19

E.—l

Holders of Teachers' Certificates in the Service of Education Boards at 31st December, 1914, and at 31st December, 1915.

Deductions from this table show that 69 per cent, of the female teachers hold certificates and 83 per cent, of the male teachers. The fact that large numbers of the small country schools are staffed by female teachers accounts to some extent for the difference. Training of Teachers. (Soc also Appendix D of E.-2.) There are four training colleges situated in the four principal centres of the Dominion, which are open to four classes of students, as follows : Division A, ex-pupil-teachers or ex-probationers ; Division B, students who have passed Matriculation or obtained a higher leaving-certificate ; Division C, University graduates admitted for one year ; and Division D, teachers entering on short-period studentships. The numbers of students in attendance during the last quarter of 1915 under the various divisions were —Division A, 338 ; Division B, 33 ; Division C, 8 ; and Division D, 11 ; the total being 390, as compared with 430 for the previous year. It should be mentioned, however, that the figures for 1915 do not include 15 male students who left during the year, having enlisted for military service, and also 10 male students and 3 female students who took up positions as relieving teachers in order to fill vacancies on the teaching staff caused by the enlistment of permanent teachers. The number of students|at each the last quarter of 1914 and 1915 respectively is indicated in the following table : — , 1914. , , _ _i9is. , Men. Women. Total. Men. Women. Total. Auckland ... ... ... 36 70 106 33 79 112 Wellington ... ... ... 27 80 107 17 69 86 Christchurch ... ... ... 28 74 102 14 78 92 Dunedin ... .. ... 32 83 115 16 _84 100 Totals ... ... 123 307 430 80 310 390 The ordinary course of training is for two years, so that when the training colleges have their full complement of students (125 in each case) the number of students annually completing their training and passing into the schools will be about 250. There is also provision for a one-year course which under certain, conditions may be taken by University students or matriculated students who have completed a two-years course at an agricultural college or a school of home science recognized by the University of New Zealand. In addition, there are short-period studentships, of not less than three months' or more than one year's duration, for the benefit of teachers who have been already employed in teaching and are deemed worthy of further training in professional work, the allowances payable to such students being the same as those payable to students under Division B. For the teaching practice of students the normal practising schools forming part of the training college in each case are available, and opportunities of observation are now extended so as to embrace specially selected teachers and classes in neighbouring schools. Each normal school includes— (a) a main school, organized as a " mixed school " ; and (b) such " model schools " as may be approved by the Minister, each model school being of one of the following types : (i) A rural public school under a sole teacher ; (ii) a junior school under one teacher with not more than 45 children of classes PtoS2 on the roll; (iii) a class representing the secondary department of a district]; high school; (iv) a class for backward children ; (v) a junior kindergarten. The total number of children on the roll of a normal school (excluding the kindergarten) must not exceed 750.

i i 1914. 1915. Class of Certificate. M. F. Total. I M. F. Total. 30 231 612 454 53 14 88 605 983 290 44 319 1,217 1,437 343 33 212 565 442 56 19 52 98 310 641 . 1,206 1,036 1,478 279 335 Total 1,380 1,980 3,360 1,308 2,073 3,381