3

E.-5

Staffing. There were at the end of 1922 209 full-time assistant teachers on the staffs of technical schools, besides a large number of part-time teachers. The teachers employed full time were classified as follows, Class VI being the highest : —

The courses of instruction offered to students in all the larger centres were much the same in scope and character as in. previous years. In the smaller centres some classes with very small numbers in attendance, which had previously been recognized, were discontinued. Where, however, a subject was an essential part of the training of a tradesman or other worker who could not obtain this part of his training elsewhere in the town, recognition of a class was not refused even if only four or five students enrolled. In the technical high schools recently established in country towns the general course forms a large part of the work of the school. These schools therefore differ somewhat in character from the typical technical high school of the larger towns, in which, generally, the industrial and commercial courses attract the largest numbers. The tendency existing in every school, in which there is a general course, to concentrate largely on the preparation of pupils for public examinations interferes considerably with the proper development of a school of the composite type, in which, all courses should be conducted on sound lines and the gaining of distinctions in external examinations subordinated to the true educational needs of the individual pupil, whatever his ability and predilections may be. It does not appear from the trend of recent events that part-time day continuation classes are gaining in favour with associations of employers, though it is clear that they would be welcomed by the journeymen. Classes other than Classes at Technical High Schools. Classes were held at sixty-three centres as compared with ninety-four in the previous year. The number of individual students was as follows : — 1921. 1922. Classes conducted by Education or High School Boards .. 5,567 1, 807 Classes conducted by Technical School Boards or by Managers 10,081 9,195 Classes conducted by University colleges .. .. .. 1,184 1,260 Totals .. .. .. .. ..16,832 12,262 It is clear from the table that classes conducted by the Education Boards have suffered the greater losses as compared with the previous year ; this is probably due to the restrictions imposed on the holding of small classes and to the exclusion of certain manual-training classes from private schools. The following are some particulars of the age, sex, and occupations of students :—

Class. Division I. Men. Women. Divisi Men. ion II. Totals. Women. n 1 v ii i 3 4 11 4 13 4 17 8 13 6 6 1 3 9 15 10 14 2 6 13 13 24 5 5 16 37 45 59 38 14 Totals for 1922 . . 63 27 53 66 209 Totals for 1921 .. _53_ 27 47 65 192

Seventeen Age and Years of under. Over Sevei of. iteen Years ige. Totals. 1921. 1922. 1921. 1922. 1921. 1922. Males .. Females 4,998 4,207 3,522 2,660 4,102 3,525 3,537 2,543 8,934 7,898 7,059 5,203 Totals .. 7,627 6,080 16,832 9,205 6,182 12,262