E.—2

APPENDIX D. TRAINING OF TEACHERS. EXTRACT FROM THE THIRTY-NINTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION. Tee be are four training colleges situated in the four principal centres of the Dominion, which are open to four classes of students, as follows : Division A, ex-pupil-teachers or ex-probationers ; Division B, students who have passed Matriculation or obtained a higher leaving-certificate ; Division C, University graduates admitted for one year ; and Division D, teachers entering on short-period studentships. The numbers of students in attendance during the last quarter of 1915 under the various divisions were- —Division A, 338 ; Division B, 33 ; Division C, 8 ; and Division D, 11 ; the total being 390, as compared with 430 for the previous year. It should be mentioned, however, that the figures for 1915 do not include 15 male students who left durirg the year, having enlisted for military service, and also 10 male students and 3 female students who took up positions as relieving teachers in order to fill vacancies on the teaching staff caused by the enlistment of permanent teachers. The number of students at each training college during the last quarter of 1914 and 1915 respectively is indicated in the following table :— , 1914. , , 1915. , Men. Women. Total. Men. Women. Total. Auckland ... ... ... 36 70 106 33 79 112 Wellington ... ... ... 27 80 107 17 69 86 Christchurch ... ... ... 28 74 102 14 78 92 Dunedin ... ... ... 32 83 115 16 84 100 Totals ... ... 123 307 430 80 310 390 The ordinary course of training is for two years, so that when the training colleges have their full complement of students (125 in each case) the number of students annually completing their training and passing into the schools will be about 250. There is also provision for a one-year course which under certain conditions may be taken, by University students or matriculated students who have completed a two-years course at an agricultural college or a school of home science recognized by the University of New Zealand. In addition, there are short-period studentships, of not less than three months' or more than one year's duration, for the benefit of teachers who have been already employed in teaching and are deemed worthy of further training in professional work, the allowances payable to such students being the same as those payable to students under Division B. For the teaching practice of students the normal practising schools forming part of the training college in each case are available, and opportunities of observation are now extended so as to embrace specially selected teachers and classes in neighbouring schools. Each normal school includes— (a) a main school, organized as a " mixed school " ; and (6) such " model schools " as may be approved by the Minister, each model school being of one of the following types : (i) A rural public school under a sole teacher ; (ii) a junior school under one teacher with not more than 45 children of classes PtoS2 on the roll; (iii) a class representing the secondary department of a district high school; (iv) a class for backward children ; (v) a junior kindergarten. The total number of children on the roll of a normal school (excluding the kindergarten) must not exceed 750. The salaries of teachers in training colleges were increased in 1915, especially those in the lower grades, and the staffs were strengthened by the addition of certain positions. The Principals of the training colleges welcome the improvement thus made in the teaching strength of the colleges, and it is reasonable to assume that the higher rates of salary now payable to the normal school staffs will make it possible to obtain the services of superior teachers where they are most required. Much information in regard to the courses of instruction taken by students at the training colleges, and of the status of students, may be obtained from the tables appearing in. this Appendix. It will be sufficient to note here that at the beginning of the two-years course 2 students held Class C certificates and 91 Class D certificates, and at the end of the course 5 held Class B certificates, 97 Class C certificates, and 60 Class D certificates.

i—E. 2 (App. D).