E.—l.

REPORT.

i. INTRODUCTORY AND GENERAL. In the report for the year ended 31st December, 1936, reference was made to the policy of the Government and to the fact that a substantial beginning had been made in fulfilment of the programme. During the year 1937 a further distinct advance has been made, mainly in the provision of additional financial assistance for the different branches of education. The specific advances projected in the Introductory and General portion of the previous year's report have been made. The capitation payable to kindergartens is now based upon the average roll instead of upon the average attendance. The rate of boarding-allowance payable to assist country children to attend primary and post-primary schools has been increased from ss. to 7s. 6d. Increased financial provision has been made under the various headings relating to school buildings and sites. The proposed Council of Adult Education has been set up, and the grant for adult-education activities increased. Teachers have been appointed to act as vocational guidance officers on the staffs of the technical high schools in the four main centres. The proposed conferences on various aspects of education have been held, and their reports, as well as the recommendations of the committees set up to deal with the questions of teachers' salaries and grading and the staffing of schools, are under consideration. Some problems by their very nature have not been completely solved because of the necessary exploratory or research work that had to be undertaken. In the case of educational reorganization, a committee carefully considered at my request the views expressed by education authorities and organizations on the resolutions and recommendations of the Parliamentary Recess Education Committee, 1930. During the year a committee consisting of representatives of the Department and the New Zealand Educational Institute investigated the question of text-books for use in public schools, and another committee consisting of representatives of the Education Boards, the Department, and the New Zealand Educational Institute drafted for public schools a new staffing schedule, new salary scales, and reviewed the present numerical grading system. The reports of these committees are under consideration. The New Zealand Council of Educational Research, which undertook to report on the intermediate-school system, will, it is understood, issue its report early in 1938. The lowering of the age of admission to school to five years has become fully operative, and approximately 17,400 children under six years of age were in the schools during the year. The admission of these young children found permanent employment for a considerable number of teachers. It was deemed advisable at the beginning of the year to admit 607 Division A and 76 graduate students to the Training Colleges to prepare for the reforms the Government has in view—namely, the raising of the schoolleaving age to fifteen years and reduction in the size of classes. The total number of students in the four colleges was 1,350, the largest number they have ever had. The Division A students entered upon a two-year course and the graduates upon a one-year course. At the end of the year 689 students completed their training and will during 1938 be employed as probationary assistants to gain further experience in teaching and class management before they receive permanent appointments. Sixty-one students (including thirteen students who served as probationary assistants in 1937) were retained in the

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