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of the business of a protracted and difficult Conference. I was helped materially in forming my opinions of the New Zealand system by the district Inspectors attending the Conference, and they never wearied in placing their services at my disposal, although I must often have bored them after a long sitting of the Conference. My special thanks are due for many kindnesses to my friends, Inspectors Goyen (Otago) and Gray (Wanganui), the former of whom accompanied me through the greater part of my tour, and by his long experience of both New Zealand and Victorian education was able to give me valuable help and suggestion. Summary and Recommendations. 1. The New Zealand system, like that of Victoria, is " free, secular, and compulsory." 2. There are no fees whatever charged in primary schools, and remarkable facilities are given for free secondary education. 3. The system is completely decentralised. The central Department at Wellington controls grants and financial matters generally, and prescribes the syllabus of instruction. Thirteen provincial Education Boards are charged with the details of administration, employ all teachers, Inspectors, and other officers, and supervise the establishment of schools and the erection and maintenance of buildings. To aid the Boards in matters of business detail, School Committees are elected by the householders. The members of these Committees elect the Boards. Members of Committees and Boards receive no fees. 4. There are 1,708 primary schools controlled by the Boards. The average attendance for 1902 was 113,711. The State also supports ninety-nine Native schools. The average attendance in these for 1902 was 3,005. 5. The Boards have power to establish district high schools, in which higher primary and secondary work are taken up. The number of such schools at present is fifty. The number of pupils thus receiving free secondary education was, in 1902, 1,426. 6. New Zealand has a system of education endowment administered by School Commissioners. In 1902 the amount thus contributed to primary education was £43,325 19s. 4d.; for the same period secondary education benefited by revenues from lands to the extent of £29,610. 7. Secondary education, is to a great extent under departmental control. There are thirty corporate endowed secondary schools under the control of School Councils. Their revenue from landgrants in 1902 was £29,610. They are all subject to inspection by the Inspector-General. The fees are remarkably low, ranging from £5 to £12 per annum. " Free places " for children from the primary schools are now established. The State pays at the rate of £6 for the majority of these. At present about a thousand " free places " are filled. 8. Scholarships to the value of £8,395 lis. sd. were awarded by Education Boards in 1902 to 355 children of primary schools. In addition to these and to the " free places " mentioned above, National Scholarships have been lately instituted. These contemplate the payment of subsistence-money during the period of education. ... 9. The pupil-teacher system obtains in New Zealand, but in a much better fornij than in s Victoria. ' The number of adult teachers in 1902 was 2,957, that of pupil-teachers was 747. 10. The liberal facilities for secondary education make the improvement of the pupil-teacher system an easy matter. The New Zealand pupil-teacher should begin with a fairly liberal education. 11. The higher training of teachers is in a state of transition. It is intended to establish four training colleges in close connection with the existing University colleges. 12. New Zealand teachers have made great use of these University colleges. They are assisted by a system of evening lectures. 13. It is common for primary teachers to receive appointment to secondary schools. 14. School buildings, teachers' residences, and school grounds are much better cared for than in Victoria. The buildings are of a much less pretentious character, but are better designed and maintained. . 15. The compulsory clause of the Education Act works admirably. It provides for the prosecution of defaulters for a week's default, and thus stops the beginnings of truancy. The average attendance obtained in the schools is remarkably good, being 84-9 per cent, of the enrolment—a higher percentage than is reached in any Australian State. 16. The cost of truancy-prevention for 1902 was £1,163, as compared with Victoria for 1902-3, £6,045 16s. sd. ... 17. The subjects of primary instruction are the same as in the Victorian course. Provision is made for manual work and elementary science, and great attention is being paid to drawing. 18. In order to train teachers in the newer subjects introduced, special classes have been instituted, and liberal grants have been made to the Boards for this purpose, and for the supply of material to the sc noljirs 19. Higher primary and continuation work are developing in the district high schools. These are fast becoming free schools. 20. Technical education is receiving increased attention, but in this respect Victoria is more advanced. . . 21. The various grades of education —primary, secondary, technical, University —are being thoroughly co-ordinated, and an excellent understanding appears to exist between all grades. 22. The colony shows by its action that the people believe thoroughly in education, are determined to give ample facilities to all, and are satisfied to assume control of all grades of education as parts of one national system. The tendency is towards a unified though not uniform system. 23. The expenditure of the Boards for 1902 was £586,064 15s. lid., being an average cost of £5 3s. per head. This includes all items of expenditure upon the Board schools, but omits the expenditure upon the central Department and the Native schools.
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