OUR SCHOOLS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2256, 16 September 1914, Page 8

OUR SCHOOLS

STATISTICS AND MEDICAL INSPECTION. The annual report of the Education Department was presented to Parliament last night. Thero are now 2255 public schools in the Dominion, an increase of 41 for last year. The mean average roll for the four quarters was 169,530, an increase of 5038. Tho attendance in New Zealand schools compares very favourably with that of other countries. It is higher than any other country except Scotland, which is slightly higher, and it is much better thar in any'of the Australian States. In regard to medical inspection, good work has been done, though so far the work has been mainly experimental, hut the results are sufficient to justify the existence of the system and to show tho necessity for its extension. During the year 12,35" children wero examined, 4696 wore special cases thought by tin teachers to be suffering from some do fects, and 72 per cent, of the children examined in Standard II wore found to be suffering from defective teeth. Tot many children wore found suffering from physical deformities, 22 per cent, have stooped shoulders, and 7 per cent, spinal curvature. The new system of phvsical training will do much to in prove this condition of things._ Thf average New Zealand child is heavier, and taller than tho average English child of the same age. .The new physical education, system is reported to bo proving eminently' satisfactory.