E.—2

4

Schools, Attendance, and Teachers.

The above figures relate to 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 : — Average Weekly Roll Number. Public schools (less secondary departments of district 1919. 1920. high schools) .. .. .. ..191,153 194,188 Na.tivc village and Native mission schools .. .. 5,358 5,689 Registered private primary schools .. .. .. 20,977* 22,193* Lower departments of secondary schools .. .. 686* 815* Total average weekly roll of primary scholars .. 218,174 222, 885 * 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 1919 and 1920 : — Including Secondary Excluding Secondary Departments of Departments of District High Schools. District High Schools. Year 1920 .. .. .. .. .. 171,102 168,816 Year 1919 .. .. .. .. .. 174,885 172,610 Decrease in 1920 .. .. .. 3,783 3,794 Decrease per cent. .. .. .. 2-2 2-2 Owing to widespread epidemics of a severe nature the regularity of attendance was poor in 1920, with the result that, although the roll number increased, there was actually a decrease of 2-2 per cent, in the* number of children in average attendance as compared with the previous year. Taken as a percentage of the average weekly roll number the average attendance was 87-0 the corresponding figure for 1919 (the highest on record) being 90-3. Every education district showed a falling-ofr in this respect, the percentages ranging from 86-0 to 88-6, and the best results being attained in Otago and Nelson. As far as can be judged the regularity of attendance in New Zealand schools compares, as a rule, very favourably with that obtaining in other English speaking countries. It should be mentioned in this connection that a special concession was made to Education Boards in the matter of payments for incidental expenses of schools and teaching staffs which were based on the average attendance for 1920, the average of the highest quarter being taken as the basis instead of the mean of the average of the four quarters.

Year. Mean Average Number „ fAv „ v „„ s Average Attendance oi woftiS Attendance, as PercentSchools. b„ii y Whole Year. age ot " 011i Weekly Roll Adults. Number of 'eachers. Pupil-teachers. M. F. Total. M. F. Total. 1878 .. 1883 .. 1888 .. 1893 .. 1898 .. 1903 .. 1908 ... 1911 .. 1912 .. 1913 .. 1914 .. 1915 .. 1916 .. 1917 .. 1918 .. 1919 .. 1920 .. 748 971 1,158 1,375 1,655 1,786 1,998 2,166 2,214 2,255 2,301 2,338 2,355 2,368 2,365 2,400 2,437 90,859 113,636 125,692 133,782 134,748 145,974 159,299 164,492 169,530 175,570 181,229 184,056 187,954 191,382 193,655 196,731 48,773* 69,838 90,108+ 100,3211 111,636 113,047 127,160 142,186 146,282 151,242 158,134 163,092 163,156 168,711 169,836 174,885 171,102 76 9 79-3 79-8 83-4 83-9 87-1 89-3 88-9 89-2 90-1 90-0 88-0 89-8 88-7 90-3 87-0 707 905 1,039 1.107 1,234 1,270 1,331 1,493 1,555 1,603 1,628 1,591 1,501 1,383 1,366 1,606 1,675 454 656 887 1,096 1,370 1,726 2,021 2,351 2,550 2,659 2,820 3,077 3,209 3,224 3.452 3,394 3,500 1,161 1,661 1,926 2,203 2,604 2,996 3,352 3,844 4,105 4,262 4,448 4,668 4,710 4,707 4,818 5,000 5,175 118 159 219 238 229 147 161 179 162 142 139 141 137 132 123 123 114 332 571 694 825 831 552 476 528 476 474 470 485 519 517 523 503 466 450 730 913 1.063 1,060 699 637 707§ 638§ 616§ 609§ 626§ 6565 649§ 646§ 626§ 580§ * Average of threi quarters. t Strict average. Working avei •age. § Exclusi'6 Of 680 irobatii mers.