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1915. N E W ZEAL A N D.

EDUCATION: ANNUAL EXAMINATIONS. [In continuation of E.-8, 1914.]

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.,-

No. 1. EXTRACT FROM THE THIRTY-EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION. Annual Examinations. The annual examinations were conducted by the Education Department as usual for the various purposes of Junior National Scholarships, junior and senior free places in secondary schools, district high schools, and technical schools, and teachers' certificates. On behalf of the various Education Boards examinations were conducted for Junior and Senior Board Scholars hips and for the First Examination of Pupil-teachers. Also, by arrangement with the Public Service Commissioner, examinations were held for admission to and promotion in the Public Service. The examinations were held from the 18th to the 25th November, and on the 26th and 27th November, 1914, and from the sth to the 20th January, 1915, at fifty-eight centres. The following table shows collectively, in comparison with the preceding year, *• the number who entered for the various examinations above enumerated, the number present, and the number of absentees : — Number who entered, 1914-15 .. .. .. .. .. 10,126 1913-14 .. .. .. .. .. 9,613 Number who actually sat for examination, 1914-15 .. .. ..8,727 1913-14 8,305 Number of absentees .. .. 1914-15 .. .. .. 1,399 .... 1913-14 .. .. .. 1,308 The high proportion of absentees —approximately 14 per cent, of the number of candidates —in the last two years is attributable to the following causes :— (1.) In the case of senior free-place candidates, to the application of a principle —now in operation for several years—by which awards of senior free places have been made with the concurrence of the Inspector-General of Schools on the recommendation of the principal of the secondary school attended, or, for district high schools, of an Inspector of Schools. In such cases the candidate has not been required to attend the examination for which he originally entered. (2.) In the case of the teachers' examinations, to a somewhat similar provision embodied in the Training College Regulations. (3.) To the usual causes, mainly illness and lack of preparation, the latter being particularly evident in the; case of the Public Service Senior candidates, many of whom, being led to enter by various considerations, found themselves finally unprepared to meet the examiner.

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The number of candidates who actually presented themselves in the examina-tion-room is given below. For the sake of comparison the figures for the previous three years are also given : — Junior National and Education Board Scholarships and 1011 - 12 - 1912 ~ 13 tn3-\i. 1914-li. junior free places .. .. .. .. .. 2,564 2,934 3,154 3,561 Intermediate (Education Board Senior Scholarships, senior free places, F rst Pupil-teachers) and Public Service Entrance .. .. .. .. .. 2,563 2,770 2,756 2,739 Teachers D and C .. .. .. .. .. 1,626 1,753 1,524 1,576 Public Service Senior .. .. .. .. 518 574 871 804 Typists' Examination .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 46 Totals .. .. .. .. .. 7,271 8,031 8,305 8,72T The Department's examination for Junior National Scholarships has latterly been used by all the Education Boards of the Dominion for the award of their junior scholarships, superseding thus without exception any examination locally conducted in earlier years for this purpose. For the award of their senior scholarships Education Boards have used the Intermediate Examination as arranged fer this purpose, the papers set being the same as those provided for the Public Service Entrance Examination, and the terms in each case being determined by the regulations of the several Boards offering senior scholarships for competition. Other purposes for which the Intermediate Examination of 1914 was used, with certain modifications to suit a purely qualifying or non-competitive candidature, were — (1) The award by examination of senior free places in secondary schools and district high schools ; (2) as an examination for pupil-teachers of the second or third year, and for appointment to pupil-teacherships of the second year or to probationerships under the provisions of the Education Amendment Act, 1908 ; and (3) general purposes of educational certificates of this standing. Under the provisions of the Education Act, 1914, Junior and Senior Board Scholarships will no longer be awarded, being replaced entirely by National Scholarships. As noted in the general introductory statement, National Scholarship Examinations will now lose their competitive character, all candidates who reach the standard fixed for the year, and are otherwise eligible, receiving junior or senior scholarships. For the senior examination the Public Service Entrance Examination papers will still largely be used. A further change will result from the issue of the new Regulations for Pupilteachers made in December last. As no provision is made for special examinations for pupil-teachers in subjects other than those of professional training, the examination hitherto known as the First Examination of Pupil-teachers will now disappear. The cost of conducting the Department's examinations was as follows : — Total expenses, including cost of additional clerical services temporarily £ employed .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 6,919 Less recoveries— £ Fees paid by candidates for teachers' certificates and others 2,024 Paid by Public Service Commissioner for expense of conducting Public Service Examinations, for which in general no fees are now payable— Public Service Entrance . .. .. 729 Public Service Senior.. .. .. .. 1,048 3,801 £3,118

