81

E.—l

Standabds.—In all, 13,919 pupils were presented for examination in the standards. Of these, 13,498 were present, and 11,118 passed. The number of pupils excepted was 386, or considerably less than 3 per cent, of those presented. It is a matter of satisfaction to the Board that the number of exceptions shows no tendency to increase. The number of absentees was 421, or slightly more than 3 per cent. The percentage of passes in the standards was 80 —that is, out of every hundred children actually examined in the standards eighty passed. The average percentage of class subjects was 56; last year it was 58. The average of additional marks was 66 ; last yea,r it was 63. Of the 185 schools examined — 17 (= 9 per cent.) had a percentage of failures ranging from... 0 to 5 27 (=15 per cent.) „ „ „ ... 6 to 10 75 (=41 per cent.) „ „ „ ... 11 to 20 25 ( = 13 per cent.) „ „ „ ... 21 to 30 18 (=10 per cent.) „ „ „ ... 31 to 40 13 (= 7 per cent.) „ „ „ ... 41 to 50 10 (= 5 per cent.) „ „ „ ... 51 and upwards. The foregoing comparative statement shows 20 per cent, of failures, or under, in 37 per cent, of the schools examined in 1888, as against 52 per cent, and 65 per cent, of the schools examined in 1887 and 1886 respectively. These figures give evidence of marked improvement in the efficiency of many of the schools. Class Subjects.—In class subjects the average percentage was 56. 22 schools had a percentage ranging from ... ... ... 70 to 78 57 „ „ „ 60 to 69 62 „ „ „ ... ... ... 50 to 59 44 „ „ „ 8 to 49 Additional Subjects.—In additional marks the average was 66 out of a maximum of 120. 44 schools gained marks ranging from ... ... ... 80 to 99 47 „ „ „ ... ... ... 70 to 79 32 „ „ „ ... ... ... 60 to 69 26 „ „ „ ... ... ... 50 to 59 36 „ „ „ ... ... ... 25 to 49 The following circular relating to school organization and instruction has been issued to the Board's teachers :— " The Education Board deem it advisable to submit the following recommendations to headmasters of Public Schools in the Otago District: — "1. The Board consider it in many ways desirable that the headmasters of large schools should in every case devote a portion of their time to teaching some of the more important subjects to some of the classes. The time to be devoted to this work of teaching may probably have to be varied according to the circumstances of the different schools, as regards attendance of pupils, strength of staff, &c. As a rule, a large portion of the headmaster's time—certainly not less than two-thirds of the whole—should be given to the duties of supervision; but the remaining time might be profitably employed in keeping up and improving the professional skill to which he owes his high position, and in giving to the pupils, as far as possible, the benefit of his wider knowledge and larger experience. " 2. The Board will expect one at least of the following groups of subjects to be taken up by each headmaster at his discretion : (a) Grammar and composition of Standards V. and VI.; (b) grammar and composition of Standards IV. and V.; (c) elementary science of Standards IV., V., and VI.; (d) object lessons of Standards II. and III. The Board attach much importance to the treatment of object lessons and elementary science, being convinced that great gain to real education would result from a worthy and skilful handling of these subjects. In the examination schedule supplied by the Education Department object lessons and elementary science are grouped together as class subjects. Although the number of marks gained in past years by some schools is satisfactory, yet in very many instances the marks recorded in these subjects give reason to fear that a sufficient amount of skill and attention has not been brought to bear upon the lessons. The object lesson is not to be regarded chiefly as a means of imparting mere information, or of teaching the scientific names of qualities or objects, but as a means of training the pupils to observe for themselves and to describe and reason about what they observe. These lessons, if properly dealt with, will no doubt result also in supplying the pupils with useful information beyond their former knowlege, and with more precise and accurate terms than those they are accustomed to use. The method that should be adopted in regard to object lessons in the junior classes should continue to be followed when the pupils are sufficiently advanced to receive with advantage lessons in what is designated elementary science in the Education Act. The Board believe that no part of the school work requires more

Inspector. I Time. Distance travelled. Inspection Visits. Schools examined.* !r. Petrio i. Taylor j. Goyen I 1,815 hours 1,765 „ 1,817 „ 3,961 miles 3,833 „ 3,969 „ 80 78 78 75 72 * 32 of the schools in this column are reckoned twice over, as two Inspectors worked together in examining them.