E.—l

V

At the time of the standard examination the number of children on the rolls was 132,121; of these 40,002 were in the preparatory classes, and 2,678 had already passed Standard VI. ; there were therefore 89,441 on the rolls of Standards 1-6. Out of these 72,221 passed one or other of the Standards I. to VI. ; 13,324 failed ; and 3,896 were absent from the examination.

TABLE F.—Examination Statistics.

Of the total number on the rolls of the schools 54*66 per cent, passed the various standards ; of the number actually examined in the standard classes the failures formed 15-58 per cent. For the year 1898 the corresponding figures were 56-03 and 14-1. The falling-off in the percentage of passes may be traced partly to the smaller proportion of pupils in these classes and to the large number of absentees on the days of examination; the increase in the percentage of failures may probably be set down as a natural consequence of a larger degree of irregularity of attendance rather than as marking any greater severity in the examinations. From Table G the percentages of passes in the several standards for the different districts might be calculated; as pointed out, however, in last year's report, "the comparison must be largely qualified by the fact that the requirements, though nominally the same in all districts, are not actually the same ; and further, by what appears to be true also —namely, that greater attention seems to be paid to the class-subjects in some districts than in others." For the whole colony 96-4 of those present at examination in Standard I. passed; in Standard 11., 93-4 per cent. ; in Standard 111., 81-1; IV., 77-0; V., 75-5; VI., 80-3. Comparing these with the corresponding percentages for 1898, we remark that the falling-off is greatest in Standards IV., V., and VI., there being very little difference in the figures for the two years as regards standards 1., 11., and 111.

TABLE G.—Passes.

Education Districts. Bolls on Days p repar atory Examination. Classes. Pupils above Sixth Standard. Present in Standard Classes. Passed. Auckland Taranaki Wanganui Wellington Hawke's Bay Marlborough Nelson Grey Westland North Canterbury South Canterbury Otago Southland 28,571 4,065 10,330 14,9-73 7,683 2,099 5,907 1,559 1,287 20,428 5,102 20,693 9,424 9,564 1,300 3,135 4,591 2,501 570 1,714 480 349 5,264 1,408 6,279 2,847 440 29 154 516 51 60 206 49 76 189 150 565 193 17,736 2,623 6,749 9,629 5,009 1,413 3,886 1,008 838 13,583 3,445 13,422 6,204 14,496 2,057 5,533 8,296 4,321 1,189 2,980 870 761 11,466 2,988 11,839 5,425 For the colony.. 132,121 72,221 40,002 2,678 85,545 In 1898 132,542 40,599 2,641 86,463 74,260

Education Districts I. I II. Passes in I III. Passes in Standards. I St£ ;andar< IV. -ds. V. VI. I. II. Present at Examination. III. IV. V. VI. Auckland Taranaki Wanganui Wellington Hawke's Bay Marlborough Nelson Grey Westland North Canterbury South Canterbury Otago Southland 3,040 515 1,239 1,609 1,017 264 566 150 140 2,112 572 2,252 1,103 3,169 478 1,280 1,675 993 230 619 160 143 2,240 601 2,367 1,130 2,873 484 1,095 1,560 912 202 549 152 153 2,238 549 2,241 1,048 2,340 317 959 1,544 689 207 552 166 146 2,069 585 2,000 941 1,839 173 637 1,177 476 158 414 140 90 1,654 423 1,688 713 1,235 90 323 731 234 128 280 102 89 1,153 258 1,291 490 3,148 574 1,316 1,655 1,109 267 597 157 148 2,174 578 2,266 1,132 3,444 562 1,356 1,822 1,070 234 697 164 148. 2,417 613 2,443 1,179 3,583 630 1,380 1,939 1,050 259 765 187 169 2,796 656 2,676 1,252 3,407 470 1,259 1,839 832 291 778 221 167 2,632 726 2,470 1,168 2,585 259 951 1,471 614 210 622 161 100 2,174 539 2,105 903 il,569 128 487 903 334 152 427 118 106 1,390 333 1,462 570 For the colony .. In 1898 |14,579 :15,030 15,085 15,220 14,056 14,473 12,515 13,261 9,582 9,351 !6,404 16,925 15,121 15,493 16,149 16,268 17,342 17,682 |16,260 |16,763 12,694 12,167 7,979 8,090