39

E.—lb

Last year, in consequence of the late period at which I entered on my duties, only twenty-six schools were examined. In order, therefore, to compare the results of 1883 with those of the preceding year, it is necessary to give an additional table in which the statistics are restricted to the same twenty-six schools (Table II.) :—

Table II.

In the twenty-six schools, therefore, the percentage of scholars who passed is 60-9 whilst last year it was 68-6, so that, as far as the schools are concerned, there appears to be a decline m efficiency to the extent of nearly 8 per cent. It is of course possible that my examination questions may have been slightly more difficult this year than last, or that I may have had in my mind a somewhat higher standard of excellence for the answers. I believe, however that the true explanation of the lower percentage this year is to be found in the fact that in four of our if g6 f i chools (included m these twenty-six) important changes have this year been made in the staff, a new head-teacher having been appointed in each case. Such changes always affect a school unfavourably for a time, in consequence of the lack of interest which all, teachers and scholars alike, feel in their work whilst anticipating them. It is not surprising, therefore, that each ot the four schools referred to has this year obtained a lower percentage of passes, or that in consequence as these four schools contain a large proportion of the total number of scholars examined, the gross result should be below that of last year TT It 1 jf desirable to notice further that the retrogression is confined to Standards 111 IV and VI. whilst m the case of Standards 1., 11., and V. there has been progress, and in Standard I very marked advance. ' J ~, A ** did T l * s * y? ar ' . and as is usuall y done, I have completed my statistics by giving a further table (lable III.) showing the percentage of passes made by scholars in each of the standard subjects '. —

Table III.

For the purpose of comparison, I give, as before, another table (Table IV ) embracing only the twenty-six schools already referred to :— fa y

Table IV.

As was to be expected from the results exhibited in Table 11., this table also points to retro gression m most of the subjects of study, the mechanical arts of reading and writing alone showine progress ; but I need not refer again to the explanation of this, which I have already given The decline is greatest in grammar and arithmetic, which latter subject is naturally the weakest'of all Ihe difference between the results of the two years in the other subjects is not great

Number of Scholars presented for Examination in Standard. Number of Scholars who passed. Percentage. Percentage in 1882. Standard I. Standard II. Standard III. Standard IV. Standard V. Standard VI. 410 571 539 341 155 27 369 420 259 113 71 13 90 73-6 48-1 33-1 45-8 48-1 84-2 72-7 61-1 53-5 39-1 54-5 Totals 2,043 1,245 60-9 68-6

Subjects. Number of Scholars presented. Number passed. Percentage. Beading Spelling Writing Arithmetic 3,113 3,112 3,113 3,113 1,453 2,340 1,446 2,683 2,179 3,008 1,581 862 1,564 767 86-3 70-0 96-6 50-8 59-3 66-8 53-0 Grammar Geography History

Subjects. Number of Scholars presented. Number passed. Percentage. Percentage in 1882. Beading Spelling Writing Arithmetic Grammar Geography History 2,043 2,043 2,043 2,043 1,062 1,633 1,059 1,817 1,462 2,008 1,072 642 1,157 648 88-9 71-6 98-3 52-5 60-5 70-8 61-2 85-4 75-3 92-3 62-2 76-2 73-7 •62-2