29

E.—l

Numbers commencing Secondary Education, and Ages at which commenced. In 1929, 12,697 children (6,725 boys and 5,972 girls) commenced post-primary education, as against 12,291 in the previous year. The ages of children commencing post-primary education in 1929 and the type of post-primary school at which they enrolled are shown below : —

Of the 12,697 children who embarked on post-primary courses last year, 474 (196 boys and 278 girls) came from private schools. Returns furnished by Education Boards show that 23,742 children left public primary schools in 1928. Assuming that, with few exceptions, the children who commenced secondary education in 1929 completed the primary course in the previous year, it is found that of the children who left public primary schools in 1928 51 per cent, commenced secondary courses in 1929. It must be noted, of course, that not all the 23,742 children who left public primary schools in 1928 were entitled to admission to secondary schools. The number of such children who had qualified for admission to secondary schools by passing Standard VI was 18,508, and allowing for children entering secondary schools from private schools it will be seen that 12,223, or 66 per cent, of the number so qualified, actually did embark on secondary courses in 1929. Staffs and Salaries. The number of full-time teachers on the staffs of the forty-four secondary schools at the end of 1929 was 657, compared with 623 in 1928. There were 29 male and 15 female Principals and 331 male and 282 female assistants. The average rates of salary at the end of the year were as follows, the figures for 1923 being also shown : — 1923. 1929. Principals— £ £ Men .. .. .. .. .. .. ..713 729 Women .. .. .. .. .. .. 546 573 Both sexes . . .. .. .. .. .. 651 676 Assistants— Men .. .. .. .. .. .. ..370 397 Women .. .. .. .. .. ..271 290 Both sexes .. .. .. .. .. ..324 348 All teachers —| Men .. .. .. .. .. .. ..399 424 Women .. .. .. .. -.. ..287 305 Both sexes .. .. .. .. .. ..348 370 In addition, male Principals for whom a residence was not provided received house allowance of £60 per annum. The opinion is still held in some quarters that the great majority of secondary school teachers have received no training as teachers ; but an examination of the position reveals that this belief is contrary to fact. So far as male teachers are concerned the proportion of those who are trained before entering the secondaryschool service has for some years risen steadily. In 1929 a record in this connection was established in that 97 per cent, of the male entrants into the ranks of secondary school teachers had passed through a training college. Of the forty-one women entrants thirty had either attended a training college or had obtained practice as home science student-teachers, and six others had had previous teaching experience.

Age at which Post-primary Course commenced. Total Numbers commencing Post-primary Class of School. Under 13 Years. 13 Years. 14 Years. 15 Years and over. Education in 1929. I 1 i Boys. ! Girls. Boys. Girls. Boys. Girls. Boys. Girls, j Boys. Girls. I I I Secondary .. 736 695 1,309 1,238 847 758 267 194 3,159 2,885 Technical .. 283 292 926 823 789 552 246 161 2,244 ! 1,828 District high .. 276 280 487 453 340 332 117 96 1,220 1,161 Junior high .. 12 21 39 46 34 25 17 6 102 98 Totals .. 1,307 1,288 2,761 2,560 2,010 1,667 647 457 6,725 5,972