this year been more or less under inefficient instruction. Almost without excep lion the weak classes have been under newly-appointed teachers, or under teachers whose past reports have been unsatisfactory. It is not necessary for me to go into the particulars of these cases, fur they are already pointed out m detail in my interim reports sent in to the Board in each case soon after the examination was made. The falling off in the results s in part attributable to the weakness in the strength of the staff ia several large schools. The time of the head masters has been largely taken up in acting as substitutes for assistants required, ill, or suddenly removed. it u necessary that the Board should have at least one assistant master as a superuumerary teacher, who could fill any post on emergency, but without doubt there is nothing more essential to the success of the present system of elementary education than the careful appointment of painstaking, kindly, and thoroughly practical teachers ; and if possible, of teachers who are # known by experience to be capable of doing useful work.”