E.—2

8

The following is a summary of the examination statistics for 1912 as compared with the figures for 1911 : 1911. 1912. Total roll at time of annual examination ... 162,536 167,800 Present at examination ... ... ... 155,244 160,687 Present in preparatory classes ... ... 56,700 58,202 Present in classes S6" ... ... ... 9,742 9,903 Present in classes S7 ... ... ... 1,757 2,025 Standard VI certificates gained, viz.,— Certificates of proficiency ... 7,212) „ 17,644 i„ ~ competency ... 1,8081 ' 11,6101 ' Details of these figures for each district are given in Table D 2. Average Age. —The average ages of the pupils in the several classes for the two years 1911-12 were as follows : — 1911. 1912. Yrs. mos. Yrs. mos Preparatory classes ... ... ... ... 7 1 7 0 Class SI ... ... ... ... ... ... 9 1 9 1 ~ S2 ... ... ... ... ... ... 10 2 10 3 „ S3 ... ... ... ... ... ... 11 3 11 3 ~ S4 ... ... ... ... ... ... 12 2 12 3 ~ S5 ... ... ... ... ... ... 13 2 13 2 „ S6 ... ... ... ... ... ... 13 11 14 0 „ R7 ... ... ... ... ... ... 15 0 15 1 Mean of average ages ... ... ... ... 9 9 9 9 Details for the several districts will be found in Table D 3. Private Primary Schools. By section 170 of the Education Act, 1908, the teachers or managers of any private primary school may apply to have the school inspected, and the school thereupon becomes " subject to inspection," and no education given to children between the ages of seven and fourteen is deemed efficient, so as to be legal ground for exemption from attendance at a public school, unless it is given at home or in a school subject to inspection. There is therefore indirectly a compulsion on all private primary schools to become subject to inspection. Such private schools are inspected by officers of Education Boards. The following are the particulars in regard to these schools for the years 1911-12: — 1911. 1912. Total number of schools subject to inspection ... ... 183 197 Total roll number ... ... .. ... ... 15,914 13,677 Average attendance ... ... ... .. 14,084 12,086 Total roll at annual examination ... ... 15,404 13,286 Number present at annual examination ... ... 14,233 12,322 Number present in preparatory classes ... ... 5,774 5,410 Number present in SO ' ... ... .:. ... 928 811 Number present in S7 ... ... ... ... 244 269 Number of proficiency certificates issued ... ... 581 473 Number of competency certificates issued ... ... 174 171 The standard of regularity of attendance was very satisfactory, being 88-4 per cent, of the total roll number. See also Table D 5. Conveyance of Children. Conveyance by Rail. —Since the year 1895 children out of the reach of a primary school, but living near to a convenient line of railway, have been granted free passes to the nearest public school or private school; in 1902 this privilege was extended to holders of scholarships and free places in secondary schools, district high schools, and technical schools ; and at the beginning of 1909 the same concession was granted to other secondary pupils who were compelled to travel by rail in order to attend school.