A—4

Distribution of Mission Schools — continued

Note.—ln the above figures showing totals of pupils in Administration and mission schools respectively there is considerable duplication, due to the fact that many children attend both the mission pastor schools (for religious instruction) and also the primary schools (for secular education). Primary Schools During the year ended 31st March, 1947, a beginning was made towards a "unification of methods of teaching in the various types of elementary schools controlled by the Administration and by the missions. The first .step lay in removing the distinction in name between the two systems. The former Grade I mission schools and the Grade II Administration schools are now given the common name of primary schools. The purpose of these schools is to provide a universal elementary education for all children of Western Samoa. Further, to achieve unity between mission and Administration schools, committees comprising representatives of both authorities have been set up to compile a common syllabus for all primary schools, whether Administration or mission. In order to extend the scope of the instruction provided, these schools, which formerly catered for a four years' course {i.e., two years of infant and two further years of standard teaching) are now being extended to a six years' 1 course [is., two infants and four years' standard or class teaching). Since the begining of 1947 many children who would have left previously having completed a four years' course have returned for a fifth year. Many of the difficulties in previous years) have been due to the fact that education in Samoa is neither compulsory nor limited by age. The Samoan people are being encouraged to send their children to school at an earlier age than formerly, and as a result there has been a marked influx of fiveand six-year-olds to the schools. Prior to 1946 instruction in these schools was in the Samoan language, and the English language was taught as a subject. Now, however, on account of the lack of suitable text-books, all Administration and most of the mission primary schools are taught in the vernacular, and English has been omitted temporarily from the curriculum. An officer has been appointed to compile suitable text-books for use in the schools; when these are available English will be re-introduced as a subject. Middle Schools These were formerly known as Grade 3 Schools, and, as the name implies, lie midway between the primary schools and the post-primary and Teachers' Training School. Their function is to provide a higher academic background for a small group of the more intelligent children selected from the primary schools whose mental capacities enable them to take advantage of the greater

15

Missions. Girls' Day Schools. Pastor Teachers. European Teachers. Native Teachers. Pupils. London Missionary Soeiety Roman Catholic Methodist Latter Day Saints Seventh Day Adventist 11 164 98 82 5 5 4 34 4 9 1 28 12 15 21 3 10,810 4,473 4,295 742 203 Totals 11 354 52 79 20,523