97

4—A 4b.

21. For European children, both the Administration and the Roman Catholic Mission provide schools based closely on the New Zealand elementary system. The Leifi'ifi School at Apia is by far' the bestequipped Government school in the Territory. It is staffed by seven teachers from New Zealand who have certificates, and eighteen local European teachers, all but one of mixed ancestry. The school had an enrolment in July, 1947, of 635, with many children being turned away. A few Samoan children from urban homes have been admitted. " Accelerate " classes have recently been established to carry forward the brightest pupils. An Administration school is also run at the Aleisa European settlement. So far it has lacked proper staff personnel because of poor accommodation and remoteness from the town area, but a new building is being erected there during this financial year. 22. Beyond the elementary level, several specialized lines of further educational training are available : (a) A small post-primary or high school has been in existence for nine years, and is attached to the Leifi'ifi School at Apia. It has a full European (New Zealand) teacher, and a syllabus based closely on that used in New Zealand high schools (first three grades, or "forms"). Its enrolment of about 30 includes a few Samoans as well as Europeans. Nearly all pupils choose a commercial course, and most pupils leave at the end of the first year to take employment. Extensive preparatory work would be needed for pupils to bridge the gap between the Grade 111 Samoan schools and this school. (b) A Teachers' Training School founded in 1938 takes selected Samoan students from the Grade 111 schools for a two-year course, which includes teaching practice in a model school. The enrolment is about 35, and a small monthly salary is given to the trainees. The institution is staffed by a full European principal (from New Zealand), with Samoan assistants. A smaller number of superior students are held over for a third year, and then become school inspectors or teachers in Grade • 111 Schools. A few teachers have been supplied from the training school to mission schools. " Refresher" courses are given periodically to the teachers already in service. A number of Samoan and part-Samoan teachers have enrolled with the New Zealand Correspondence School, and their work has been supervised by the New Zealand teachers on the Leifi'ifi School staff. (c) Superior graduates of the elementary schools may enter training for public-health work, including the course for training medical practitioners at Suva, Fiji (see " Health " ). id) In 1945 the New Zealand Government established a system of scholarships making it possible for a number of boys and girls of superior ability to go annually to New Zealand schools for primary and high school work. This had been done only sporadically in earlier years. As of July, 1947, 35 scholars were overseas, comprising 20 Samoan boys, 9 Samoan girls, and 6 Europeans of part-Samoan ancestry. After considerable discussion with Samoan leaders, the New Zealand Government decided that the scholarships would be awarded on the basis of scholastic merit rather than taking account of family status, as in matters of rank.