E.—lβ

1895. NEW ZEALAND

EDUCATION: REPORTS OF INSPECTORS OF SCHOOLS. [In continuation of E.-1b, 1894.]

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Corpmand of His Excellency

AUCKLAND Sm, — Education Office, Auckland, 28th February, 1895. I have the honour to present the usual report for the year 1894. In the course of the year there were in operation 328 schools, or twenty more than at the close of the preceding year. Three hundred and sixteen of these were examined in the course of the year Of the twelve that were not examined, six were opened during the last quarter, two (both small aided schools) were opened about the middle of the year, two were temporarily closed when the schools in the district were examined, and the remaining two (situated at Great Barrier Island) it was found impossible to overtake. Two hundred and ninety-nine schools were inspected. Of those not inspected, twelve were opened after the time available for inspection had passed, and sixteen could not be overtaken. It will be remembered that the work of inspection was delayed and interrupted by the attendance of the Inspectors at the Conference of Inspectors, held at Wellington early in February, and by attendance at the office in connection with inquiries ordered by the Board. But for these interruptions the inspection of all the schools in operation up to the middle of the year could have been easily overtaken. In the schools examined before the Ist of July the examination results were tabulated in the form that has been in use for a number of years. Since that date the results have been set out in the form lately prescribed by the Minister For the sake of uniformity, the results of the first half of the year have been thrown into the same form as was prescribed for the second half. The percentages of passes and failures that formed so prominent a feature in the statistics of previous years have now been eliminated, and exceptions have also disappeared—a change which no friend of education need deplore.

The following table shows in summary the examination results for the year:—

For the year there has been an increase of nearly 1,000 in the number of pupils presented, and a somewhat larger increase in the number of pupils that passed in standards. Last year 15,213 pupils were presented in standards, and 11,650, or 765 per cent., passed , this year, 16,063 were I—E Iβ.

Classes. Presented. Present. Passed. Average Age of those that passed. Yrs. mos. Above Standard VI. Standard VI. V IV „ III. II. I. Preparatory 273 1,179 1,943 2,971 3,600 3,689 3,482 8,277 1,134 1,829 2,819 3,421 3,546 3,314 870 1,251 1,839 2,628 3,069 3,063 14 11 13 6 12 8 11 5 10 2 9 2 Totals 25,414 16,063 12,720 11 6* * Mi :an of average aj Iβ.