E.—B

2

The number of candidates who actually presented themselves in the examina-tion-room is given below. For the sake of comparison the figures for the previous three years are also given. 1912-13. 1918-14, 1914-15. 1915-16. Junior National and Education Board Scholarships and junior free places ... ... ... ... 2,934 3,154 3,562 3,973 Public Service Entrance, Senior National Scholarships, and Intermediate ... ... ... ... ... 2,770 2,756 2,739 3,022 Teachers D and C ... ... ... ... ... 1,753 1,524 1,576 1,720 Public Service Senior ... ... ... ... 574 871 804 675 Typists' Examination ... ... ... ... 46 51 Kindergarten Certificate Examination ... ... ... ... 8 London University Examinations ... ... ... ... 2 Froebel Union Examination ... ... ... ... ... 2 8,031 8,305 8,727 9,453 The Education Board junior and senior scholarships granted each year hitherto were not offered for competition in 1915-16, their places being taken by an increased number of National Scholarships, junior and senior, provided for by the Education Act, 1914. The Junior National Scholarship Examination, which has been in operation for some years, was, with slight modifications, retained for the new junior scholarships, while for the test for the senior scholarships the Public Service Entrance Examination papers were used, with an alternative programme intended to suit those candidates who have been taking courses with an agricultural or domestic bias. All eligible candidates from public or registered private schools who reached the respective standards of qualification fixed in accordance with the Act—63 per cent, for juniors and 65 per cent, for seniors—received National Scholarships from the Education Boards of their districts. In the case of junior scholarship candidates from one-teacher schools the standard of qualification was fixed at its lowest limit allowable by regulation —viz., 10 per cent, below the ordinary standard. The first examination of pupil-teachers was this year discontinued, as the regulations now in force do not permit pupil-teachers in their second year to take a test of this character. The value of the services rendered by Inspectors of Schools in connection with the examination of papers and supervision of the annual examinations is estimated at upwards of £1,800. The cost of conducting the examinations was as follows :— Total expenses, including cost of additional clerical services temporarily £ employed, but omitting other salaries .. .. .. .. 5,267 I jisss recoveries- - £ Fees paid by candidates for teachers' certificates and others .. 2,096 Paid by Public Service Commissioner for expense, of conducting Public Service Examinations, for which in general no fees are now payablePublic Service Entrances .. .. 812 Public Service Senieu- .. .. .. .. 912 ■ —— 3,82(i Net expenditure .. .. .. .. £1,447