E.—l

43

In addition to the Native village schools, three primary mission schools for Maori children and ten boarding-schools affording more advanced education to Maoris were inspected by the Inspectors of Native Schools. Throughout the Dominion there were 574 public schools at which Maori children were in attendance, this number being seventy-three more than the corresponding number for the previous year. Thus the total number of schools under inspection where Maori children were receiving instruction was — Native village schools .. .. .. .. .. .. ..118 Native mission schools subject to inspection by the Education Department .. 3 Public schools at which Maori scholars were in attendance .. .. .. 574 Total number of primary schools .. .. .. .. 695 Native boarding-schools affording secondary education to Maoris .. .. 10 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. 705 The following tabic shows the number of Native village schools classified according to grade for the years 1916 and 1917 : — 1916. 1017. Grade I (average attendance 9-20) .. .. .. ..13 16 Hi (average attendance 21-25) .. .. .. .. 16 19 Ilii (average attendance 26-35) .. .. ..25 26 „ lllAi (average attendance 36-50) .. .. ..39 33 „ lllAii (average attendance (51 80) .. .. .. 16 15 „ lIIb (average attendance 81 120) .. .. ..7 8 ~ IY.\ (average attendance 121-460) .. .. ..2 1 118 LIB New Buildings. New school buildings were completed at Pamapuria early in the year, and the erection of new buildings was put in hand at Moerangi. The erection of temporary buildings at Ruatahuna, has been undertaken by the Maoris and. is Hearing completion. Additional class-room accommodation was provided at three schools (luring the year, and the increased attendance at several other schools will necessitate in these cases, likewise, the provision of additional accommodation. Roll Number and Attendance. The number of pupils on the rolls of Native village schools at the end of 1917 was -Boys, 2,097, girls, 2,476: total, 5,173. Included in these numbers arc 292 boys and 259 girls who arc Europeans, leaving 4,622 Maori children 62 more than in 1916. The following are some figures for the years 1916 and 1917 in connection with the attendance at Native village schools : — 19! (5. I<JI7. Number on rolls at end of year .. .. .. .. 5,132 5,173 Average weekly roll number .. .. .. .. 5,190 5,191 Average yearly attendance '.. .. .. .. 4,504 4,507 Percentage of regularity of attendance .. .. .. 86-8 86-8 The average weekly roll number, average attendance, and percentage of regularity of attendance were practically the same in 1917 as in 1916. The percentage of regularity of attendance (86-8) in view of the special conditions applicable to Native schools, may be regarded as sufficiently good. Of the 118 schools, thirty-eight gained over 90 per cent, in regularity of attendance, while twenty-one failed to reach 80 per cent. The number of pupils on the rolls of the Native mission, schools at the end of 191.7 was 124, and on the rolls of Native boarding-schools 487. The total number of children on the roll, at the end of the year, of Native village, mission, and boarding-schools visited and inspected by the Inspectors of this Department was therefore 5,784. The following are the figures for the years 1916 and 1917 in respect of the three classes of Native schools mentioned : — 1916. 1.917. Combined rolls ol'Native schools .. .. .. .. 5,709 5,784 Combined average weekly roll number .. .. .. 5.789 5,806 Combined average yearly attendance .. .. .. 5,054 5,073 Percentage of regularity of attendance .. .. .. 87-3 87-4