Appendix A. \

E.—2

Sex of Pupils.—At the end of 1910 there were in our schools 10,463 boye and 8,781 girls. Stated in percentages, 51*7 per cent, were boys and 183 per cent, were girls; or, in another way, for every hundred boys there were 93 girls. There were fifty-two male and forty-two female Maori or half-caste children on the sohool-rolls at the end of L9lO. Teachers. —On the 31st December there were 615 teachers in the Hoard's .service, classed as Males. Females. [ Totals. Head teachers ... ... ... . 102 102 Sole teachers ... ... ... ... ... :j(i 101 ]:{7 Assistant teachers ... . ;,(; 205 26] Pupil-teachers ... ... ... ... ... it :;r, .V! Probationers ... ... ... . (> 23 29 Teachers of needlework ... ... ... 2C 20 Manual and technical (.special teachers) ... ... 8 4 12 Teacher of gymnast ioa ... ... ... ... I ... ] Totals for 1910... ... ... ... 226 389 615 Totals for 1909... ... ... ... 220 370 590 Increase for 1910 ... ... ... 6 I!) 25 Exclusive of the special teachers and the assistants employed in the secondary departments of district high schools, and reckoning two pupil-teachers as equivalent to one adult, the average number of children per adult teacher was 351. In li)l() the ratio of adult tnon teachers to adult women teachers was 100 to 156; in 1909 it was LOO to H>o. As regards pupil-teachers and probationers, the ratio of males to females was 100 to 256 in 1910; in l«)0<) it was 100 to 212. The following table shows the number of certificated and uncertificated teachers in the Board's service for the years 1908, 1909, and 1910 respectively: —

Excluding the teachers in the secondary departments of district high schools, there were 10 1 adult teachers in the service in 1909, and 490 in 1910. It appears, therefore, that while the number of teachers on the ordinary stall's of the schools increased by twenty-nine, the number of uncertificated teachers increased by thirteen. The actual state of matters is, however, not so bad as might be concluded from the foregoing table. Taking into account the results of the teachers' examine tions held in January last, it is found that of tin; 100 uncertificated teachers in the Hoard's service at -'ilst December last twenty-four have since completed their examination ami are now entitled to full certificates (eleven of Class 1), twelve of Class C, and one of Class 1!); twenty-nine have obtained partial passes (nineteen partial 1), nine partial (', and one partial li) ; leaving fortyseven teachers who have no recognized qualification. It is to be remembered, however, that of those in the last-mentioned category nine were employed in schools of Grade o—positions0—positions the salary available for which seldom exceeds £48 per annum, an emolument that will not, and cannot be expected to, secure the services of qualified teachers. Inspection of Schools.—The Inspectors report that, although instances of too hasty promotion and also of undue slowness of promotion have been observed, the teachers generally are exercising with commendable discretion the powers of classification vested in them. The schemes of work have for the most part been carefully compiled, and bear evidence that the teachers are recognizing and are meeting the demands which the present syllabus makes for the presentation of the work by the most approved modern methods- Most of the small rural schools taught by uncertificated teachers are doing very creditable work. The Inspectors note with gratification the fact that a number of the teachers are devoting themselves to further study with the laudable desire to improve their professional status. With respect to the efficiency •<< the schools, the Inspectors have classified them as follows: Good to very good, 70 per cent. ; satisfactory. 21 per cent. ; fair, 7 per cent. ; inferior, 2 per cent. Seventy per cent, of the pupils presented for proficiency certificates were successful in passing the examination — an increase of •"> per cent, on Hie previous year. Though still weak in composition and geography, the candidates showed a decided advance in arithmetic and drawing —the improvement noticeable in the last-mentioned subject being attributed by the Inspectors to the influence of the School of Art. The Inspectors deprecate the tendency exhibited by some pupil-teachers and probationers to allow the prosecution of their university work to overshadow their professional training. Mention is also made of the fact that, owing to failure of duty on the part of some head teachers, a few pupil-teachers and probationers have been compelled to provide at their own expense tuition to prepare them for their examinations,

XXIII

Certificated. Uncertifioated. Holders of Licenses. Other Teac! lers. 1908 1909 1910 M. 164 160 165 V. 225 233 235 Total. 389 393 400 M. P. Total. M. F. 6 5 11 18 56 4 6 10 21 58 14 8 25 67 Total. 74 79 92 Difference for 1910 . 5 5 2 2 7 7 () - 2 I - 2 4 9 0 nrrr 4 9 13 I i j