E. —1

In a few Native schools the teachers, Committee, and parents have provided the funds with which to build in the playground a small model home, wherein the training of the girls in housecraft, cookery, and home-management could not be more practical and realistic. In connection with the health teaching and practice given in Native schools, I wish to acknowledge the valuable co-operation of the Health Department. The attendance at the Native schools has increased. The policy of encouraging ground improvements has been continued, and extensive treeplanting, chiefly for shelter, effected. _ ( During the year four exchanges of teachers were arranged with Great Britain, two with Canada, one with South Africa, two with Queensland, and two with New South Wales. This is the first occasion for many years on which exchanges have been arranged between teachers from New Zealand and Australia, and I have every reason to be satisfied with the result. Negotiations are at present being made to extend the operation of the scheme to include other States of the Commonwealth. From reports received from New Zealand exchange teachers, while abroad and on their return, it is quite evident that the benefits to be derived from the system fully merit its continuation and extension. Regulations relating to exchange of New Zealand teachers with teachers from other parts of the British Empire were recently gazetted, revoking the out-of-date regulations made under the Education Act, 1914, and embodying the conditions under which exchanges have been arranged in recent years. The arrangements thus incorporated in the Regulations follow largely on the suggestions made by the Imperial Education Conference in 1923. 2. TYPES OF SCHOOLS. The present position in regard to our school system is outlined below. The Native schools and the Correspondence School are under the direct control of the Department; the other schools given in Table A are controlled by the various Boards in accordance with the Act and the regulations made thereunder. The primary schools in the Chatham Islands have since 1929 been controlled by the Department. _ . In addition to the types given in that table there exist a number of private primary schools, private secondary schools, and private Native schools (both primary and secondary). These are under the control of various private bodies, but the range of classes is substantially the same as that given for corresponding schools in the table. Some private secondary schools are " endowed" i.e., maintained partly by revenues derived from grants of land made by the State. Apart from certain special schools for the mentally backward (three) and for the deaf (one) —the following are the types of State schools that are at present in operation. The New Zealand Institute for the Blind is privately controlled.

Table A.

(a) A few primary schools have a Standard VII, in which the work done approximates to that of Form 111. In some of the schools the work done in Form 111 is supervised by the teacher, but the pupils are supplied with lessons compiled by the staff of the Department's Correspondence School. Some primary schools have became contributing schools—i.e., have lost Forms I and 11, these classes having been transferred to intermediate schools or d tmentg Mude Forms I and II only, Form 111 being considered part of the post-primary school to which the intermediate department is attached. Intermediate schools have, however, a Form 111 m cases Speol^ y in P departments of some district high schools there are a few pupils doing work m advance of that of Form V. . . , , (d) Secondary and technical schools amalgamated under a single governmg body.

4

Type of School. Lowest Class. Highest Class. 1. Primary (a) .. .. Preparatory division Form II (Standard VI). 2. Native .. .. • • Preparatory division Form II (Standard VI). 3. Intermediate (b) .. . . Form I (Standard V) Form II (Standard VI). 4. District High School — _ (i) Primary Department Preparatory division Form II (Standard VI). (ii) Secondary Department Form III.. .. FormV. (c) 5. Secondary .. Form III.. .. Form VI. 6. Technical High .. .. Form III.. .. Form VI. 7. Combined (d) .. .. Form III.. .. Form VI. 8. Correspondence School — (i) Primary .. .. Preparatory division Form II (Standard VI). (ii) Secondary .. .. Form III.. .. FormV.