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" — Schools, 1928. | Roll, 1927. I' Roll, 1928. "• v, , 1 Native village schools .. .. ... .. 134 6,620 6,671 Mission schools (primary) .. .. .. .. 11 470 550 Public schools with Native children enrolled .. .. 746 7,247 7,593 Totals .. .. .. .. .. 891 14,337 14,814

The past few years have witnessed an undoubted improvement in the professional status of adult teachers employed in public schools. The number of teachers employed who are both uncertificated and untrained is now almost a negligible quantity. Last year, as the above figures show, there were 425 uncertificated teachers employed in public schools. It must be remembered, however, that many of these have received professional training at the colleges and require to pass in only one or two subjects or to serve their term as probationary assistants in order to complete the requirements of a, teacher's certificate. There are now very few untrained teachers in the Service, and it is quite impossible now for any one to enter the profession except through the avenue of the training college or the University. The following figures indicate the very marked decrease in recent years in the numbers of uncertificated teachers employed in public primary schools :— Uncertificated Teachers. Kr , As Percentage of Year. um 11 ' 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 1927 .. .. .. .. 500 8 1928 .. .. .. .. 425 7 That this is a satisfactory position is evidenced by the fact that 21 per cent, of the adult teachers employed in public elementary schools in England and Wales in 1927-28 were uncertificated. In addition to the improvement noted above in regard to the number of uncertificated teachers employed, there has been a decided improvement in the professional and academic status of those teachers who are certificated. In 1923 only 60 per cent, of the adult teachers in public schools held certificates above Class D, whereas in 1928 the corresponding percentage was 75. The following figures show the percentage of teachers holding certificates of the various classes in the years 1923 and 1928 ~ , Percentage, Percentage, ig2g ]92g A .. .. .. 1 1 B .. .. .. .. 9 16 C .. .. .. .. .. .. 50 58 D .. .. .. .. .. .. 36 24 E .. .. .. .. 4 1 100 100 A further interesting feature in regard to teachers certificates is the growth in the percentage of trained teachers certificates that are issued each year. In 1923, of 787 certificates issued during the year, 509, or 65 per cent, were trained teachers certificates, while in 1928, of 698 certificates issued, 587, or 84 per cent, were trained teachers certificates. NATIVE SCHOOLS. At the end of 1928 there were 134 Native village schools under the direct control of the Department for the primary education of Maori children in districts principally settled by Natives. In addition there were eleven primary and twelve secondary (boarding) schools controlled by various religious organizations. Maoris are also admitted to the ordinary public schools —and in fact the number attending these schools is greater than the number in attendance at Native schools. The following table shows the number of schools with the enrolment at the end of 1927 and at the end of 1928 :—