E.—6

3

(b.) Secondary Departments of District High Schools. Number on roll at end of 1921 .. .. .. .. .. 2,176 Mean of average weekly roll —Boys, 1 ,*275 ; girls, 1,358 : total .. .. 2,633 Average attendance .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,440 Number of new entrants from public primary schools . . .. .. 1,626 f Number of first-year pupils .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,214 <j. Number of second-year pupils . . . . . . .. .. 560 of third-year pupils. . .. .. .. .. .. 402 f Number of pupils at end of year under thirteen years of age . . .. 26 [ Number of pupils at end of year between thirteen and fourteen years of age 282 <j Number of pupils at end of year between fourteen and fifteen years of age 637 I Number of pupils at end of year between fifteen and sixteen years of age 712 [_Number of pupils at end of year over sixteen years of age .. .. 519 (c.) Technical High Schools. Number on roll at end of 1921—Boys, 1,782 ; girls, 1,567 : total . . 3,349 f Number under thirteen years of age .. .. . . . . .. 143 j Number between thirteen and fourteen years of age . . . . . . 706 | Number between fourteen and fifteen years of age .. . . .. 1,089 [_Number over fifteen years of age .. .. .. .. .. 1,411 (d.) Registered Private Secondary Schools. Number on roll at end of 1921- Boys, 535 ; girls, 1,099 : total . . . . 1,634 Average attendance, 1921 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,551 f Number under thirteen years of age . . . . . . . . . . 32 | Number between thirteen and fourteen years of age . . .. . . 146 <J Number between fourteen and fifteen years of age . . .. .. 288 | Number between fifteen and sixteen years of age . . . . . . 488 • over sixteen years of age .. .. . . .. . . 680 Number of teachers--Male, 30 ; female, 63 : total .. .. .. 93 (c.) Secondary Schools for Maoris. Number on roll at end of 192 L .. .. .. .. .. 488 Average attendance, 1921 .. .. .. .. .. .. 455 The total number of children, therefore, receiving secondary education in 1921 was 18,134, being 1,716 more than in 1920. Of the 11,383 children who left the primary schools in 1920 having passed S6, 3,972 entered secondary schools in 1921, 1,626 the secondary departments of district high schools, and 1,634 technical high schools, hence a total of 7,232, or 64 per cent., of the children mentioned entered upon a course of secondary education. The number represents 45 per cent, of the total number of pupils leaving the primary schools in 1920, of whom more than one-quarter had not passed S6. In addition to the pupils mentioned as having proceeded to a secondary course of education, 2,116 entered technical schools or classes, of which number 1,475 had passed S6 and 641 had not. Length of Stay and Age of Pupils. The average length of stay of pupils at secondary schools has varied very little during recent years, boys remaining on the average two years and ten months and girls two years and eight months. The following figures show the percentage of pupils leaving the secondary schools at the stages indicated : — Roys. Girls. (a.) Percentage leaving at end of first year or during second year . . 19 17 (b.) Percentage leaving at end of second year or during third year 33 37 (<;.) Percentage leaving at end of third year or during fourth year . . 14 19 (d.) Percentage leaving at end. of fourth year or during fifth year .. 23 17 (c.) Percentage leaving at end of fifth year or during sixth year .. 8 8 (/.) Percentage remaining at end of sixth year .. .. .. 3 2 It is gratifying to find that the percentage of pupils leaving at the end of the first year shows a considerable fall, for the opinion is general that one year's tuition in secondary schools as they are at present constituted can be of very little real value to the pupil. In the case of district high schools the proportion ieaving at a correspondingly early stage is greater, but as the course of work is more in the nature of an extension of the primary course the wastage is not so serious. More than half of the pupils leave the secondary schools at the end of two years, and as