E.—l

16

completed a full-time course as student teachers in a technical school; Division B, other students who, being over seventeen years of age, have obtained higher learning certificates or partial passes in the Class I) Examination or have obtained equivalent or higher qualifications ; Division C, University graduates admitted for one year ; Division D, teachers entering on short-period studentships. The numbers of students under the several divisions in 1926 were : Division A, J ,041 ; Division B, 123 ; Division C, 18 ; and Division D, 16 : total, 1,198. The numbers for the previous year were: Division A, 1,085; Division B, 160; Division C, 17 ; and Division D, 9 : total, 1,271. The number of students who completed their course in 1926 was 549, and their examination status was as under : Class A certificate, 4 ; Class B certificate, 90 ; Class C certificate, 304 ; Class D with partial success towards C, 127 ; Class D, 9 ; credited with some subjects towards a teacher's certificate, 15 ; no examination, nil. Status of Teachers in regard to Certificates. The table below gives a summary of the position with regard to the number of primary-school teachers holding teachers' certificates in the last three years : —

Primary Teachers in Public Schools.

The numbers of teachers holding certificates of the various classes in 1925 and 1926 were as follows

The following figures indicate the very marked decrease in recent years in the numbers of uncertificated teachers employed in public primary schools : — Uncertificated Teachers. Year Number As P eroenta g e of ear ' IN umber. Adult Teachers. 1920 .. .. .. .. 1,472 .. 28 1921 .. .. .. .. 1,336 .. 25 1922 .. .. .. .. 1,234 .. 22 1923 .. .. .. ..1,100 .. 19 1924 .. .. .. .. 931 .. 16 1925 .. .. .. .. 701 .. 12 1926 .. .. .. .. 624 .. 10

1924. 1925. 1926. Number. ! r ' Number. r " Number. I centage. (rentage. ! centage. I. Certificated teachers .. .. 4,891 84 5,301 88 5,559 90 II. Uncertificated teachers— (1) Holding licenses .... 68 1 73 1 61 1 (2) Unlicensed .. . . 863 15 628 11 563 9 Total uncertificated .. 931 16 701 12 624 10 Totals of I and II.. .. 5,822 100 6,002 100 6,183 100

1925. 1926. Class of Certificate. — M. F, Total. M F. Total. I I ■ A .. .. .. 53 10 63 48 9 57 B . . .. .. 369 222 591 431 250 681 C .. .. .. 976 1,903 2,879 1,047 2.064 3,111 D .. .. .. 417 1,220 1,637 402 1,202 1,604 E .. .. .. 17 114 131 13 93 106 Total .. .. 1,832 3,469 5,301 1.941 3,618 5,559