E.—i.

presented themselves for examination. A certain proportion of the absentees is due to the practice of the accrediting principle by which candidates for senior free places may be exempted from an external examination, as may also training-college students who are candidates for the teachers' examinations. 3,049 candidates were exempted in this manner from the necessity of passing the Intermediate Examination, of which number 2,776 are not included in the total of examination entries given below. The number of candidates actually presenting themselves for the various examinations during the last three years is shown below : —- 1924. 1925. 192(5. Junior National Scholarships and junior free places .. .. 2,481 2,687 2,775 Public Service Entrance, Senior National Scholarships, and Intermediate .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 5,192 5,097 4,759 Teachers D and C .. .. .. .. .. .. 3,353 3,393 2,689 Kindergarten Certificate Examination .. .. .. .. 3 3 4 Special Public Service Entrance Examination in July-August . . 162 121 219 London University Examinations .. .. . . . . 1 2 2 Qualifying Examination, Railway Engineering Cadets . . .. 1 Handicraft Teachers' Certificate .. .. .. .. .. 14 13 11,193 11,317 10,461 Of the 2,641 candidates for Junior National Scholarships in 1926, 249 obtained the scholarship qualification, 1,502 qualified for a free place in the scholarship examination, and 890 failed. There were also 134 candidates for free places only, of whom 13 qualified and 121 failed. Of the 894 candidates for Senior National Scholarships 124 gained scholarships, 624 qualified for senior free places, and 146 failed. There were 2,780 entries for the Intermediate Examination, 1,821 candidates presenting themselves, of which number 493 passed and 1,328 failed to do so. The number present at the Public Service Entrance Examination was 2,044, 1,190 of the number passing and 854 failing the examination. The number present at the Public Service Entrance Examination held in July was 219, 140 of the number passing and 79 failing the examination. The number of candidates who sat for the different stages of the teachers' certificate examinations was 2,689 (562 for the whole or part of Class C and 2,127 for Class D). Of the total number 464 obtained complete passes in Class D, 113 in Class C, and 10 in Class B. 1,459 improved their status and 643 failed to improve their status. Teachers' Superannuation Fund. The position of the fund at the 31st January, 1927, and the principal figures concerning the transactions for the year, compared with those for the year ended 31st January, 1926, are given below : — 1925-26. 1926-27. £ £ Balance at credit of fund at end of year .. .. .. 1,008,823 1,083,155 Increase over balance at end of previous year .. .. 66,068 74,332 Income for the year — Members'contributions .. .. .. .. *127,671 *147,028 Interest .. .. .. .. .. .. 64,844 73,420 Government subsidy .. .. .. .. .. 70,681 71,428 Total income .. .. .. .. £263,196 £291,876 Expenditure — Retiring and other allowances .. .. .. .. *169,258 *184,707 Contributions refunded, &c. .. .. .. .. 20,672 26,590 Administration expenses .. .. .. .. 3,144 3,147 Bad debts on realization of securities and reserve .. 4,055 3,100 Total expenditure .. .. .. £197,129 £217,544 * Includes arrears under section 29 of Finance Act, 1925, and under section 30, Finance Act, 1926.

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