E.—lA

1888. NEW ZEALAND.

EDUCATION: TEACHERS' AND CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATIONS. [In Continuation of E.-1a., 1887.]

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

The Inspectob-Genekal of Schools to the Hon. the Minister of Education. Sic, — Education Department, Wellington, 31st January, 1888. •I ha-ve the honour to report that for the examination for teachers' certificates which has just been held the number of entries was 866. The candidates may be divided into five groups, as follows: — (a) There are 160 who either have certificates already or have qualified for certificates so far as qualification depends on examination. These all seek to improve their standing—B of them by obtaining a full certificate instead of a provisional one, and the rest by qualifying for a higher class. (5) 261 candidates who at previous examinations have obtained " partial pass " have entered for " completion." Twenty-six of these hold licenses. (c) 144 are candidates who have been examined before and have failed. Fifteen of these hold licenses. (d) There are 437 new candidates, of whom three have licenses, and two have district licenses. (c) Two have entered for science prizes only, and two are pupil-teachers who avail themselves of the regulation allowing them to attend for examination in one branch of drawing. Out of the whole number (863) there are only 60 who have not been connected with the Education Boards as teachers, pupil-teachers, or normal-school students. In group (6) are two such candidates, in group (c) 11, and in group (d) 47. The following table exhibits the numbers in each group in each district: —

Of this year's candidates who have hitherto failed, 117 were among the 170 who failed in December, 1886 ; and there are 20 whose last previous attempt was made two years ago, and 7 who have allowed more than two years to elapse. I observe that among the teachers holding licenses there are 44 who have not entered for this examination; and that 81 candidates in whose favour "partial pass" has been recorded are making no effort this year to improve their position. It is probable, however, that many of these last have retired from the profession of teaching. The amount of candidates' fees is £549 ss. This is increased to £751 18s. by the fees of candidates for the Civil Service examinations, held simultaneously with the teachers' examinations. There are 40 candidates for the Senior examination and 153 for the Junior.

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District. Group (a). Group (5). Group (c). i Group (d). Group (e). Total. ~nd Earanaki VVanganui Wellington EEawke's Bay VTarlborough kelson ... 48 3 5 13 73 2 14 19 5 2 9 4 4 49 11 53 16 62 4 6 5 2 1 11 3 1 15 4 15 15 79 3 12 32 15 6 9 1 3 55 10 54 18 1 "l 263 12 38 69 22 13 32 9 11 148 32 162 55 Ixey ... iVestland Canterbury South Canterbury Dtago ... southland 4 3 1 1 29 7 40 6 2 Totals ... 160 261 144 297 866