E.—l

6

It will be seen from the first table above that 1,547 schools, or more than, half the total number, each had an average attendance of less than thirty-six pupils. These sole-teacher schools had a total average attendance of 26,095. Enrolment and Attendance. The total enrolment in public primary schools at the end of the year 1927 was 219,945, an. increase of 3,138 over the total for the previous year. Regularity of Attendance. ' — The regularity of attendance has continued at a highly satisfactory figure, the average attendance for the year 1927 being 89-2 per cent, of the average weekly roll number. The Otago Education District, with 91-5 per cent., had the highest degree of regularity, but the figures for all districts are creditable, in no case falling below 88-1 per cent. The relative responsibilities of the nine Education Boards may be gauged from the following figures, which are exclusive of the secondary departments of district high schools : —

The more pronounced increase in the North Island districts is, of course, a natural corollary to the northward trend of the population. It will be observed that the Auckland District accounts for 57 per cent, of the increase for the Dominion.

m t i. * Average Total Average ;vr umb *f Attendance. ot Children per (Primary.) Adu]t Toaohor _ Grades III-VII (two or more teachers) Grades V-VII (six or more teachers) All schools 166,189 37 108,614 44 192,284 32 * Head teaohers are counted as class-teachers up to and including Grade V sclu Schools. In previous reports all head teachers wore counted as elass-toachers. ools that are not District High

Enrolment. Adult Teachers, 1927. Education District. Percentage 1927. Increase, Five Years. Schools, 1927 (excluding Grade 0). 1922. Auckland Taranaki 62,248 11,121 16,673 15,593 26,367 7,052 36,885 22,084 12,468 67,621 9 11,719 5 17,266 4 16,567 6 28,042 6 7,023 * 37,890 3 21,370 -3 12,447 * 9 5 4 6 6 * 698 164 190 163 227 117 379 234 182 1,854 364 501 184: 751 253 1,034 (509 380 Wanganui . . Hawke's Bay Wellington Nelson Canterbury 3 -3 * Otago Southland Totals 210,491 219,945 4 2,354 6,230 * No sigi [ificant movemi it.