E.—l

8

The yearly increase in the average weekly roll number was 6,213, or 3 - 2 per cent., compared with 1-6 per cent, in 1920, and representing the largest increase since the year 1915. The increase is spread over all classes, but is greatest proportionately in S5 and S6 ; more than half the increased numbers are in the largest city schools. Comparing the two Islands, the school population increased by 4-3 per cent, in the North Island, and by I*3 per cent, in the South Island. During the last ten years the public-school population in the Dominion has increased by 27 per cent., so that there were more than one and a quarter times as many children in the schools in 1921 as in 1911. The table below shows the average roll number for every fifth year from 1878 to 1918, and for each of the last four years ; the table gives also the average attendance for each year, the average attendance as a percentage of the roll, and the number of teachers employed in the public schools.

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 Eoll Number. Public schools (less secondary departments of district 1920. 1921. high schools) .. ..' '.. .. .. 194,188 200,311 Native village and Native mission schools .. .. 5,689 5,986 Registered private primary schools .. .. .. 22,193* 23,924* Lower departments of secondary schools .. .. 815* 774* Total average weekly roll of primary scholars .. 222,885 230,995 * Number on roll at end of year. Attendance. (Tables 81, 82, and B3 in E.-2.) The average attendance at public schools was 89-8 per cent, of the average weekly roll, the figures for 1920 and 1921 being : — Including Secondary Rxeluding Secondary Departments of Departments of District High Schools. District High Schools. Year 1921 .. .. .. .. .. 182,306 179.866 Year 1920 .. .. .. ~ .. 171,102 168,816 Increase in 1921 .. .. .. 11,204 11,0.50 Increase per cent. .. .. .. 6-5 6-6 The very substantial increase (6-5 p.er cent.) over the previous year in the number of children in average attendance, besides being due to the increased number of pupils on the roll, was largely owing to the comparative freedom of the pupils in most districts from serious epidemics, which in the previous year, especially,

Year. Average Number Average Average Attendance of Woekly Attendance, as PercentSchools. Roll. Whole Year. age of Weekly Roll. Adults. M. P. Number of Teachers. Pupil-teachers. I Total. M. F. Total. 1878 .. 1883 .. 1888 .. 1893 .. 1898 .. 1903 .. 1908 ... 1913 .. 1918 .. 1919 .. 1920 .. 1921 .. 748 971 1,158 1,375 1,655 1,786 1,998 2,255 2,365 2,400 2,437 2,498 90,859 113,636 125,692 133,782 134,748 145,974 169,530 191,382 193,655 196,731 202,944 48,773* 69,838 90,108+ 100,321} 111,636 113,047 127,160 151,242 169,836 174,885 171,102 182,306 769 79-3 79-8 83-4 83-9 87T 89-2 88-7 90-3 87-0 89-8 707 905 1,039 1.107 1,234 1,270 1,331 1,603 1,366 1,606 1,675 1,772 454 656 887 1,096 1,370 1,726 2,021 2,659 3.452 3,394 3,500 3,488 1,161 1,561 1,926 2,203 2,604 2,996 3,352 4,262 4,818 5.000 5,175 5,260 118 159 218 238 229 147 161 142 123 123 114 141 332 571 694 825 831 552 476 474 523 503 466 415 450 730 913 1,063 1,060 699 637 616, 646? 626? 580? 556| 'obatio; * Average of three quarters. t Strict average. J Working a 'erage. _ Exclusive of p: iers.