E.—l

8

PRIMARY EDUCATION. Number of Public Schools. The numbers of public schools open at the end of 1928 was 2,598, three less than in the previous year. In the following table the schools are classified according to their grade, and the yearly average attendance and the number of children per teacher are shown.

From the foregoing table it will be seen that 1,554 schools, or more than half the total number, each had an average attendance of less than thirty-six pupils. These schools are sole-teacher schools, and the total average attendance at such schools in 1928 was 26,665. Eliminating from the above table the details in respect to sole-teacher schools, the position regarding the remaining schools may be summarized as follows : —

Total Average Attendance.f Number^of Grade of School, and Range of Average 1 er Children per Attendance. Schools * Adult Teacher Primary Seoondary Total * n P" mar y Department. Department. a ' Department. J i 0 (1-8) .. .. .. 253 1,515 .. 1,515 6 1 (9-20) .. .. .. 787 11,370 .. 11,370 14 II (21-35) .. .. .. 514 13,780 .. 13,780 25 IIIa (36-50) .. .. .. 297 13,284 .. 13,284 i 23 IIIB (51-80) .. .. .. 254 15,817 37 15,854 ' 30 IIIc (81-120) .. .. .. 133 12,867 160 13,027 32 IVA (121-160) .. .. .. 61 8,381 194 8,575 IVB (161-200) .. .. .. 32 5,551 279 5,830 35 IVc (201-240) .. .. .. 39 8,886 716 9,602 J VA (241-280) .. .. .. 26 6,908 413 7,321 VB (281-320) .. .. .. 19 5,811 158 5,969 V 41 Yo (321-360) .. .. .. 31 10,532 473 11,005 J VIa (361-400) .. .. .. 19 7,045 244 7,289 ] VIB (401-440) .. .. .. 27 11,497 398 11,895 V 44 Vic (441-480) .. .. .. 12 5,564 127 5,691 j VIIA (481-520) .. .. .. 16 7,851 78 7,929 < VIIB (521-560) .. .. .. 14 7,438 122 7,560 Vile (561-600) .. .. .. 18 10,315 86 10,401 VIID (601-640) .. .. .. 16 9,871 241 10,112 VIIE (641-680) .. .. .. 11 7,241 .. 7,241 VIIf (681-720) .. .. .. 9 6,288 .. 6,288 43 YIIg (721-760) .. .. .. 3 j 2,228 .. 2,228 j VIIH (761-800) .. .. .. 4 2,972 .. 2,972 | VIIi (801-840) .. .. .. 2 1,539 .. 1,539 j VIlJ (841-880) .. .. .. .. .. .. .. | VIIK (881-920) .. .. .. 1 860 .. 860 J VTIL (921-960) Totals, 1928 .. .. 2,598 195,411 3,726 199,137 32 Totals, 1927 .. .. 2,601 192,284 3,457 195,741 32 Difference .. .. -3 +3,127 +269 +3,396 * Half-time, main, and side schools are counted as separate schools. t The average attendance shown under this heading is the average attendance for the year ended 30th September, 1928, computed and adjusted in accordance with the regulations governing the staffing of schools. The unadjusted total average attendance for the year ended 31st December, .1928, was—primary departments, 193,420, and secondary departments, 3,763. J Head teachers are counted as clasa-teachers up to and including Grade V schools that are not district high schools

I Total Average , T^ v ?' a "°, Attendance. u ™ ber of Adult Teacher. Grades III-YII (two or more teachers) .. .. .. .. 168,746 37 Grades V-VII (six or more teachers) .. .. .. .. 103,960 43 All schools (Grades 0-VII) .. .. .. .. .. 195,411 32