A.—4

Mission Schools. The work of education is carried on largely by the missions, and it is consistent with the interests of the natives that it should remain so. The organization of mission schools is as follows Grade I (Pastor or Gatechist) Schools (for boys and girls).—These are the village schools taught by the native pastors or catechists, who are supplied by the missions concerned, but the majority of whom receive regular courses of instruction from the Administration. Girls' Schools (Resident) .—The girls of these schools are prepared for the higher standard of village life. The majority marry soon after leaving school, and in this way the whole of the Samoan life is being influenced. Their Christian education is specially stressed. Boys' Schools (Resident).— These can be regarded as colleges where the boys are prepared for useful work in the missions as pastors or teachers, or as artisans. Girls' Schools (Day). —These schools are found in the larger centres, and meet the needs of pupils desiring further education. Music, sewing, typewriting, and shorthand form a special part of the syllabus of instruction in some schools. Marist Brothers' Boys' School (Day). —This school has been established in Apia for fifty years. It is a primary school, admitting boys of any denomination, and preparing them for the New Zealand Proficiency Examination and the commercial houses of Apia. The Grade II schools (which are partly Administration and partly mission) and the schools conducted entirely by the Administration are dealt with later. The vast majority of teachers in mission schools are Samoans, but the services of Europeans are also utilized, especially in the resident colleges and day schools. At all purely mission schools the teachers are provided by the mission concerned. In the following table relating to purely mission schools the attendance figures for the more elementary schools are approximate.

In mission schools children attend from the age of three years (village schools) to_ the age of thirty years (colleges). Numbers in Government and Grade II schools are included in mission totals owing to pupils also attending mission schools for religious instruction. Grade II Schools— Schoolhouses and sites are arranged for by the respective missions, whilst the Administration is responsible for the supervision, training, and payment of teachers. As these schools have been established to meet the needs of village life, the curriculum is arranged accordingly, instruction being in the vernacular j a limited amount of English is taught. Excluding the Government (now intermediate) school at Malifa, there are now 36 of these schools—32 London Missionary Society, 3 Methodist Mission, and 1 Seventh Day Adventist Mission. Roll numbers have been—3lst March, 1931, 2,522 ; 30th June, 1931, 2,491 ; 30th September, 1931, 2,650 ; 31st December, 1931, 3,034-; 31st March, 1932, 2,754. Administration Schools. —Towards the close of the year it was decided, as a practicable measure of economy, that three European teachers returning to New Zealand the headmasters at Malifa and Avele, and an assistant at Ifi Ifi —should not be replaced. The positions of the Malifa and Avele schools were reversed, Avele, near Vailima, becoming the senior school, Malifa absorbing the intermediate grades, and also retaining the few senior Malifa girls. Both schools were placed in charge of native teachers directly under the Superintendent, who devotes considerable time to the class-work of the teachers in each. These changes have not diminished activities, and were made the more easily possible owing to the proximity of the schools and to the amount of teacher-training carried out for years past. The Vaipouli School, Savai'i, has functioned without change. Ifi Ifi School (for Europeans) : Upon the reduction of one in the New Zealand staff greater responsibility was given the locally trained teachers, who have taken charge of the infant department. "in the"'New Zealand Proficiency Examination the following results were obtained :—

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Totals. _ . „ „ . , . j. , Colleges, Colleges, Special Special 5 Pastors and Catechlsts Boys', Girls', Day Schools, Day Schools, ô .,, Schools, Villages. Besident. Resident. Boys'. Girls'. £ Attendance. O " Missions. ___ — r \ ; •a Boys. Girls. Total. B In s!§ s|§ S Sa S Boys- CMs. 3 * 3 s P £ ~Si £ London Missionary 175 4,370 3,278 7,648 2 190 1 150 178 4,560 3,428 Roroaifcatholic .. 71 1,200 1,351 2,551 2 115 8 299 1 365 3 425 85 1,880 2,075 Methodist .. 80 872 1,308 2,180 3 90 1 60 2 50 .. .. 86 1,012 1,368 Latter Day Saints.. 20 299 230 529 1 47 1 60 1 43 1 39 24 389 329 Seventh Day Ad- 1 39 1 12 •• •• 2_ 39 12 346 6,741 6,167 12,908 9 481 12 581 4 458 4 464 375 7,680 7,212

„ , , _ t, e • Certificates of Candidates presented. Pass Proficiency. Competency. Ifi Ifi 14 9 3 Marist Brothers ...... 12 4 3 Malifa (Samoans) ...... 23 11 8