THE EDUCATION REPORT.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11646, 25 August 1905, Page 4

THE EDUCATION REPORT.

The annual report of the Minister for Education was presented to Parliament yesterday. The report states that the average attendance during 1 th<> year ending 31st December, 1904, at all the schools throughout the colony, which in 1903 showed a falling off of 664, rose to 116,506 in 1904, an increase for the year of 3459. This, it is remarked, is a greater increase than has b jon shown in any one year sinre 1894. Tho increase in attendance was fairly

regular- throughout the year. There was also a very satisfactory improvement in the standard of regularity of attendance, namely 85.5 per cent., or 1.6 per cent above that for 1903. This improvement totjk place gradually throughout the year. This percentage, it is stated, compares favourably with £bat of "the United, King"ddnr br"6f any" bf the State's pf the Australian Commonwealth. The increase -in the number of uncertificated teachers is, says the Minister, greater both relatively and absolutely than tho increase of certificated teachers, but it 'should be pointed out that the increase in the former is due chiefly to the large number of those who have partially qualified for certificates that have not yet completed all the conditions, rather than' to any increase in the number of teachers without any, specific qualifications. It may, adds the report, be desirable to limit in some way the facilities for obtaining licenses to teach, as conditions now obtaining seem to encourage candidates to abstain from completing the course required to gain certificates. The shortage of teachers, it is further stated, still exists, but it is hoped that when all" four training colleges are at work the proportion of uncertificated teachers will be considerably reduced. The subject of the training of school teachers is" also dealt with at length in the report. The increased grants to training colleges voted by Parliament-last year have, the Minister states, enabled the two existing institutions at Christchurch and Dunedin to reorganise their efforts and bring their work more into accord with modern ideas.- The number of students has also largely increased, the number at present attending being nice men and ninety-six women. The establishment of similar colleges at Aucki and and Wellington has been authorised, so that at the beginning of next year there will be four such colleges. The demand for teachers is still ao great that for some time to come, probably many ex-pupil teachers will accept appointments without going to the training' colleges.' Nevertheless, it may, he says, be confidently stated that tho advantages of a thorough training are co obvious and-the allowances and privileges to studeuts^so liberal that before long the foxir institutions will in all likelihood have their full complement of teachers in training. The total cost of the four colleges Avhen they are full and in working order will be from .£20,000 to J22,000, which includes the cost of teaching from 16^000 to 18,000 children, whose instruction would otherwise have to be provided for. Dealing with the subject of manual and technical instruction, the Minister states that considerable progress has been made by controlling authorities throughout the colony in the direction of improving existing arrangements and providing additional facilities for instruction in su>- ' jects of technology and manual training. The number of technical contiuation and . school classes recognised during 1904 was 2599, as against 2287 for the previous year. The total expenditure on manual and tech. nical instruction for 1904 was £27,425.