No. 2. The Director of Education to the Hon. the Minister of Education. Sir, — Education Department, Wellington, 13th July, 1915. I have the honour to present the following report of the annual examinations conducted by the Department for the various purposes of Junior National and Junior and Senior Education Board Scholarships, of junior and senior free places in secondary schools, district high schools, and technical schools, and for teachers' certificates; also of the examinations associated therewith and conducted by arrangement with the Public Service Commissioner for admission to and promotion in the Public Service.

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These examinations fall into three main groups : — (i.) An examination in November or December to determine the grant of Junior Scholarships and junior free places ; (ii.) A main November series for Public Service Entrance, Senior Board Scholarship, and other Intermediate purposes ; and (iii.) A January series (a) for teachers' certificates of Classes D and C, and incidentally to some extent of Class B, (b) for Public Service Senior qualifications, and (c) an examination to test the fitness of typists in the Public Service for promotion from the second to the first grade. The examinations were held between the 18th and 25th November, 1914 (Public Service Entrance and Intermediate Examinations), on the 26th and 27th November, 1914 (Junior National Scholarships and junior free places), and between the sth and 20th January, 1915 (Teachers' Certificate, Typists' Examination, and Public Service Senior), at the thirteen towns which are the seats of Education Boards, and at Alexandra, Aratapu, Ashburton, Balclutha, Carterton, Chatham Islands, Dannevirke, Eketahuna, Feilding, Gisborne, Gore, Hamilton, Hastings, Hawera, Kohukohu, Lawrence, Levin, Marton, Masterton, Oamaru, Opotiki, Pahiatua, Palmerston North, Petone, Pukekohe, Rangiora, Reefton, St. Dominic's Priory (Dunedin), Stratford, Taihape, Takaka, Taumarunui, Tauranga, Thames, Waihi, Waimate South, Waipawa, Wairoa, Wanganui Convent, Warkworth, Westport, Whakatane, and Whangarei, There were two centres at both Auckland and Christchurch. The following are the numbers of candidates who entered for the various examinations mentioned above as compared with the numbers of the preceding years : — Number who entered, 1914-15 ... ... ... ... ... 10,126 1913-14 ... ... 9,613 Increase of candidates entered in 1914-15 ... ... 513 Number actually present at examination, 1914-15 ... ... ... 8,727 1913-14 ... ... ... 8,305 Increase of candidates present in 1914-15 ... ... ... 422 Number who did not present themselves, 1914-15 ... ... .. 1,399 1913-14 ... ... ... 1,308 This difference of 1,399 between those who entered for examination and those who actually sat is accounted for partly on the usual grounds, and partly by the operation of a clause in the Regulations for Senior Free Places, introduced in 1908, under which a number of candidates recommended on an accrediting principle therein embodied were exempt from examination, and -accordingly did not present themselves. A provision on a somewhat similar principle embodied in 1911 in the Regulations for Training Colleges also accounts for a certain proportion of the number. In the several examinations the following were the numbers present : — Junior National Scholarship and Junior Free Place Examinations ... 3,562 Public Service Entrance and allied examinations ... ... ... 2,739 Public Service Senior Examination ... ... ... ... 804 •jr Teachers'Certificate Examinations ... ... ... ... 1,576 Typists' Examination ... ... ... ... ... ... 46 The following table gives a comparative statement of the number of candidates examined under the principal groupings during the past six years : — 1909-10. 1910-11. 1911-12. 1912-13. 1913-14. 1914-15. Junior National and Education Board Scholarships and junior free places 2,214 2,383 2,564 3,934 3,154 3,562 Intermediate (Education Board Senior Scholarships, senior free places, First Pupil - teachers) and Public Service Entrance ... ... 2,369 2,375 2,563 2,770 2,756 2,739 Teachers'D and C 1,482 1,534 1,626 1,753 1,524 1,576 Public Service Senior ... ... 443 390 518 574 871 804 Typists' Examination ... ... ... ... ... 46 Totals ... ... 6,508 6,682 7,271 8,031 8,305 8,727 The large increase shown in the last two years in the number of candidates for the Public Service Senior Examination (the total rose from 574 in 1913 to 871 in 1914, and fell slightly to 804 in 1915) is to be explained by the benefits held out to officers for qualifying in the examination. It is also partly due, however, to a fact already referred to—namely, the abolition of the £1 fee formerly charged to every applicant. The result, as is to be expected, is that the standard of attainment reached by candidates has fallen. It is in the Junior National Scholarship and Junior Free Place Examinations that the largest increase in the numbers of candidates took place, the number examined being over four hundred in excess of the number for the previous year. The only other examination series showing increases of candidates is that for Classes D and C, in which some recovery is shown from the temporary check experienced through candidates being required to produce evidence of having received satisfactory practical instruction in science subjects.

