E.—l

26

Staffs of Public Schools. (See also E.-2, Tables El and K4.) The number of teachers employed in public schools in L 916 (exclusive of assistants in the secondary departments of district high schools) was 5,366, including 4,710 adult teachers and 656 pupil-teachers, the corresponding figures for 1915 being 4,668 and 626 respectively. Of the adult teachers, 1,316 were sole teachers, 931 were head teachers, and 2,463 were assistant teachers. Classified according to sex there were 1,501 males and 3,209 females among the adult teachers, and there were 137 male and 519 female pupil-teachers. The following table shows the number of teachers in each grade of school classified under the headings of sole, head, assistant, or pupil teachers : —

Number of Teachers employed in Primary Departments of Public Schools, December, 1916.

Notes. —Probationers not being reckoned as on the school staff are not included in the above summary. The number of probationers in Docomber, 1916, was—64 males, 351 fomales, total 415; in December, 1915, the corresponding figures were—s3 males, 343 females, total 396. The numbers of sole and head teachers do not agree with the numbers of sohools in each grade as shown in the summary on page 11, for the reason that all half-time schools and side schools are placed in that summary in the grades strictly according to the average attendance of each school counted separately, while for salary purposes in the case of half-time schools and for salary and staffing purposes in the case of main sohools with side schools attached the grade is determined in the one case by the average attendance of each school group, and in the other by the combined average attendance of the main and side school together. The number of pupils per teacher in the several grades or groups of schools is shown below, two pupil-teachers being counted as equivalent to one adult teacher, and probationers being disregarded : — Total Average Average Number Attendance of C hlld ?" en P er Teacher. Grade 0. (1-8) .. .. .. .. .. 1,054 5 11. (9-20) .. .. .. .. .. 9,192 14 11. (21-35) .. .. -.. .. 12,811 25 „ lIIa. (36-80) .. .. .. .. .. 26,463 25 „ lIIb, (81-120) 11,854 31 IV. (121-240) 19,881 38 V. (241-400) .. .. .. .. .. 28,809 42 VI. (401-500) .. ..10,521 45 VII. (over 500) .. .. .. .. .. 41,312 47 Grades 111-VII (two or more teachers) .. .. 138,840 37 Grades V -VII (six or more teachers) .. . . . . 80,642 45 All schools .. .. .. .. .. .. 161,897 32 The average number of pupils per teacher in all schools is only a decimal point lower than it was in the preceding year, so that the remarks made in previous reports regarding the necessity for reducing the size of classes in the larger schools are still pertinent. It will be observed from the above figures that over fifty thousand children are included in the groups, in which the average number of pupils per teacher is 45 or over, and that of these over forty thousand form a group having 47 as the average number. In the case of the higher averages it must be concluded that many teachers in New Zea-

Grade of School. Sole Teachers. Head Teachers. Assistant Teachers. Total Adult Teachers. Pupil Teaohi era. M. F. M. F. M. V. M. V. Total. M. P. Total. 0. (1-8) .. 1. (9-20; .. II. (21-35) .. IIIa. (36-80) .. [IIb. (81-120).. IV. (121-240).. V. (241-400).. VI. (401-500).. VII. (Over 500) 8 145 185 36 154 436 333 19 3 362 111 112 88 24 70 5 141 6 1 6 1 1 3 36 99 45 174 8 509 224 277 397 134 557 8 145 188 398 114 148 187 69 244 154 436 346 669 230 278 403 135 558 162 581 534 1.067 344 426 590 204 802 24 25 14 74 6 84 136 49 244 6 108 161 63 318 Totals 1916 Totals 1915 374 426 942 889 770 792 161 129 357 373 2,100 2,059 1,501 1,591 3,209 3.077 4,710 4,668 137 141 519 485 656 626 Difforonce -52 +53 +47 -90 +30 -22 +32 -16 + 132 +42 -4 +34