17

E.—l

that leave one school go to another; but, even so, the change has usually a retarding effect upon their education. The Inspectors' view of the pupils' attainments is not quite as favourable as that taken by the teachers. The following table compiled from the Inspectors' reports shows the number of children that passed the several standards during the year in all districts except South Canterbury. Erom South Canterbury the returns have not been received at the date of this report:—

TABLE O.—Numbers and Proportions of Passes in Standards.

It therefore appears that, although 52-43 per cent, of the pupils on the roll are classified by the teachers as children that have either passed Standard I. (or some higher standard) or are fit to be taught with those who have passed, only 466 per cent, were presented during the year to be examined according to standards. The difference may be attributed partly to the fact that the roll was larger at the end of the year than at any time during its currency, while the examinations were held at various times throughout the year; and partly to the absence of some of the children on the days of examination. Again, of the number actually presented for examination more than one-fourth disappointed their teachers, so that the number of passes in all standards during the year was only about one-third (33-5 per cent, exactly) of the number of pupils on the roll at the end of the year. Eor every thousand children on the roll, 6 passed Standard VL, 15 passed Standard V., and 35 passed Standard IV., giving a total of 56 in 1,000 as the proportion of children who during the year have passed " the standard of education" which secures exemption from the operation of the " compulsory clauses " of the Act; while in Standards 111., 11., and I. the proportions are 64, 106, and 107 to 1,000. The proportion of those that have not passed is 665 to 1,000. As to the ages at which the pupils have passed the several standards, there is a larger amount of information than has been available in former years. The following table contains a summary of it:—

TABLE P.—Average Ages of Pupils at Standard Examinations.

3—E. 1.

Passed Standards Education Districts. Roll (Dec, 1880). Presented. Passed. I. II. III. IV. V. VI. Tota All (except South Canterbury) 78,895 \ 46'6 p.c. of roll number 72 p.c. of number presented 10-7 Per cent, of Roll Number. 10-6 I 6'4 35 1-5 0-6 33'5 Auckland New Plymouth Wanganui Wellington Hawke's Bay Marlborough Nelson North Canterbury I.* North Canterbury II.* Westland Otago Southland 14,939 1,559 4,894 6,082 3,085 1,212 3,950 6,722 816 2,217 3,595 1,560 643 2,402 4,288 3,828 1,521 6,745 2,580 4,4S3 453 1,704 2,750 1,032 505 1,924 3,054 2,463 1,435 5,148 1,601 Per 75 57'5 83-4 79 681 73-4 82-1 88 82 99 81 81-7 lent, of Number presented in each Stand; 69 i 58 50 62 87 61-1 i 373 j 74-7 76-2 ... 78-7 72-1 ! 57 82'2 903 88 78 68 55 54 ; 64-8 67 61-1 69-4 ... 82-5 85-7 61-5 77'8 95-5 85-3 77-5 '. 74-9 70'5 85-2 825 ! 55 43 6 55'7 461 72 | 48 46 49 50 97 88 87 95 98 82 69 67 73 84 i 68-6 | 37-5 { 40-8 163 80 777 : 63-1 i 59-4 63-5 73-4 ard* 66 555 76-4 76-5 66-2 78 80 71-2 80 94-3 76'3 62 ] 16,437 £ 3,143 19,203 4,891 78,895 Totals ... 36,763 26,476 8O'l 72 w ■ ■ *-* *^ -»* f -»J '-1 — ' '■ ' I ' r ■ * North Canterbury I. ia Mr. Eestell's district; II., Mr. Edge's.

Average Ages (in Years) for Standard Education Disthicts. Mean of Ages. I. II. III. i v. V. VI. Auckland Plymouth Wanganui (as presented) Wellington „ lawke's Bay llarlborough (as passed) kelson „ tforth Canterbury ,, louth Canterbury Vestland (as presented) )tago „ iouthland ,, 8-8 8-6 8-5 8-2 8-8 10-2 96 10 98 10-3 ii-7 111 11 11 11-8 12-8 12-6 12-1 12-2 12-8 13-3 13-2 12-5 13-6 137 13-8 14-1 141 14-3 14-3 iiv7 11-5 11-4 11-5 12 8 9-1 9-2 9-6 10-5 10 9 111 11-7 12 12-6 12-7 133 13-2 13-6 139 14-3 14-3 13-8 11-5 12 12-2 Mean of the eight returns Bango (difference between lowest and highest) ... 8-6 1-2 10-1 1-3 11-4 1 12-6 1-2 13-4 1-4 14-1 0-5 11-7 0-8