E.—2

4

number of entrants noticed in 1918 did not recur in 1919, there being 1,000 more children between the ages of five and seven than in the previous year, and 2,800 more children in the preparatory classes. There were fewer children in Si, S2, and S6 than in the previous year, the decrease in numbers to the extent of over 1,000 in S6 pupils being especially regrettable. The table below shows the mean average roll number for every fifth year from 1878 to 1908, and for each of the last ten years ; the table gives also the total average attendance for each year, the average attendance as a percentage of the roll (including secondary departments of high schools), and the number of teachers employed in the public schools.

Schools, Attendance, and Teachers.

The above figures public schools. To estimate the total number of children receiving primary education in the Dominion it will be necessary to 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 : — Avekage 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 .. 215,148 218,174 * Number on roll at end of year. Attendance. (Tables 81, 82, and 83.) 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 the 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

Number rf ¥.!?° Average Year. of wlfEif Attendance, Schools. ifoli y Whole Year. 1878 .. .. .. 748 .. *48,773 1883 .. .. .. 971 90,859 69,838 1888.. .. ..I 1,158 113,636 +90,108 1893.. .. .. 1,375 125,692 i.100,321 1898.. .. .. 1,655 133,782 111,636 1903.. .. .. 1,786 134,748 113,047 1908.. .. .. 1,998 145,974 127,160 1910.. .. .. 2,096 154,756 135,738 1911 .. .. .. 2,166 159,299 142,186 1912.. .. .. 2,214 164,492 146,282 1913.. .. .. 2,255 169,530 151,242 1914.. .. .. 2,301 175,570 158,134 1915.. .. .. 2,338 181,229 163,092 1916.. .. .. 2,355 184,056 163,156 1917.. .. .. 2,368 187,954 168,711 1918.. .. ..j 2,365 191,382 169,836 1919 .. ■■ .. 2,400 193,655 174,885 * Average of three quarters. t Strict average. t Worki Average Attendance as Percentage of Weekly Moll. 76-9 79-3 79-8 83-4 83-9 87-1 87-7 89-3 88-9 89-2 90-1 90-0 88-6 89-8 88-7 90-3 M. I 707 905 ; 1,039 1.107 1,234 1,270 1.331 1.456 1,493 1.555 1,603 1,628 1,591 1,501 1,383 1,366 1,606 § H.xclu: Number ol '1 Adults. F. Total. I 454 1,161 656 1,561 887 1,926 1,096 2,203 1,370 2,604 1,726 2,996 2,021 3,352 2,252 3,708 2,351 3,844 2,550 4,105 2,659 4,262 2,820 4,448 3,077 4,068 3,209 4,710 3,224 4,707 3,452 4,818 3,394 5,000 rsive of male and fi Poachers Pup: M. .118 159 219 238 229 147 161 174 179 162 142 139 141 137 132 123 123 o-nralo pi il-teachi P. 332 571 094 825 831 552 476 526 528 476 474 470 485 519 517 523 503 -obatior ors. Total. 450 730 913 1.063 1,060 699 637 §700 .707 §038 §616 §609 §026 §656 §649 §646 §626 ing average. lers.