7

E.—lb.

(calculated, according to the new regulations, upon the number on the school rolls) was 38-2. To compare with last year, however, I give the percentage of passes on the number examined in standards only, omitting exceptions—7o-2. In the majority of well-taught schools children appeared to look forward to examination with great pleasure, and the percentage of pupils present increased from 92 in 1885 to 93 in 1886. But some teachers, lam sorry to say, work up their pupils to an unhealthy state of excitement by constantly holding the examination and the Inspector before them in a threatening manner, in place of having the work regularly and well done week by week throughout the year simply because that it should be so done is tho bounden duty of teacher and child, irrespective of any passing of standards or of censure or praise from the Inspector. Of the 255 children absent seventy belonged to the three Wanganui town schools. For the whole district the percentage of children absent in each standard was as follows : Standard VI., 126; Standard V., 6-7; Standard IV., 8-4; Standard 111., 7-2 ; Standard 11., 6-7; Standard 1., 5-1. In looking at these percentages, however, it must be borne in mind that bad weather affects the attendance more in the lower than in the higher classes. The majority of absences in Standard I. were due either to this cause or to sickness. The following table (Table A) gives a condensed summary of the examination results during the past two years, Table B shows the result in each Standard, and Table C (not printed) gives every information with regard to individual schools.

Table A.

Table B.

I am glad to see that the number below Standard I. is less than it was in 1885, though the number on the rolls is higher; or, in other words, the percentage of the roll number presented in Standards I. to VI., inclusive, is higher than it was in 1885. The percentage of passes for the district on the number examined in standards, omitting exceptions, has increased from 67-9 in 1885 to 70-2 in 1886 ; or, to put it in another way, the percentage of failures has decreased from 32-1 to

1885. 1886. Number on rolls on days of examination... 5,834 5,874 Not presented for promotion— Preparatory classes Re-presented Passfed in Standard VI. 2,180 110 33 2,146 24 Presented in Standards I. to VI., inclusive Percentage of roll number presented Examined in Standards I. to VI. Absent in standards, although presented ... Excepted Failed Passed 2,323 2,170 3,511 60-5 3,233 278 193 974 2,066 3,704 63-0 3,449 255 249 955 2,245 Percentage of passes (roll number) Percentage of failures ... Percentage of passes on number examined in standards Percentage of passes on number examined in standards, omitting exceptions 35'4 32'1 63-9 38-2 29-8 65-0 67-9 70-2

rM tO -Sgl EC'S a o gcc O » 3 Standard Glasses. Presented. Absent, j Excepted. Failed. Passed. Average Age of those that passed. O ai & .9 Yrs. mos. 38 52 66 67 66 68 S7 ... S6 .... 50 ... S4 ... S3 ... S2 ... 51 ... P. ... 24 143 336 542 775 849 1,059 2,U6 18 23 46 56 57 55 4 25 40 54 62 64 45 126 209 233 177 165 76 162 247 432 553 775 14 2 13 2 12 6 11 6 10 4 9 0 37-2 43-8 45-8 35-0 24-2 17-6 ... Totals ( i 5,874 255 249 i 955 2,245 29-8 * Mei Hi of average age, 11 years 9 months.