7

E.—l

include public schools (exclusive of secondary departments of district high schools), Native schools, registered private primary schools, and the lower departments of secondary schools. The figures will then be : — Average Weekly Roll Number Public schools (less secondary departments of district 1918. 1919. high, schools) .. .. .". ..188,932 191,153 Native village and Native mission schools .. .. 5,223 5,358 Registered private primary schools .. .. 20,076* 20,977* Lower departments of secondary schools . . .. 665* 686* Special schools .. .. .. . . . . 252 Total average weekly roll of primary scholars .. 215,148 218,171 * Number on roll at end of year. Attendance. (Tables 81, 82, and B3 in E-2.) The following figures show the average attendance at public schools in the Dominion during the years 1918 and 1919 :—■ Including Secondary Excluding Secondary Departments of Departments of District High Schools. District High Schools. Year 1919 .. .. .. .. .. 174,885 172,610 Year 1918 .. .. .. .. .. 169,836 167,601 Increase in 1919 .. .. .. 5,049 5,009 Increase per cent... .. .. 3-0 3-0 The increase of 3-0 per cent, in, the average attendance is greater than tne increase in the roll number, owing to the fact that the regularity of attendance in 1919 was better than in the previous year. Taken as a percentage of the average weekly roll it was 90-3 —the highest figure for the Dominion yet reached, the previous record being 90-1 in the year 1914. There was an improvement in the regularity of attendance in every education district, the best results being obtained in Otago and Wellington, with percentage attendances of 92-1 and 91-5 respectively. The number of children in the country districts living long distances from school contends against obtaining the best results in respect of attendance; nevertheless, the regularity of attendance in New Zealand appears to compare very favourably with that obtaining in other English-speaking countries. The following figures represent the total number of children (of whom the average weekly roll number was given above) in average attendance at registered schools giving primary instruction : — Public schools (excluding secondary departments of district 1918. 1919. high schools) .. .. .. .. .. 167,601 172,610 Native village and mission schools .. .. .. 4,492 4,632 Registered private primary schools .. .. .. 17,441 18,472 Lower departments of secondary schools .. .. 573 608 Special schools .. .. .. . . .. 248 Totals .. .. .. .. .. 190,355 196,322 Classification, Age, and Examination op Pupils. (Tables Cl-C7 in E.-2.) Classification and Age of Pupils. The classification of pupils takes place usually at the end of the school year, the teachers carrying out the work, in which, when necessary, they may be guided or assisted by the Inspectors of Schools. Although an annual reclassification, is the general rule, pupils may be promoted more than once during a year, and in the case of brighter pupils more frequent promotions are encouraged. In the lower classes especially, rapid promotion is often possible. Educationists in other countries are giving their attention to the matter of shortening the period spent in the primary schools, and so avoiding a waste of time, which in later years becomes a serious matter to the child. The amount of