19

E.—l

With the increasing number of trained teachers emerging from the training colleges it is becoming possible to dispense with the services of uncertificated teachers who, notwithstanding the facilities offered by the Department to enable them to qualify for the teachers' certificate examinations, have failed to improve their status. NATIVE SCHOOLS. Number of Schools. The primary education of Maori children living in districts principally settled by Natives is provided by means of Native village schools specially instituted by the Government and under the direct control of the Education Department. All of these schools (numbering 124 at the end of 1923) except one are situated in the North Island. The schools were graded as follows :— Grade I (average attendance 9-20) . . .. .. . . 16 „ II i (average attendance 21-25). . . . . . . . ..II „ II ii (average attendance 26-35) . . . . . . 25 ~ lIIa i (average attendance 36-50). . .. .. .. ..33 „ Hla ii (average attendance 51-80) . . .. . . 28 ~ lIIb (average attendance 81-120).. . . . . . . . . 7 „ IVa (average attendance 121-160) . . . . . . . . 4 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. ..124 In addition to the Government schools there are in operation for the benefit of Maori children nine primary mission schools (the same as in 1922) and eleven boarding-schools, the latter affording a rather more advanced educational programme. These schools have been established by private enterprise, but they are inspected by the Department's officers, and the Government provides a number of free places for Maori children at the boarding-schools. Maori children living in districts more or less sett ed by Europeans attend the ordinary public schools, 674 of these schools having some Maoris in attendance in 1923 ; thus the total number of schools under inspection at which Native children were receiving instruction in 1923 was— Native village schools .. .. . . . . .. . . . . 124 Native mission schools subject to inspection by the Education Department .. 9 Public schools at which Maori scholars were in attendance .. .. .. 674 Total number of primary schools .. .. .. . . 807 Native boarding-schools affording secondary education to Maoris .. .. II Total .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 818 Roll Number and Attendance. The number of pupils on the rolls of Native village schools at the end of 1923 was 6,186, including 5,452 Maoris and 734 Europeans, the latter representing 12 per cent, of the roll. The roll exceeds that of the previous year by twenty-five. The following figures refer to attendance at Native village schools :— 1922. 1923. Number on rolls at end of year .. .. . . 6,161 6,186 Average weekly roll number ... .. .. .. 6,239 6,278 Average yearly attendance .. .. .. ..5,541 5,586 Percentage of regularity of attendance .. .. , . . 88-8 89 Compared with the percentage of regularity in public schools —90 —the high figure of 89 achieved in Native schools, situated as they are in very remote country districts, is a matter for congratulation. The number of pupils on the rolls of the Native mission schools at the end of 1923 was 367, and on the rolls of the Native boarding-schools 462. The total number of children on the roll at the end of the year of Native village, mission, and boarding schools visited and inspected by the Inspectors of this Department was therefore 7,015. The following are the figures for the years 1922 and 1923 in respect of the three classes of Native schools mentioned: — 1922. 1923. Combined rolls of Native schools at end of year .. .. 6,937 7,015 Combined average weekly roll number .. .. ~ 6,998 7,095 Combined average yearly attendance .. .. .. 6,237 6,347