■E.—lb

1900. NEW ZEALAND.

EDUCATION: REPORTS OF INSPECTORS OF SCHOOLS. [In continuation of E,-1b, 1899.]

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

AUCKLAND. Sir,— Education Office, Auckland, 6th March, 1900. I have the honour to submit the usual annual report for the year 1899. At the close of the year 378 schools were in operation, being nine more than at the close of last year. Of this number 372 were examined. In two cases schools taught and examined on distinct days are reckoned as single schools in the above total. Six schools were not examined. Five of these were opened after the examinations of the neighbouring schools were completed, while one —Broadwood School —was closed when the Inspector was examining the schools of the Hokianga district, and its examination could not be overtaken later in the year. The highest standard class at Broadwood School is Standard 11. Owing to the illness of one of the Inspectors during the latter part of the year the inspection of twenty-seven schools, all of them small rural schools, had to be omitted. Of the number included in this total, eight were opened in the course of the year (nearly all of these in the second half of the year when the main work of inspection was completed). Besides this, one was temporarily closed at the time of inspection. To complete the examinations the help of an Acting Inspector had to be called in for a few days in the middle of December. Mr. Alfred Taylor, head master of the Northcote School, undertook this service, and examined the Coromandel and Driving Creek Schools. To the Northcote School Committee, as well as to Mr. Taylor, thanks are due for their courteous and prompt compliance with the request for his assistance. The following table shows in summary the examination results for the year : —

This table shows for the year an increase of 446 in the number of pupils presented, a decrease of 138 in the number present, and a decrease of 813 in the number of pupils who passed in one or other of the standards. Approximately 82 per cent, of the pupils examined in standards passed, a perfectly satisfactory result considering the exceptional circumstances of the year, though somewhat below tftat reached in the last two years. I—E. 18.

Classes. Presented. Examined in Standards. Passed. Average Age of those that passed. Yrs. mos. Above Standard VI. ... Standard VI. V. IV. III. II. :.. I. Preparatory 440 1,608 2,713 3,579 3,778 3,598 3,291 9,564 1,569 2,585 3,407 3,583 3,444 3,148 1,235 1,839 2,340 2,873 3,169 3,040 13 11 13 2 12 3 11 2 10 2 8 11 Totals ... 28,571 17,736 14,496 11 7* 4 * Mean of average age.