53

E.—l

to secondary assistants, exclusive of the sums paid to head teachers by way of extra salary, were, in December, 1916 and 1917, as follows : — l!)l(i. 1917. £ £ M.ale assistants .. .. . . . . .. .. 250 257 Female assistants .. .. . . .. .. .. 208 206 AH secondary assistants . . .. - . . .. . . 220 218 The scale of salaries is the same for men and women. The total annual rate of salaries paid to teachers in secondary departments of district high, schools, including the special, payments to head, teachers, was £22,975, as against £22,957 for 1916. The amount paid as a war bonus is not included. The, problem of the training of secondary-school teachers is one that still awaits complete solution. University graduates may attend teachers' training colleges for one year to acquire; training and experience in the art of teaching, but up to the present the, number availing themselves of this opportunity has been small. Controlling authorities were circularized during the year and urged to secure, as far as possible, trained teachers for the, junior forms, the pupils of which are at a difficult and critical stage of their education. Replies were to the, effect that efforts are made to secure the services of trained teachers, but the opinion was expressed that the training afforded at the training colleges was not altogether suitable for secondary-school teachers, and the necessity for some special provision for their training was dwelt upon. The Department concurs in this view and recognizes that more ample provision for the training of secondary-school teachers will require to be made. The following table shows the University examination status of teachers in secondary schools and in the secondary departments of district high schools. It is clear that with respect to the academic status of secondary-schools teachers there is no complaint to be made. The percentage of assistants neither having academic status nor holding teachers' certificates was fifteen, the percentage being lower than in 1916, although slightly higher than it was prior to the war, when the difficulty of obtaining efficient staffs was much less acute than at present.

Status of Secondary Teachers (Regular Staff only), December, 1916.

Finances of Seconoary Schools. (E.-8, K6-K9.) The income of secondary schools is derived from the following sources : —■ (i.) Rents from special reserves allocated to them by statute : (ii.) Statutory grant given in lieu of special reserves (in one case) : (iii.) Interest upon moneys derived from the sale of reserves and invested in accordance with the Education Reserves Act : (iv.) Income from the secondary-school reserves controlled by the Land Boards, divided among the secondary schools in the several land districts in proportion to the number of pupils in average attendance, lower departments excluded :

Secondary Schools. District High Schools (Secondary I )epartment). iieconua ary ftcnoois. (Secondary Department). I Principals— I Graduates, also holders of teacher's certificate Graduates (not included above) Holders of teacher's certificate only Totals .. .. .. Number. 23 10 1 34 i I I Percentage. 68 29 3 100 i - i Number. Percentage. 21 35 39 65 60 100 i i Assistants — Graduates, also holders of teacher's certificate Graduates (not included above) Holders of teacher's certificate only Uncertificated 1.07 138 23 47 34 44 .; 15 56 58 2 2 29 30 10 10 Totals . . .. . . ... 315 100 97 100 I