E.—lb

1894. NEW ZEALAND.

EDUCATION: REPORTS OF INSPECTORS OF SCHOOLS. [In continuation of E.-1b, 1893.]

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

AUCKLAND. Sib, — Education Board Office, Auckland, 22nd February, 1894. We have the honour to present our report for 1893. At the end of the year 308 schools were in operation. Of these, 305 were examined during the year. The three not examined were first opened in November. Two hundred and ninety-six schools have been inspected. Of the twelve which were not inspected, nine are half-time schools, each of which is taught in conjunction with a school which was inspected; two were not open when the Inspector was in the neighbourhood; pressure of other work prevented the inspection of the remaining one. The year has been a trying one for both teachers and children. Eegularity of attendance has been much interfered with by the exceptionally wet weather, and the consequently bad state of the country roads, and to a much greater extent by the epidemic of measles, which spared scarcely any part of the district. The interruption thus caused to the regular progress of school work has, of course, adversely affected the examination results. Still we can say, and it is very gratifying to be able to do so, that many teachers have successfully grappled with the difficulties that beset them, and have produced very satisfactory results. The percentage of passes for the year is 477 ; the percentage of failures is 17 - 7. The falling off which is apparent on comparing these figures with the percentages for 1892—namely, 51-1 and 14-5 respectively —may be attributed entirely to the unavoidable adverse conditions already mentioned. Fifty-six schools, or about 18 per cent., have been reported as having failed to produce satisfactory results at examination. The average ages at the time of passing the several standards compare favourably with those of 1892. The mean of average ages has been reduced one month, and now stands at eleven years nine months. The number of children more than eight years old who were presented in Class P. was 1,752. This is a slightly smaller percentage of the total number of children than the number so presented in 1892. With very few exceptions we have been quite satisfied with the reasons assigned by the teachers. The backward condition of the children has, in the great majority of cases, been ascribed to irregularity of attendance, or the short time spent at school. . The following table shows the summary of examination results for the year : —

I—E. Ib.

Classes. Presented. Absent. Excepted. Failed. Passed. Average Age of those that passed Yrs. mos. ibove Standard VI. Itandard VI. V. IV. „ III. II. I 'reparatory ... 228 1,090 1,909 2,837 3,255 3,635 3,538 7,930 40 135 229 217 205 225 61 120 216 235 225 194 241 483 637 470 409 272 748 1,171 1,755 2,333 2,796 2,847 14 4 13 5 12 3 11 4 10 3 9 0 Totals 24,422 1,051 1,051 2,512 11,650 11 9* * Mean of averai re aj [e.