B.—l

6

Details of these facts relating to the several educational districts are given in the primary-education report, E.-2, Tables Al, 81, and El. In order to find the actual roll number of all children receiving primary education in schools subject to inspection, it will be necessary to take into account those attending Native village schools, schools at the Chatham Islands, private primary schools subject to inspection, and the lower departments of secondary schools, and to deduct those on the rolls of the secondary departments of district high schools. The following will then be the figures :— Average Weekly Roll Number. 1911. Public schools .. .. .. .. .. .. ..159,299 Native village schools .. .. .. .. .. .. 4,621 Chatham Island schools .. .. .. .. . . .. 91 Private primary schools .. . . .. . . .. . . 15,914 Lower departments of secondary schools .. .. . . .. 256* 180,181 Less secondary departments of district high schools .. .. .. 2,090 Total average weekly roll of primary scholars .. .. 178,091 * Number on roll at end of year. Attendance. (E. 2.-Tables 81, B2 and 83.) Average attendance for all districts in 1910 .. .. .. .. 135,738 1911 .. .. .. .. 142,186 Increase per cent, in average attendance, 1911 .. .. . . 4-8 At the commencement of the year under rsview, the provisions of section 9 of the Education Amendment Act, 1910, came into force. By this section, with certain exceptions, every child between the ages of seven and fourteen years of age was required to have his name enrolled on the register of some public school, and to attend the school whenever it was open. Owing no doubt partly to this cause, and partly to the zeal and efficiency of the Truant Officers, the percentage of attendance attained a record in almost every district. Increases of percentage were recorded in every district except Hawke's Bay, which has remained stationary for the past three years; and in the case of five districts the percentage reached over 90 per cent, of the roll number. Otago once more had the honour of heading the list for regularity of attendance with the excellent percentage of 91*7, with Marlborough second with 91*6, Wellington leading for the North Island with 90-1. The following are the figuies for the last six years: — Attendance per Cent. of Roll. ' 1906 .. .. .. . • • • • • ■ • .. 86-9 1907 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 84-6 1908 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 87-1 1909 .. .. .. ■ • • • • • .. .. 87-8 1910 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 87-7 1911 .. .. .. •• •• •• •• .. 89-3 Although from the point of view of regularity of attendance New Zealand sutlers greatly on account of its widely scattered population and meagre facilities for transit in many of the outlying districts, it is remarkable that the percentage of average attendance is higher in this Dominion than in such old-established countries as England, Scotland, and Ireland. The following figures are of interest in this connection : — Attendance per Cent. of Roll. Switzerland . . . . . • • • ■ • • • .. . . 97-1 Japan .. .". .. .. .. .. .. .. 92-0 New Zealand .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 89-3 England .. .. • • • • ■ • • • • ■ ■ • 89-0 Scotland .. .. .. .. .. • ■ .. . '. 88-2 United States .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ' 72-5 Ireland .. . . .. .. .. ■ • .. .. 71-1