E.—lb

38

Fourth, and Sixth Standards) the earlier practice has been followed of giving the status of the individual as determined by teacher or Inspector. The compromise was adopted as a temporary expedient, partly to avoid too wide a departure from use and wont and partly because a detailed inquiry of the earlier type was still expected by teachers, pupils, and parents. In nearly all cases the examination was conducted entirely on the basis of the expiring syllabus, on the understanding that immediately after the annual visit the teachers should proceed with the new programme. By a resolution of the Board, reversing the policy previously pursued, the examination of any private schools whose managers desired the services of an Inspector was added to our duties during the year. Application for examination in terms of the resolution were duly received on behalf of thirteen schools, but of this group time permitted us to deal with only a limited number, four in Christchurch, one at Kaikoura, and one at Lyttelton, representing a total of 781 pupils. In the public schools examined the class lists presented contained the names of 19,560 children. Of these, 18,335 children were present, distributed as shown in the following table : —

The number in point of enrolment is somewhat lower than in the previous year, but in point of attendance appreciably higher, forty-seven appearing as the difference in the one case and 574 in the other. In this connection it will be remembered that the previous year was specially remarkable for the prevalence of childish ailments, which materially affected the attendance. The following further comparison may prove of interest —the numbers respectively enrolled and present were : Standard VII., 367 and 294 ; Standards VI.-L, 13,066 and 12,591 ; and P. 6,127 and 5,450. For 1903 the figures were : Standard VII., 309 and 219 ; Standards VI.-L, 13,094 and 12,261, and P. 6,204 and 5,281. On the results of examination, certificates of proficiency were granted to 868 Sixth Standard pupils, and 347 of the same standard certificates of competency. The cases in which application was mad under section 18 of the regulations for examination with a view to obtain certificates in the lower grades have been extremely few, perhaps not half a dozen in all, if we except two small groups of pupils at the Boys' and Girls' High Schools, Christchurch, who were specially examined to secure recognition as qualified pupils. The number is pretty sure to increase ; but so far requests for certificates at various stages have in the past not usually been made till long after the examination. We have-many times been obliged to go back over the records for quite a number of years (mainly, however, for Sixth Standard certificates) to comply with a request of the kind. As in time to come practically no information as to the status of the individual not specially examined with a view to a certificate of competency below Standard VI. will be in the possession of Inspectors, it behoves the teachers to exercise special care in keeping their own records in a permanent and accessible form for future reference. In this matter we are afraid many have not yet awakened to a due sense of the responsibilities now imposed upon them under section 5 of the regulations. As elementary education in New Zealand now enters on a new era of its existence under widely different conditions from those hitherto prevailing, it will be useful to devote some space to a consideration of the present position, taking stock, as it were, of the progress already made in some of the leading features and indicating incidentally the lines of future development. At the outset we may as well say that the last few years have not witnessed an improvement. Our teachers are, practically without exception, as conscientious and industrious as ever, but their efforts have been less effective, for the simple reason that, conditions of promotion among pupils being easier, the higher classes of the schools have more and more tended to include children whose previous preparation and mental equipment are insufficient to enable them to make, the best use of their opportunities. Promotion under easy conditions is pleasant enough to all concerned for the time being, but it has its Nemesis. Teachers in strong positions have commonly foreseen and taken steps to avoid the danger ; their less fortunately situated brethren have looked iess to the future, and in not a few cases have left themselves or their successors the task of attempting the impossible. Of the permission to promote on the basis of separate subjects, now enjoyed for some time, little or no use, we may note, has anywhere been made, and except that in the case of a very few individual pupils the classification for English and arithmetic differs, the standard still remains, and, as far as we can see, is likely to remain, the general basis of organization. Of the modification made possible by greater facilities of class-grouping under suitable circumstances more advantage is likely to be taken.

Classes. Number on Roll. Present at Inspector's Annual Visit. Average Age of Pupils in each Class. Standard VII. ... VI. ... V. ... IV. ... III. ... II. ... I. ... 367 1,463 2,066 2,417 2,498 2,349 2,273 6,127 294 1,418 1,993 2,302 2,391 2,278 2,209 5,450 Yrs. mos. 15 1 13 9 12 11 12 1 11 0 9 10 8 9 6 11 Preparatory Totals 19,560 18,335 11 3* * Mean of average !«■