5

A.—4

Education. The number of Samoans attending schools in December last was as follows : — (a.) Mission schools, including theological training institutions, and village schools for infants, under Native pastors .. .. .. 8,800 (ib.) Second-grade or district schools, where Government and missions cooperate (teachers paid by Government) .. .. .. 1,800 (c.) Third-grade Government schools, chiefly for boarders (European and Native teachers) . . .. .. .. .. .. 800 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. 11,400 or 31 per cent, of the population. The above figures indicate a considerable expansion of the education system during the past two years, owing chiefly to increased demands for schools on the part of the Samoans themselves, who are beginning to more fully appreciate the value of education for their children. In accordance with the Government policy to place educational opportunities within the reach of all, steps were taken, in co-operation with the missions, to establish district schools for imparting instruction in standards of education in advance of that given by pastors in the village mission schools, and as a means of qualifying pupils for entrance to the third-grade Government schools. These district schools are yearly increasing, the number now established being forty. The Native teachers in these schools are being well trained by the European staff under the direction of the Superintendent of Schools, and are becoming very efficient. By this means we are gradually building up an educational organization which within a few years should be capable of carrying on with a complete Native staff under the direction of a Superintendent and about two assistants from New Zealand, whose special functions should be to train Native teachers and supervise the schools throughout the Territory. With a view to ensuring continuity of policy in Native education, a conference was held in New Zealand in January last under the direction of the Minister of External Affairs, which was attended by the Director and leading officials of the Department of Education, New Zealand, and representatives from various South Pacific islands under New Zealand control, including Samoa. At this conference it was agreed that the education of the Natives should be adapted to their environment, and should prepare the great majority of pupils to become more self-reliant, and to return to their village life contented and loyal citizens, able to play their part in all schemes for the improvement and progress of their race. A syllabus to give effect to this policy was drawn up, and, amongst other things, made provision for the following : — (1.) All education to be based upon Native life and not on foreign conditions. (2.) Every pupil to have a thorough knowledge of the Samoan language. (3.) English to be taught as a subject and not to replace the Native language. (4.) Native teachers to be specially trained in the methods of imparting knowledge. (5.) Manual work, agriculture, carpentry, plumbing, &c., to form an important part of the syllabus. (6.) Hygiene, adapted to local needs so as to enable the Natives to better protect themselves from the ravages of hookworm, yaws, and epidemics common to the country, to be treated as an important subject. (7.) Text-books to be adapted to Samoan conditions. (8.) Two scholarships per year to be given to boys to receive higher education in New Zealand. (9.) Native teachers to periodically visit New Zealand to widen their knowledge by seeing some of the Maori and technical schools in that country. This information has been given wide publicity amongst the Natives, in order to enable them to understand the aim and object of education, which formerly they considered to be only a means of attaining to the position of a pastor or Government official. The £20,000 per annum given by New Zealand as a subsidy is at present allocated thus : £14,000 for medical services, and £6,000 for education. Last year the expenditure on the latter was £9,130. This subsidy enables education to be given entirely free to the Natives.