3

E.—6

(b.) Secondary Departments of District High Schools. Number on roll at end of 1922 .. .. .. .. .. 2,606 Mean of average weekly roll—Boys, 1,437 ; girls, 1,466 : total .. .. 2,903 Average attendance .. .. .. ... .. .. 2,682 Number of new entrants from public primary schools .. .. .. 1,709 f Number of first-year pupils .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,421 ■i Number of second-year pupils .. .. .. .. .. 767 of third-year pupils.. .. .. .. .. .. 418 f Number of pupils at end of year under thirteen years of ago .. .. 19 | Number of pupils at end of year between thirteen and fourteen years of age 296 < Number of pupils at end of year between fourteen and fifteen years of age 818 I Number of pupils at end of year between fifteen and sixteen years of age .. 819 [_ Number of pupils at end of year over sixteen years of age .. .. 654 (c.) Technical High Schools. Number on roll at end of 1922—80y5, 2,334 ; girls, 1,808 : total .. 4,202 f Number under thirteen years of age .. .. .. .. .. 148 ! Number between thirteen and fourteen years of age .. .. .. 896 1 Number between fourteen and fifteen years of age .. .. .. 1,360 over fifteen years of age .. .. .. .. .. 1,798 (d.) Registered Private Secondary Schools. Number on roll at end of 1922—80y5, 756 ; girls, 1,242 : total .. .. 1,998 Average attendance, 1922 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,889 f Number under thirteen years of age .. .. .. .. .. 24 | Number between thirteen and fourteen years of age .. .. .. 130 ■I Number between fourteen and fifteen years of age .. .. .. 381 I Number between fifteen and sixteen years of age .. .. .. 501 over sixteen years of age .. .. .. .. .. 962 Number of teachers —Male, 41 ; female, 82 : total .. .. .. 123 (c.) Secondary Schools for Maoris. Number on roll at end of 1922 .. ..' .. .. .. 413 Average attendance, 1922 .. .. .. .. .. .. 392 The total number of children therefore receiving secondary education in 1922 was 20,252, being 2,118 more than in 1921. Of the 12,274 children who left the primary schools in 1921 having passed 86, 4,087 entered secondary schools In 1922, 1,709 the secondary departments of district high schools, and 1,941 technica high schools, hence a total of 7,737, or 63 per cent., of the children mentioned entered upon a course of secondary education. The number represents 47 per cent, of the total number of pupils leaving the primary schools in 1921, of whom nearly onequarter had not passed S6. In addition to the pupils mentioned as having proceeded to a secondary course of education, 2,116 entered technical schools or classes, of which number 1,371 had passed S6 and 365 had not. Length of Stay and Age of Pupils. The following table gives some indication of the length of time pupils are remaining at secondary schools of various types : — Secondary District Technical Schools. nigh High Boys. Girls. Schools. Schools. (a.) Percentage leaving at end of first year or during second year 22-8 23-6 37-7 29-5 (b.) Percentage leaving at end of second year or during third year 19-4 24-3 26-7 40-0 (c.) Percentage leaving at end of third year or during fourth year 26-6 25-5 35-6 18-3 (d.) Percentage leaving at end of fourth year or during fifth year 18-1 17-3 .. 10-0 (c.) Percentage leaving at end of fifth year or during sixth year.. 9-9 7-3 .. 2-2 (/.) Percentage remaining at end of sixth year .. .. 3-2 2-0 In the case of secondary schools the proportion of pupils leaving at the end of the first year shows a regrettable increase, which can be accounted for only by the financial depression of 1922. The proportion leaving at the end of the second year was smaller than in the previous year, so that taking the two years together the results are approximately the same. As has been frequently pointed out, however,