15

TC.—l

Taking all grades of schools, the average number of pupils per teacher is 30*8. Table El gives details for the various Education Boards. The comparatively small number of pupils per teacher in Marlborough (18-5) and Westland (21-0) is accounted for by the large proportion of small schools in these two districts. Although the Education Amendment Act, 1908, improved the staffing of the public schools very considerably, a comparison with some of the countries most advanced in matters of education will show that the staffing of our larger schools is not yet as good as it might be. In some cases the comparison made in the following table is not a fair one, as in New Zealand only the larger schools are taken into consideration, whereas in England, Wales, Scotland, and Switzerland all schools are counted. It must, however, be remembered tha,t the rural school as known in New Zealand is a very different thing from the rural school in these other countries ; in the latter cases a school is called a rural school which in New Zealand would rank at least equal to a suburban school. Average Number of Children per Adult Teacher. Roll Average Number. Attendance. London (County Council schools) .. .. .. .. 42-6 384 England and Wales (Board of Education schools) .. .. 384 34-0 Scotland .. .. .. .. .. .. 434 38-1 New York City .. .. .. .. .. 42-9 34-6 Switzerland (including Geneva Canton) .. .. .. 44-0 42-7 Geneva Canton .. .. .. .. .. .. 25-7 25-0 New Zealand (in schools 201-700).. .. .. .. 50-5 444 At first glance it would appear as if the cost of education in Geneva, for instance, must be very much higher than in New Zealand. As a matter of fact, the cost per pupil is less, the reason being that, whereas the average salary for a New Zealand teacher (excluding very small schools) is £155, the average salary of a Swiss teacher is about £45. Salaries of Teachers. (E. -2.—Table P2, p«,Re 34.) At the rate paid in December, 1910, the total amount of all salaries and allowances paid to teachers and pupil-teachers was £593,574 11s. 2d. ; the average rate per teacher (including pupil-teachers'! was therefore £134 Bs. Bd.. as compared with £132 6s 2d. in December, 1909. A fairer idea could be gained by excluding teachers in schools with less than 16 pupils in average attendance and pupil-teachers, and by deducting the house allowances that are payable to teachers for whom residences are not provided. We then find that the average net salaries of adult teachers (head teachers and assistants) in the last three years in December of each year have been as follows :— 1908. 1909. 1910. £ B. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Men .. .. .. .. 195 1 0 201 10 7 201 2 8 Women .. .. .. .. 115 13 5 122 8 2 123 1 10 All adults .. .. .. 148 8 1 155 7 3 155 9 1 As will be seen from the above, the average salary of adult teachers is slightly higher than that for 1909. The very considerable increase of the averages for 1909 and 1910 over those for 1908 are due to the provisions of the Education Amendment Act of 1908. The same Act introduced the principle of annual increments to salaries, which operate in each grade until the maximum salary for the grade is reached. In addition, every head teacher is provided either with a house or with house allowance in lieu thereof. Status of Teachers in regard to Certificates. (R.-2.— Table* E2 and E3, pages 31 and 82.) Table E2, in the Report, E.-2, gives the number of certificated and uncertificated teachers respectively on 31st December, 1910, exclusive of secondary schools and