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1. EXTRACT PROM THE FIFTIETH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION. TECHNICAL EDUCATION. General. Number of Schools.—The number of technical high schools open during 1926 was fifteen, in addition to which there were eight organized technical or art schools offering day courses. Technical classes were also conducted in twenty-seven manual-training or other centres, the total number of centres being fifty. It is to be noted, however, that from the Ist May, 1926, the Hastings Technical High School was constituted a high school. Attend,ance. —The total number of students receiving instruction in all technical classes was 19,740, as compared with 18,098 in 1925. The attendance at technical high schools increased from 5,132 in 1925 to 5,963 in 1926, an increase of 831, or over 16 per cent. Of the total number of 19,740 students, 5,758 held free places at technical high schools, 1,015 at day technical schools, and 5,157 at other technical classes, making a total of 11,930 free pupils, an increase of over 16 per cent. Staffing. —At the end of 1926 there were 277 full-time assistant teachers on the staffs of technical schools, besides a large number of part-time teachers. The teachers employed full time were classified as follows, Class VII being the highest: —■

The number of Division I men (graduates) lias increased from eighty-seven in 1924 to one hundred and two in 1926, while the number of women in Division I has increased from forty-five to forty-eight. Classes other than Classes at Technical High Schools or Technical Day Schools. (Note : The following figures exclude those relating to technical day schools, which are now included with technical high schools.) Classes were held at forty-eight centres, as compared with forty-three in the previous year. The number of individual students was as follows : — In classes conducted bv Technical School Boards .. .. .. 10,361 In classes conducted by secondary Education Boards .. .. .. 311 In classes conducted by Education Boards .. .. .. .. 702 In classes conducted by High School Boards . . .. .. .. 827 In classes conducted by University College (Christchurch School of Art) .. 480 Total .. ~ .. ~ .. 12,68]

Division I. Division II. Class. i j • : | Totals. Men. Women. Men. Women. i VII ...... .. 1 .. 5 6 YI ...... 5 3 4 7 19 V ...... 21 8 16 20 65 IV ..... . 30 8 13 20 71 III .. .. .. 24 12 18 5 59 II .... 11 7 6 7 31 I 11 9 1 5 26 Totals for 1926 .. 102 48 58 69 277 Totals for 1925 .. 94 45 63 72 274