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Elimination of Large Classes. During the past few years the Department has made steady progress in reducing, as far as means permit, the number of classes in which the numbers of children enrolled are found to be excessive. It must be evident to all that a wholesale reduction of classes cannot be immediately undertaken in view of the enormous expense that would be involved in the necessary remodelling of schools and the provision of additional class-rooms and teachers. The elimination of large classes can, considering all the attendant circumstances, be a gradual process only. That the Department has made appreciable progress in. its efforts will be obvious from the following analysis of the position as it has existed at various dates since 1924. The analysis shows that while in 1924 79 per cent, of the classes in schools of Grade IV and over had more than forty children and 23 per cent, of the classes had more than sixty children, in February, 1928, only 67 per cent, of the classes had more than forty children and only 3 per cent, had more than sixty. When in February, 1928, it was seen, that there were one hundred classes of over sixty pupils immediate steps were taken to remedy the matter. Seventy-one additional assistants were appointed, and schools were reorganized wherever possible. In no case where relief through modification of organization was impossible was additional assistance withheld.

Size of Classes in Schools of Grade IV and over.

Pupils leaving Primary Schools. In 1926, 21,470 pupils left the public primary schools; of these, 16,106, or 75 per cent., had passed the Standard VI examination, and 5,364 (25 per cent.) had not passed that examination but had attained the age of fourteen years. In .1927, 22,497 pupils (11,892 boys and 10,605 girls) left public primary schools ; of these, 17,628, or 78 per cent., had passed Standard VI, and 4,869, or 22 per cent., had not passed that standard. Amongst the 4,869 children who left without passing Standard VI were 768 children who had not attained the age of fourteen years. It is thought, however, that the greater portion of these will be children who, though not fourteen years of age when the schools closed in December, 1927, attained that age before the 1928 school year commenced. A number left the Dominion, and others transferred either to private schools or to lower departments of secondary schools. The few who are not thus accounted for will doubtless have been dealt with by the Education Boards for irregular attendance. Destination of Pupils leaving Primary School. The Department now obtains from public schools, through the Education Boards, returns as to the destination of pupils leaving school each year. A summary of the returns in respect of the pupils who left last year is given, in the following table. From this table it will be seen that 50 per cent, of the boys and

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1924 July ' Uii - 1925. February, 1926. July, 1920. [February, 1927. ' July, 1927 Februu 1928 > i. Number of Children. I Number Per Number of Classes. Cent, of Classes. Number of Classes. Number of Classes. Number of Classes. Number of Classes. Number of Classes. [ Per Cent. Under 31 .. 31-40 41-50 51-60 61 - 70 71-80 81-90 91 124 5 186 406 16 477 716 28 935 700 28 808 359 14 278 126 5 47 52 2 8 36 2 2 249 603 979 818 203 30 2 218 628 1,006 872 170 26 6 193 726 1,087 817 142 14 2 178 662 1,123 892 122 14 204 768 1,026 905 87 9 7 26 34 30 3 3 1 Totals i 2,519 100 2,741 2,884 2,926 2,981 2,991 3,003 100