Appendix C.J

8.—2.

XIII

The above shows an increase of 356 pupils on the rolls of the public schools at the time of the teachers' annual examination ; in the previous year the increase was 426. The slight decrease in the number of pupils in Standard VII is accounted for by the depletion of the secondary department in the Wanganui District High School, consequent on the opening of the Technical College to secondary pupils. As the above numbers include district high schools, a comparison with Tables VII and X will prove interesting. jThere is no other noteworthy difference, numbersjor in the average ages. Fluctuation in School Population. From time to time the Inspectors have, in the case of individual schools, drawn attention to the extraordinary extent to which in our district families come and go in the course of the year. An examination of the returns shows that this holds throughout the district, and also throughout the North Island. In Otago in 1911 the number of pupils admitted, expressed as a percentage of the roll at the beginning of the year, was 38 per cent., while in Wanganui 56 per cent, were admitted. In 1912 the number of admissions reached 60 per cent, of the roll with which the year began. Even if the normal increase as from year to year (2 to 3 per cent.), and also the infants admitted to preparatory, be left out of consideration, there still remains a large percentage to indicate that during the year a large number of pupils float from school to school and from district to district. Such frequent changes cannot but retard the progress not only of the new pupils themselves, but also of their companions in class ; and this obstacle to progress ought, we think, to be considered when one attempts to estimate the quality of the work done by the teachers of our district. If in the course of the year about half his class changes, the teacher's task is greatly increased in difficulty, and the excellent results he looked for become increasingly difficult to achieve. Table V.—Inspection op Schools. Number of State schools inspected during 1912 .. .. .. . . 204 Number of Roman Catholic schools inspected .. .. .. .. 11 Number of private schools inspected .. .. .. .. ..11 Total number of schools inspected .. .. .. .. 226 Number of schools inspected during 1909 .. .. .. .. 205 1910 .. .. .. ..207 1911 .. .. .. .. 218 Table VI.—Standard VI : Proficiency Examination. At this examination 974 pupils from the State schools and 110 from the Roman Catholic and other private schools were presented, making a total of 1,084 candidates ; last year there were 1,002. The numbers given below refer only to the State schools.

The 1911 percentages of passes for the Dominion were as follows : Proficiency, 71*8 per cent. ; competency, 18 per cent. : total passes, 89*8 per cent: Table Vll.—Employment of Pupils after passing Standard VI. This table is intended to show what becomes of the pupils who leave school after passing Standard VI. Only the larger schools —that is, those above Grade IV —have been counted. It is gratifying to note the large percentage of pupils who continue their education in the secondary or in the technical classes. Per Cent. High school or college .. .. .. .. .. .. ..19 District high school (secondary department) .. .. 23 Technical day school .. .. .. .. .. 10 Home (mostly girls) .. .. .. .. .. 22 Farm .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 7 Trade .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..6 Office .. 7 Shop 4 Unskilled labour .. .. .._.__!.„ ... .. .. 2 It is satisfactory to note that of those who gained only competency certificates 30 per cent, remained at school to gain the higher certificate.

1910 hill 1912 Year. Profioiency e ce f " e Competency Certificates. p Certificates. .. I 552 58-8 230 .. I 639 68-6 193 701 71-9 151 | Percentage of Passes. 24-5 20-7 15-5 Total Percentage of Passes. 83-3 89-3 87-4