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No. 1. EXTKACT FROM THE REPORT OF THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION. TECHNICAL EDUCATION. General. Number of Schools. The number of organized technical schools offering both day and evening classes open during the year .1.921 was twenty, including thirteen technical high schools, an increase of four on the number for the previous year. Technical high schools were established at Pukekohe, Stratford, Feilding, and Hastings during the year, in each case replacing district high schools. Technical classes were also conducted in a number of manual-training and other centres, the total number of centres being ninety-four. Attendance. The total number of students receiving instruction in all technical classes was 20,181, as compared with 21,394 in 1920. The total for 1920 includes, however, about 1,800 teachers attending technical classes, whereas such students are excluded from the numbers for 1921. The attendance at technical high schools increased from 2,766 in 1920 to 3,349 in 1921, 434 of the increase being due to the establishment of four new schools. Taking only the technical high schools in operation in 1920, the increase is 149, as compared with a decrease of 302 in the previous year. Of the total number of 20,181 students, 3,140 held free places at technical high schools, 3,835 at other technical classes, 1,585 were attending continuation and technical classes held under the regulations for compulsory classes, and 674 were attending under the regulations relating to the free instruction of discharged soldiers. Staffing. There were at the end of 1921 192 full-time assistant teachers on the staffs of technical schools, besides a large number of part-time teachers. The teachers employed full time were classified as follows, Class VI being the highest :—

The effect of the classification system, in encouraging teachers with high professional qualifications is reflected in the totals shown in the table. Teachers classified in Division I, who must have had a training at least equivalent to a threeyears course at a university, have increased in number by 20 per cent., whereas the numbers in Division II have on the whole remained the same. The increase in the number of Division I teachers is partly explained, however, by the increase in the number of technical-high-school pupils. There is no doubt that the system of classification adopted has greatly improved the conditions of service in. technical schools, with the result that it now possesses attractions for competent teachers as nearly equal to those offered in other branches of the teaching service as it is at present possible to arrange. It is hoped that a reasonable solution of some remaining minor difficulties may be found in the near future. Courses of Instruction. The reports of the Inspectors of Technical Schools show that on the whole the standard of work in previous years was maintained. In evening classes, generally

Class Division I. Divisi ion II. Totals. I Men. Women. Men. Women. VI V IV III II I 2 6 14 13 14 4 4 6 3 6 7 1 2 8 9 8 13 7 5 II L3 II) 12 5 L3 31 39 46 16 17 Totals 53 27 27 17 65 192 Totals for 1920.. 39 24 39 24 51 61 .175