THE EDUCATION REPORT

Hokitika Guardian, 10 September 1931, Page 6

THE EDUCATION REPORT

SCHOLARS’ OCCUPATIONS FARMING BECOMING MORE POPULAR. WELLINGTON, September 8. Total enrolments at primary schools, according to the Education Department’s annual report, were 216,698, showing a decrease on the year of 12£3. Primary schools, numbering 2593, have declined by four, while 1523 schools, or more than half the total number, each had an average attendance of less than thirty-six pupils. The Minister, in expressing regret that so many young ’ teachers must necessarily remain unemployed until the financial position becomes easier, adds: “Education Boards are doing their best to afford relief by rationing temporary work. The situation cannot be met by admitting fewer teachers for training, as the number of student teachers accepted in any one year must depend on staff needs five years afterwards, isince the period of training occupies four years. While it is impossible to forecast the financial position with absolute accuracy so many years ahead, there appears every prospect that the situation, will soon become more normal, and that material educational progress will again become possible.” During the financial year ended i March 31, the total expenditure, including endowment revenue, amounted to £4,174,855, as against £4,138,577 in the previous • year, an increase ■of £32,278. If from the total is deducted the sum of £501,344 ; spent on buildings, the net amount remaining is £3,673, 511, which is equivalent to £2 9s 3d per head of the mean population of New Zealand. OCCUPATIONS FOR SCHOLARS. Discussing the destinations of < the 21,715 children who left tile primary schools during the year, the report states that 53 per cent, of the boys went into post-primary courses, and 22 per cent, into agricultural pursuits. In the case of girls leaving school, the most marked movement is in the increase in percentage of those remaining at Home on completion of the primary school course. This goes to show that when, owing to financial depression, commercial trades and other occupations are unable to increase the r activities, and thus are compelled to dispense with accretions in the way of staffs, parents are more or less forced into a choice between two alternatives regarding their children, namely, a post-primary course or remain at home. It is felt that the increase in the number of boys entering agricultural and pastoral pursuits is due to parents enlisting the aid of their sons at an earlier age than they would othcrw'se do if their financial position would permit them to engage outside help. The total roll of public secondary schools increased slightly, but this can be attributed more to the fact. That pupils remained at school for a further year than to ‘ a gieater influx- of new entrants. Lack of suitable avenues of employmenl is probably the mam reason why pupils remain longer than usual at school. There is a’ distinct -drop in the percentage, of boys, entering clerical, professional, shop and warehouse and trades and industries, occupations during 1930 from all schools. The drop is most marked in the case nf boys leaving /purely secondary schools and entering clerical, professional, shop ’ and warehouse occupations. To compensate for this drop, the percentages of boys entering farming occupations l from each type of school shows an increase.'