E. —1

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The following table shows the progress that has been made since 1924 in the elimination of large classes —

Size of Classes of Schools of Grade IV and over.

It is admitted on all sides that the continuance of a policy of reduction in the size of classes is essential if New Zealand is to keep abreast of other countries in educational progress. In England the Board of Education has accepted the elimination of large classes as one of the cardinal objects of national policy in education. That this policy is being actively pursued will be apparent from the following statement of the position as to sizes of classes in 1927-28 in the public elementary schools in England and Wales : —

In comparing these figures with the figures shown above for New Zealand it must be remembered that the former are in respect to all schools, whereas the latter are only for schools of Grade IV and upwards. In New Zealand, as in England, progress in reducing the size of classes has been materially hampered by the difficulty of providing adequate accommodation for the augmented staff. School buildings are, however, being enlarged and remodelled as rapidly as funds permit. Pupils leaving Primary Schools. In 1928, 23,742 pupils (12,313 boys and 11,429 girls) left public primary schools ; of these 18,508, or 78 per cent., had passed Standard VI, and 5,234, or 22 per cent., had not passed that standard. Amongst the 5,234 children who left without passing Standard VI were 745 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, 1928, attained that age before the 1929 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.

| ' . . | 1924. February, 1928. . February, 1929. Number of Children. j AT -u c AT , , Number of -r> n , Number of D Number o± Pot , r . Classes. Cent. j j PerCent. | PerCent. Under 31 .. .. 124 5 204 7 233 8 31-40 .. .. . . 406 16 768 26 860 I 28 41-50 .. .. .. 716 28 1,026 34 1,138 37 51-60 .. . . .. 700 28 905 30 788 25 61-70 ...... 359 14 87 3 64 2 71-80 .. 126 5 9 .. 2 81-90 .. .. 52 2 3 .. 91 and over . . .. 36 2 1 | | . Totals .. .. 2,519 100 j 3,003 100 j 3,085 100 ' _J ] j 1

Number of Children. Number of Classes. Per Cent. Under 31 .. .. 43,470 29 31-40 .. .. .. 44,686 30 41-50 .. .. .. 45,602 30 51-60 .. .. .. 16,517 11 Over 60 .. .. 169 1 150,444 100