E.—l

During the year there were 49,698 children from 2,013 public primary schools receiving instruction in elementary agriculture, 5,318 from seventy-nine public primary schools in elementary science, also from primary and secondary schools 23,201 in woodwork, 1,584 in metalwork, and 21,772 in domestic subjects. The expenditure for these classes amounts to approximately £77,650. In addition, the cost of commercial instruction in district high schools was £2,767. Handwork materials for use in 1930 were supplied at an approximate total cost of £12,850. The cost of classes conducted by Technical School Boards is not included in the above figures. STAFFS OF PRIMAEY SCHOOLS. The number of adult teachers employed in the primary departments of public schools at the end of 1930 was 6,433 (men 2,318 ; women, 4,115), a decrease of five below the previous year. Included in the foregoing figures for adult teachers are 352 probationary assistants who were employed in public schools completing their training as teachers. The number of such assistants for the previous year was 224. In addition to adult teachers there were employed in public schools at the end of 1930 542 probationers (males, 164 ; females, 378), compared with 547 at the end of the previous year. The following table shows the number of teachers in the schools of the various grades : —

Number of Adult Teachers employed in Primary Departments of Public Schools, December, 1930.

Ratio of Men to Women Teachers.—The following table indicates the number of women for each 100 men teachers :—

It is interesting to note that since the Great War the proportion of women teachers to men teachers has steadily decreased. This decrease is apparent in all schools, and it shows that this branch of the teaching service provides positions of a sufficiently attractive nature to draw an increasing number of men.

18

Sole Teachers. Head Teachers. Total Adult Teachers. Grade of School. . —' M - | F - J M. | V. M. F. M. I F. Total. Grade 0 (1-8) .. 33 187 .. .. .. .. 33 187 220 I (9-20) .. 343 404 1 .. .. 1 344 405 749 II (21-35) .. 213 207 28 26 3 56 244 289 533 „ IIIa (36-50) .. 7 13 173 97 4 276 184 386 570 „ HIb (51-80) .. 1 197 57 2 275 200 332 532 mo (81-120) .. j .. .. 121 9 9 255 130 264 394 IV (121-240) .. .. .. 133 1 109 412 242 413 655 V (241-360) .. .. .. 80 1 150 414 230 415 645 VI (361-480) 57 .. 157 388 214 388 602 „ VII (over 480) 101 .. 396 1,036 497 1,036 1,533 All grades .. 597 811 891 191 830 3,113 2,318 4,115 6,433

19!S. 1918. 1922. 1927. 1928. 1929. 1930. Adult teachers— All schools .. .. 193 253 197 187 183 184 177 Schools with roil 1-20 .. 323 523 299 202 185 162 157 Schools with roll over 20 176 227 182 185 182 188 181 Pupil teachers .. . . 344 425 223 * * * * Probationers .. .. 647 688 349 236 303 265 224 Training-college students . . 387 488 256 213 227 242 282 * The position of " pupil-teacher " has now been abolished.