.—lr.

2. Me, Edge's Report. Sib,— Education Office, Christchurch, 16th March, 1880. I have the honor to submit the following general report for the year 1879 : — Sixty-three schools were in operation during the wdiole year, or some portion of it. Of these, 58 were visited twice, and all, Broughton and Duusandel excepted, were fully examined for results. Of the schools not visited twice, two were new schools opened during the last quarter of the year, two were closed when I was in their respective neighbourhoods, and Broughton, a small aided school in the Rakaia District, was not visited. New and suitable schools have been opened at Irwell, Kyle, Charteris Bay, Gebbie's Pass Road, Chertsey, Seafield, Tinwald, and Dunsandel; already those at the two latter places are too small for the ordinary attendance. Important additions have been made at several other places to schools and teachers' residences. On the whole, the school-buildings are in very fair condition, and well supplied with furniture and the usual teaching appliances. Several teachers are to be complimented for the clean and orderly appearance of their schools, but in some instances I noticed that very little care is apparently taken of the buildings, furniture, maps, &c. When I pointed this out to the teachers in charge, some excused themselves on the plea that they were only recently appointed, and found things in their present state when they arrived, and others on the ground that tho schoolroom was used for entertainments, lodge meetings, &c, and that the damage was done on those occasions. I think it would be advisable to have an inventory of the furniture and apparatus at present in use in each school prepared, one copy to be retained in the school, and the other forwarded to the office. Such a return would be found useful in the case of applications for fresh supplies. The arrangements in connection with the out-offices of some of the town and country schools are not quite satisfactory. In some places the grounds arc practically open to every passer-by, and the teachers complain that they find it almost impossible to keep the buildings clean and the walls free from writing. The examinations for results commenced on the first day of July, and were continued till the end of the year. This year, out of an enrolment of 7,443, the number present on the day of examination was 5,883, or 79 per cent, of those enrolled. The percentage present is slightly lower than last year, hut this is attributable to the fact that the weather during at least two months of the year was unfavourable for inspection duties. Of the total number examined, 3,499 were presented in standards. The following table shows the number presented in each standard, the average age, the number passed, and the percentage gained : —-

A comparison of this table with that in my last report giving similar information will show that a very considerable improvement has taken place in the percentages gained in the various standards ; while at the same time the average ages, except in Standard VI., are much higher than last year. The following extract from a circular issued in April last, on the joint representation of Mr. Restell and myself, will explain this seeming anomaly: "In order to facilitate the re-classifying of the schools under the new standards, teachers wall be allowed to present children for the same standard under the new regulations as they passed at tho last previous examination under the old." Head-teachers in my district differed very much in the way in which they took advantage of this concession. Some failed to put forward any new candidates for Standard 1., and presented several children in the standards they passed in 1877, although they failed in a higher in 1878. Other teachers, after a careful examination of their schools, presented a fair proportion from the infant classes for Standard 1., and throughout the higher standards kept back only those who, either from irregular attendance or other sufficient cause, were unfit for examination in a standard higher than that previously passed. Of the schools examined, 31 passed 90 per cent, or over, and only 3 below 50. The percentages, however, are not a true test of the relative value of the schools in the district, as, at the time of examination, there were in several of those gaining high percentages very few children above the Second Standard. Admitting that the issue of the circular just referred to may have had the effect of keeping back some children ; yet, when the average ages of the various standards are considered, it can scarcely be deemed satisfactory to find not quite 2 per cent, passing above Standard IV., and over 40 per cent, below Standard I. At present, seeing that the teachers are required to classify their pupils according to their attainments, without regard to age, there is really no age test in operation ; but I think that, unless in exceptional cases, children should be expected to pass the very moderate requirements of Standard I. at eight years of age. At Ashburton, where the accommodation for the junior classes is inadequate and far from suitable, 56 children —about one-third of those in ordinary attendance in this portion of the school —whose average age was 7'B, found no difficulty in passing the First Standard. In making this special reference to Ashburton, I do not wish it to be considered that I think that school a model one; but Ido think that what is accomplished there might reasonably be expected at Colombo Road and East Christchurch, where the buildings afford every convenience for complete organization. The " standard system " has now been in force in Canterbury for a number of years, and I must say that the more I see of its working the better I like it. Ido not mean for one moment to assert that the system is faultless, or that the mere passing of children in their respective standards is the great " consummation of school-life —the all-in-all of modern education ;" but, at the same time, I fail

32

Standard. No. Presented. Average Age. No. Passed. Percentage. VI. V. IV. lit. II. I. 19 121 380 772 1,039 1,168 I I i 13'5 131 12 4 11*4 10*3 8*8 8 108 274 640 980 1,072 42 89 80 82 94 . 91