E.—3

2

No. 1. EXTRACT PROM THE THIRTY-SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION. Native Schools. At the end of 1912 there were 108 Native village schools. During the year six new schools were opened, and one was transferred to the Otago Board of Education. Two schools were closed permanently, and four were closed temporarily. The number of schools in operation at the 31st December, 1913, was thus 107. In addition to these schools, there were three mission schools giving primary instruction to Maori children, and 565 public schools at which Maori scholars were in attendance, while there were ten boarding-schools specially concerned with the secondary education for Maori boys and girls. Thus, the total number of schools giving instruction to Maori children was — Native village schools .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 107 Native mission schools subject to inspection by the Education Department .. 3 Public schools at which Maori scholars were in attendance.. .. .. 565 Total number of primary schools .. .. .. .. 675 Native boarding-schools affording secondary education to Maoris .. .. 10 Total .'. .. .. .. .. ..685 The following table shows the number of Native village schools in each grade, as compared with the number for the previous year : — Table H.—Number of Native Village Schools in each Grade. 1912. 1913. Grade I (9-15) Grade Hα (16-20) .. .. .. .. .. .. 8 9 Grade Hβ (21-25) .. .. .. .. .. .. 13 14 Grade 111 (26-35) .. ..32 30 Grade IVa (36-50) .. .. .. .. .. ..34 30 Grade IVb (51-80) .. .. .. .. .. 16 20 Grade V (81-120) 5 4 Totals .. .. .. .. ..108 107 Attendance. The number of pupils on the rolls of the Native village schools at the end of the year 1913 was—Boys, 2,459; girls, 2,188: total, 4,647. Included in these numbers are 258 boys and 257 girls who are Europeans. The average daily attendance, in actual numbers and as a percentage of the average weekly roll number, for each of the years 1912 and 1913 was as follows : — Average Attendance. Per Cent, of Roll. • 1912. 1913. 1912. 1913. First quarter .. .. .. - .. 3,943 4,201 85-7 874 Second quarter .. .. .. .. 4,063 4,297 89-0 871 Third quarter .. .. .. .. 4,068 4,068 86-6 83-1 Fourth quarter .. .. .. ..4,092 4.000 86-8 850 The following are some of the figures in regard to the attendance at Native village schools for 1913, the corresponding figures for 1912 being inserted for purposes of comparison:— 1912 m 3 Number on rolls at end of year .. .. .. .. 4,694 4,647 Average weekly roll number .. .. .. .. 4,644* 4,835* Average yearly attendance .. .. .. .. 4,042* 4,142* Percentage of regularity of attendance .. .. .. 87 85 - 7 * The mean ot the four quarters.