E.—l.

7. REGULARITY OF ATTENDANCE. The regularity of attendance has continued at a highly satisfactory figure, the average attendance for the year 1931 being 92*6 per cent, of the average weekly roll number, an increase of 0-4 per cent, on the figure for 1930 and the highest average recorded in any year. The Otago Education District, with 93-9 per cent., had the highest degree of regularity, but the figures for all districts are creditable, in no case falling below 91-8 per cent. For the purpose of comparison the following figures (taken from the official reports) are given : — Year 1930 Percentage Average Attendance in Primary Schools. England and Wales . . . . . . . . 89-0 Scotland . . . . . . . . . . go-2 South Australia . . . . . . . . 91-5 New South Wales . . . . . . . . 87-2 Queensland .. .. .. .. ..83-7 8. STAFFS OF SCHOOLS. The following table shows the number of adult teachers in the public primary schools of the different grades and in Forms I and II of junior high schools and departments.

Table H1. Number of Adult Teachers employed in Primary Departments of Public Schools and in Forms I and II of Junior High Schools and Departments, December, 1931.

This year is the only one within at least the last ten years in which the total number of adult teachers employed has shown a decrease, and the decrease reaches the large figure of 203. This decrease is due partly to the decrease of thirty-six in the number of schools in operation, but in the main to the withdrawal of the additional assistants allowed previously in certain cases where it was felt by the Department that an additional assistant was warranted. This withdrawal has been mainly in schools of Grade V, and has been due to the present financial stringency.

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Sole leachers. Head Teachers. Teachers Total Adult Teachers. Grade of School * ' ; M - P. M. F. M. P. M. IT. Total. I -i L Grade 0 (1-8) .. 30 163 .. . . | .. 30 163 193 I (9-20) .. 336 408 .. .. j .. 336 408 744 II (21-35) .. 234 212 16 10 1 28 251 250 501 HIA (36-50) .. 16 15 159 107 ' 2 265 177 387 564 „ IIIb (51-80) .. 1 212 47 2 275 215 322 537 Illo (81-120) .. .. .. 124 5 6 252 130 257 387 % IV (121-240) .. .. .. 138 2 110 424 248 426 674 V (241-360) .. .. .. 73 1 116 349 189 350 539 VI (361-480) 58 .. 154 393 212 393 605 „ VII (over 480) 100 .. 367 980 467 980 1,447 Junior high schools and . . .. 2 49 34 51 34 85 departments! All grades— 1931 •• •• 617 798 882 172 807 3,000 2,306 3,970 6,276 1930 •• •• 597 811 891 191 860 3,129 2,348 4,131 6,479 Difference .. .. +20 -13 -9 -19 -53 -129 -42 -161 -203 * The grade of school given above is the grade in which the school is placed when all attached side schools are included, while part-time schools taught bj 7 the same teacher are counted as one school. f In 1931 there were two separate junior high schools only.