E.—l

26

and in the case of Natives attending public schools being also shown for comparison :—

The inspection of Native schools was carried out in 1920 by two Inspectors of Native Schools, the experiment of having the schools inspected by the Inspectors of Public Schools having been abandoned. The efficiency of the schools, generally speaking, is reported as being very satisfactory indeed, the Inspectors' detailed criticisms and remarks going to show that as high a standard of excellence is aimed at as is achieved in public schools. There is little doubt that in point of efficiency Native schools compare favourably with public schools of similar size. The schools were classified by the Inspectors as follows : — Very good to excellent .. .. .. .. .. .. 47 Satisfactory to good . . .. .. .. .. .. 63 Inferior to weak .. .. . . .. .. . . .. 9 The pupils of S6 were examined for the award of certificates of proficiency and competency, sixty-five of the former and twenty-eight of the latter certificates being awarded. Natives attending Public Schools. There is no reason to depart from the opinion expressed in previous reports that Maori children make better progress in schools specially instituted for their particular need than they do in the ordinary public schools. The public schools they attend are generally small sole-teacher schools in which it is impossible for the Maori pupils to receive the special attention in language-training they require, and thus they become seriously handicapped in almost every branch of school-work. Maoris at public schools also display a lack of interest and an irregularity of attendance not at all apparent when they are attending their own schools, with the result, remarked upon before, that they are found principally in the lower classes and are generally more backward than European pupils. Secondary Education and Free Places. The Government has not instituted any schools especially for the secondary education, of Maoris, but a number of such schools having been established and being maintained by the various denominational bodies, the Government subsidizes them by providing at them a number of scholarships or free places for Maori children possessing the requisite qualifications. The value of the free places is £30 per annum, and they are tenable for two years. The roll number of these schools (ten in number) at the end of 1920 was 474, of which number forty-eight boys and fifty girls held the free places referred to. One free place was also held at a private secondary school. The great majority of the scholars were ex-pupils of Native schools. The syllabus of work to be followed by free-place holders is prescribed by the Department, and is designed to secure such industrial training as is considered desirable in the case of Maoris : the boys learn agriculture and woodwork,

p, jrcentage of Ri ill. ("lasses. Maoris attending Native Schools. Europeans attending Native Schools. Total attending Native Schools. fNative Schools. Public Schools. Natives attending Public Schools. 'reparatory .. Standard I 11 III IV v VI VII 2,320 546 591 515 357 273 154 25 239 80 88 77 79 75 67 22 2,559 626 679 592 436 348 221 47 46-5 11-4 12-3 10-7 7-9 6-3 4-0 0-9 34-85 12-72 12-10 12-23 11-34 9-73 6-92 0-11 54-7 15-0 11-5 8-7 5-5 2-9 1-5 0-2 Totals 4,781 727 100-0 100-00 100-0 5,508 I_ E 'ciency of the Schoo, Is.