E.—l

22

The following are some of the figures for 1923 in connection with the roll and attendance of the schools : — (a.) Secondary Schools — Roll, Ist March .. .. .. .. .. .. 12,563 Poll, 31st December (boys, 6,392 ; girls, 5,227) .. .. ..11,619 Average attendance .. .. .. .. .. .. 11,516 Number of new entrants .. .. .. .. .. 5,017 (b.) District High Schools —Secondary departments Mean of average weekly roll .. .. .. .. .. 3,128 Roll, 31st December (boys, 1,521 ; girls, 1,607) . . .. . . 2,818 Average attendance .. • .. .. .. . . .. 2,858 Number of new entrants .. .. .. .. .. 1,912 (c.) Technical high schools — Roll, 31st December (boys, 2,865 ; girls, 2,189) .. .. .. 5,054 (d.) Registered private secondary schools--Roll, 31st December (boys, 889; girls, 1,245) .. .. .. 2,134 Average attendance .. . . .. . . . . .. 1,834 (c.) Secondary schools for Maoris — Mean of average weekly roll . . . . .. .. .. 455 Roll, 31st December .. .. .. .. .. .. 493 Average attendance .. .. . . . . . . .. 433 The total number of children receiving secondary education at the end of 1923 was 22,118, representing an increase of 2,164 on the corresponding figure for the previous year. Of the 13,251 children who left the public primary schools in 1922 with the Standard VI proficiency qualification, 8,771, or 66 per cent, entered a secondary school, district high school secondary department, or technical high school in 1923. This number represents 49 per cent, of the total number of pupils leaving the schools in 1922, of whom 26 per cent, had not passed Standard VI but had attained the age of fourteen years. In addition to the pupils who entered upon a full course of secondary education, a further 1,872 entered technical schools or classes, of whom 1,460 had passed Standard VI and 412 had not. Group Test op Intelligence. At the beginning of the present year the Terman group test of mental ability was applied to all first-year pupils in the post-primary schools, the number tested being 8,657. Valuable information was secured, and this has been summarized and published in pamphlet form. On the whole the results correlated to a remarkable degree with the more elaborate entrance examinations. The interest and enthusiasm displayed by the teachers were most commendable. Free Secondary Education. The following table gives details of the free places held at the end of 1922 and 1923 :— , 1922. , , 1923. -, (i.) Secondary schools — Boys. Girls. Total. Hoys. Girls. Total, (a.) Junior free pupils .. 3,472 3,222 6,694 3,583 3,609 7,192 (6.) i Senior free pupils .. 1,536 1,216 2,752 1,860 1,426 3,286 Totals .. .. 5,008 4,438 9,446 5,443 5,035 10,478 (ii.) District high schools — (a.) Junior free pupils .. 1,033 1,063 2,096 1,081 1,175 2,256 (b.) Senior free pupils .. 181 215 396 192 258 450 Totals .. .. 1,214 1,278 2,492 1,273 1,433 2,706 (iii.) Maori secondary schools .. 52 56 108 54 70 124 (iv.) Technical high schools— (a.) Junior free pupils .. 1,881 1,461 3,342 2,326 1,730 4,056 (6.) Senior free pupils .. 337 300 637 399 340 739 Totals .. .. 2,218 1,761 3,979 2,725 2,070 4,795 Grand totals .. 8,492 7,533 16,025 9,495 8,608 18,103 The number of free places represents 93 per cent, of the total roll number of all Government schools affording secondary education.