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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 1919. 1920. high schools) .. .. .. .. # .. 172,610 168,816 Native village and mission schools .. .. .. 4,632 4,861 Registered private primary schools .. .. .. 18,472 19,162 Lower departments of secondary schools .. .. 608 688 Totals .. .. .. .. .. 196,322 193,527 Classification, Age, and Examination of Pupils. (Tables CI and C 2 in E.-2.) Classification and Age of Pupils. The classification of the pupils is for the most part carried out by the teachers, and Inspectors of Schools report that on the whole the task is well performed. In small country schools local influence brought to bear upon the teacher sometimes results in children being promoted too soon. One result of the work of the organizing teachers is, however, a more uniform classification in the small schools under their supervision. There is still a general tendency to retard pupils in the preparatory classes ; on the other hand, it is reported that the retardation in S5 previously remarked upon is not so evident. Retardation of the brighter pupils is frequently found, the opportunity of promoting such children twice in a year, especially in the lower classes, not being sufficiently taken advantage of. There is reason to suspect that examination results sometimes influence the teacher to the detriment of the advance of the more clever pupils. The question of retardation is at present receiving the attention of the Department, the necessity of the time spent in the primary school being used to the pupil's greatest advantage being recognized, as a most important matter. Standard tests of mental efficiency suitable for New Zealand children will require to be devised, and although the work which is now being entered upon by a special committee presents many difficulties, the Department has every assurance that the results to be attained will fully compensate the work and trouble involved. The following table shows the classification of pupils of primary schools, the numbers between the heavy horizontal lines representing children regarded as of normal classification, those above the upper lines children brighter than the average, and those below the lower lines children below normal classification :

Classified Return of the Numbers on the Rolls of Public Schools at the end of 1920, excluding Secondary Departments of District High Schools.

Note. —The number of 86 pupils in this table differs from that shown in Table C 2 in X.-2 for the reason that pupils who did the work of S6 but left before the end of the year are included in this table.

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