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It is expected that the application of a similar requirement next year to the Public Service Senior Examination will have the effect at first, as in other cases, of restricting the candidature; but work done in these subjects without such practical instruction can be of very little value to the students. Candidature for the Public Service Entrance Examination was again confined to male candidates, and showed a slight increase in numbers over the previous year, but the figures are naturally much lower than they were when girls were admitted. The results of the Junior National Scholarship Examination were made known on the 9th January, those of the Public Service Entrance Examination on the 21st January, those of the Public Service Senior Examination on the 16th February, and those of the Teachers' Examination on the 3rd March. Of the total number of candidates that sat for the Junior National Scholarship and Junior Free Place Examinations — The number of candidates for scholarships was ... ... ... 2,144 The number who obtained a scholarship qualification was ... ... 891 The number who failed was ... ... ... ... ... 1,252 The number of candidates for free places was ... ... ... 1,418 The number who qualified for a free place was ... ... ... 776 The number who failed was ... ... ... ... ... 642 The highest percentages of marks gained in the various subjects of this examination were as follows: English, 81; arithmetic, 100; geography, 80; history and civics, 88; elementary science, 96 ; drawing, I, 94; drawing, 11, 96. The highest percentage gained by any one candidate, on the whole examination was 80. The following are details of candidature in regard to the Public Service Entrance and Intermediate Examinations in their varied applications :— (a.) Total candidates presenting themselves for examination ... ... 2,739 {b.) Candidates for the competitive tests (Public Service Entrance and scholarships) ... ... ... ... . . ... 1,453 (c.) Candidates for the non-competitive tests (senior free places, First Examination of Pupil-teachers, and drawing only) ... ... 1,286 Of the Public Service Senior candidates— The number present at examination was ... ... ... ... 804 The number sitting to complete, having already been partially successful ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 444 The number sitting for the first time ... ... ... ... 360 The number who passed the whole examination ... ... ... 200 The number who gained a pass in two or more subjects without completing the whole examination ... ... ... ... 326 The number who passed under regulations of Ist April, 1915 ... ... 17 The number who failed ... ... ... ... ... ... 281 The number of candidates who entered for different stages of the Teachers' Certificate Examinations, with their status at the time of entry, is shown in the subjoined table. The total (1,875) includes a number of candidates who entered for both Class C and Class D examinations. The actual number of entrants is 1,825. Of these, 249 were absent from the examination-room.

The following is a summary of the results of the examinations for teachers' certificates : — Completed for Class A ... ... ... ... ... ... Nil B 11 C 131 D ... ... ... ... 212 Completed for all classes ... ... ... ... ... ... 354

Examinations previously passed. Candidates for Whole or Part of Class 0 Examination. For Class D. For Class D with the Matrioulation Examination of December, 1914. For Completion of Partial Pass for Class D. For Special Certificates in Single Subjects. Totals. Nil Matriculation Class E and partial pass for Class 111... Class D... Partial success towards Class D Partial success towards Class C— (i.) Alone (ii.) With Class D Class C and Higher Examinations ... 14 32 1 127 156 571 163 4 69 6 660 195 5 127 477 177 11 1.33 83 252 49 26 1 110 252 49 Totals ... 711 941 80 133 7 1,875

