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New School . Whangarei High School attained a roll of 733 on Ist March, 1945. At the end of the year authority was granted to divide the school into separate boys' and girls' schools. The Whangarei Girls' High School began its separate existence on Ist March, 1946, with a roll number of 385, Miss C. S. Bell, M.A., of Wellington East Girls' College, becoming the new Principal. The total number of secondary schools is now 40. School Rolls The rolls of secondary and combined schools are beginning to assume a stabilized form after the rapid increases brought about by the raising of the school leaving age. The numbers enrolled on Ist March for the past four years are as follows : 1943. 1944. 1945. 1946. Secondary Schools (39).. 16,218 18,573 20,042 (40) 20,265 Combined Schools (7) .. 3,276 3,639 3,843 3,837 Registered Private Secondary Schools During the year provisional registration was granted to eight private secondary schools, bringing the number to 73. The rolls of the two endowed schools and the private registered secondary schools at Ist July each year have varied as follows : 1943, 6,926 ; 1944, 7,847 ; 1945, 8,933. Staffing Regulations As the supply of teachers is now showing improvement, the staffing provisions of the Post-primary Teachers' Regulations have been made applicable as from Ist February, 1946. Accrediting and University Entrance The new system of entrance to the University has been in full operation for the first time in the year just ended. The number of candidates who presented themselves for entrance was 2,186. Of these, 1,213 were accredited. Of the remainder, 942 sat for the examination and 317 passed. The new system is working smoothly, and there is good reason to believe that schools are planning the courses of their Sixth Form pupils with greater freedom, and giving a more rational preparation for future University study. Public Service Entrance Examination This examination was conducted for the last time in 1945. The Public Service Commissioner has agreed to the abandonment of this examination as a means of testing fitness to enter the Public Service, and has agreed to the use of the School Certificate Examination for this purpose. For the examination just completed 2,440 entered, and 1,335 passed. School Certificate Examination This examination was conducted in 1945 for the last time under old regulations. From 1946 onwards the conditions for the award of the School Certificate are set forth in the Education (Post-primary Instruction) Regulations 1945, and the prescriptions for the subjects of the examination are laid down by the Hon. the Minister of Education under the authority of these regulations. The number of candidates for the examination just completed was 6,693, of whom 3,190 passed and 1,120 gained partial passes.

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