9

E.—l

fifteen years of age for every 97 girls. Thus, 49-2 per cent, of the children in New Zealand between the ages mentioned were females, but 47-6 per cent, only of the number in attendance at schools were of that sex. In the report for the year 1911 the probable reasons for the discrepancy were discussed. Classification and Examination. Table Dl in E.-2 shows the number of children in each education district arranged according to class. The following table is a summary for the Dominion :—

Table D. —Classification of Pupils at Public Schools, December, 1913. (Including Secondary Departments of District High Schools.)

The proportion of pupils in the preparatory classes again shows a slight decrease. In 1911 it was 37-30 per cent. ; in 1912, 36-70 per cent. ; in 1913, 36-22 per cent. More detailed information in regard to the classification of pupils is to be found in Table B appearing on page 6. The following is a summary of the examination statistics for 1913 as compared with the figures for 1912 : — 1912. 1913. Total roll at time of annual examination ... 167,800 173,459 Present at examination ... ... ... 160,687 164,197 Present in preparatory classes ... ... 58,202 57,869 Present in classes S6" ... ... ... 9,903 10,283 Present in classes S7 ... ... ... 2,025 2,006 Standard VI certificates gained, viz.,— Certificates of proficiency ... 7,644) n n ~, (7,489) n on , competency ... 1,610[ 9 ' 254 j 1,835 J 9 ' 324 Details of these figures for each district are given in Table D 2 in E.-2. Average Age. —The average ages of the pupils in the several classes for the two years 1912-13 were as follows :— 1912. 1913. Yrs. inos. Yrs. mos. Preparatory classes .. .. .. .. ..70 71 Class SI 9 1 9 1 „ S2 .. .. .. .. .. .. 10 3 10 2 „ S3 .. .. .. .. .. .. 11 3 11 3 ~84 .. .. .. .. .. .. 12 3 12 2 „ S5 .. .. .. .. .. .. 13 2 13 2 „ S6 14 0 14 0 „ S7 , .. .. 15 1 15 0 teij Mean of average ages .. .. .. .. ..99 9 10 Details for the several districts will be found in Table D 3 of E.-2. Private Primary Schools. By section 170 of the Education Act, 1908, the teachers or managers of any private primary school may apply to have the school inspected, and the school thereupon becomes " subject to inspection," and no education given to children between the ages of seven and fourteen is deemed efficient, so as to be legal ground for exemption from attendance at a public school, unless it is given at home or in

2—E. 1.

Classes. Boys. Girls. Total. 'ercentagi is for Fivi Years. Jlass P .. „ SI .. „ S2 .. „ 83.. „ S4 .. „ S5.. „ S6.. „ S7 .. 33,017 11,167 11,037 10,505 9,578 8,032 5,403 1,122 29,347 10,157 10,176 9,989 9,081 7,403 4,970 1,184 62,364 21,324 21,213 20,494 18,659 15,435 10,373 2,306 1909. 36-66 12-25 11-82 11-34 10-78 9-08 6-56 1-51 1910. 37-15 12-17 11-94 11-44 10-39 9-10 6-16 1-65 1911. 37-30 12-34 11-90 11-59 10-48 8-72 6-21 1-46 1912. 36-70 12-40 12-25 11-70 10-73 8-85 5-97 1-40 1913. 36-22 12-39 12-32 11-90 10-84 8-97 6-02 1-34 Totals.. 89,861 82,307 172,168 100-00 100-00 100-00 100-00 100-00