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Partial pass in Class D ... ... ... ... ... ... 237 Number who passed in a section for Class C ... ... ... ... 208 Number who obtained partial success (other than a " partial pass ") towards Class D ... ... ... ... ... ... 357 Number unsuccessful in improving their status ... ... .... 442 Absentees ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 256 In the above table candidates for more than one class of certificate are reckoned in each of the classes for which they were successful. Attached to the report are lists of the examiners. The examination-papers, with an appendix containing criticisms and suggestions made by the examiners, have been printed separately. In addition to the examinations above referred to, the Department also conducted during the year the customary examinations in scientific and art subjects, and in special technical subjects for the Board of Education, England, and for the City and Guilds of London Institute, which are held in a different part of the year—in May, June, or July. Full particulars of the number of entries for these examinations, the subjects selected by candidates, and the results are set out in detail in the special paper—E.-5 (Manual and Technical Instruction). I have, &c, W. J. Anderson, Director of Education, -

Appendix.—List of Examiners. Andrews, W. D., B.A. Hight, J., M.A., Litt. D., F.R.E.S., Professor, Aschman, C. T. Canterbury College. Austin, W. S., Inspector of Schools. Hilgendorf, F. W., 8.A., D.Sc. Bake well, F. H., M. A., Inspector of Schools. Hunter, T. A., M.A., M.Sc, Professor, VicBarltrop, G. W. toria University College. Beaglehole, E. W., M.A. Inglis, A., M.A., M.Sc, Inspector of Schools. Booth, L. H. Inglis, J. K. H., M.A., D.Sc, F.1.C., Professor, Bossence, C. R., Inspector of Schools. Otago University. Braik, (1. D., M.A., Senior Inspector of Schools. Kilroe, F. O, B.Sc. Brock, W., M.A., Senior Inspector of Schools, i Kirk, H. 8., M.A., Professor, Victoria UniverBrown, J. R., M.A., Professor, Victoria Univer- : sity College. sity College. La Trobe, W. S., M.A. Browne, R. A. S. McElrea, W., B.E. Buck, P. H., M.D., M.P. Mcllraith, J. W., M.A., Litt. D., LL.B., InCane, T. W. spector of Schools. Clark, E. H. Macphail, M. M., Mrs. Clere, F. de J., F.R.1.8.A. Malcolm,- J., M.D., Ch.B., Professor, Otago Cotton, C. A., D.Sc, Victoria University Col- University. lege. Mills, C. 8., Miss, M.A., B.Sc Cox, C. T. Mulgan, E. K., M.A., Senior Inspector of Crawford, A., 8.A., Inspector of Schools. Schools. r Darwin, L. J., M.A. Neve, F., M.A., LL.B., B.Sc. Don, J. R., M.A., D.Sc, Inspector of Schools. Norris, E. T., M.A. Dunne, N., Mrs. Park, G. J., B. Com. England, M., Miss. Pearson, A. B„ M.8., Ch.B., D.P.H. Fleming, T. R., M.A., LL.B., Senior Inspector Pinder, E.. M..A. of Schools. Pitkethly, G. R. Fraser, M. Richardson, J. H. Garrow, J. M. E., 8.A., LL.B., Professor, Vic- Rowe, T. W., M.A. toria University College. Simmers, G. A., M.A. Gibson, E. M., Miss, M.A. Speight, R., M.A., M.Sc, F.G.S., Canterbury Gibson, M. V., Miss, M.A. College. Gilray, T., M.A., LL.D., F.R.S., Professor, Spragg, S. Otago University. Strong, T. 8., M.A., B.Sc, Inspector of Schools. Grant, J. Stuckey, F. G. A., M.A., Inspector of Schools. Green, E. S. Talbot, B. E., Mrs. M.A. Hansen, D. E., M.A., M.Sc. Tinson, J. Hardie, C. D., 8.A.., Inspector of Schools. Wallace, H. Hawcridge, R. ' Walton, W., B.A. Hav, W. G., LL.M., Otago University. Ward, W. F., M.A., LL.B., Victoria University Heaton, F., M.A., B.Sc College. _.^ Hendry, J., 8.A., Inspector of Schools. von Zedlitz, G. W., M.A., Professor, Victoria Hendry, E., Mrs., M.A. University College. Approximate Cost of Paper. —Preparation, not given ; printing (1,200 copies), £4 10s.

By Authority : John Mackay, Government Printer, Wellington.—l9ls.

Price Gd.]

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