Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/85

 INSTRUCTION 33

The Board holds every year a general public examination for such candi- dates as present themselves. It pays grants to schools in respect of this examination, and also pays grants on the results of Inspection. In 1919 these grants amounted to 59,748/., besides exhibitions *Dd prizes to students amounting to 6,413/. In that year 12,119 students (7,316 boys and 4,803 girls) presented themselves for examination, and the numbers who passed were 3,819 boys, 2,340 girls, total 6,159. Apart from these subventions, secondary education in Ireland is in private hands.

Throughout Ireland technical instructiou is organised under the Councils of county lioroughs, urban districts, and counties, and is controlled by the Department of Apiculture and Technical Instruction, with the advice of a Technical Instruction Board and a Consultative Committee of Education. The Department aims at the co-ordination of its work with that of other educational authorities. In 1918-19, out of the Parliament- ary grant to the Department, SI, 1581. was paid as grants to technical schools and classes of science and art and technical instruction in non-agricultural subjects; 33,4502. as grants to day secondary schools; and 1,944/. as grants for drawing and manual instruction in primary schools. Theie is also an annual grant (out of the Dej>artiiient's Annual En- dowment Fund) of 55,0001. for technical education in n on -agri cultural subjects. Further, a grant of 7,9401. for manual instruction and domestic economy in rural districts, and 2,700?. for classes in lace and crochet making and other rural industries, was made by the Agricultural Board in 1918-19. Central institutions under the Department are the Roval College of Science, Dublin, with 2:.0 students (1918-19), the Metropolitan School of Art, with 276 pupils (191S-19L the Irish Traininp School of Domestic Economy, SO students. The Killamey school of housewifery had 29 students (1918-10). In urban and county technical schools and classes (191S-1! 1 ) there were 44,566 students.

uiUarif Education.

England and Wales. — Elementary education in England and Wales is under the control of the Board of Education. The local administration is in the hands of the Councils of counties, of county boroughs, of non-county boroughs with population over 10,000, and of urban districts with population over 20,000. The last two authorities can transfer their powers to the local county councils. The education authorities work through committees (consisting of members of their own bodies, ether persons with special qualifications, and women) and school managers. Schools aided, but not provided, by local authorities have 4 ' foundation ' managers and 2 managers appointed by Councils. Women may be managers. On July 31, 1918, the number of Local Education Authorities in England and Wales for enforcing school attendance was 318.

The local education authorities maintain all public elementary schools and control the expenditure necessary for this purpose. The only financial responsibility resting on the managers of ' non-provided ' schools is to supply the buildings. In the case of schools not provided by the local authorities, their directions as to secular instruction ^including the number and qualification of teachers) must be complied with; they have power to inspect the schools, and they must receive, free of charge, the use of the school-house for elementary school purposes. Education funds are derived from State grants (to the extent of at least half the net expenditure recognised by the Board of Education), local rates, kc, and the education authorities have borrowing powers. Income from endowments for such purposes of elementary education as fall within the scope of the local educa- tion authorities is paid to these authorities and applied in aid of the rates.

Elementary education is free. Attendance at school is to be compulsory between the ages of 5 and 14 years, and bye-laws may be made in any area requiring attendance up to the age of 15 years, either for children geneially, or with certain exceptions. (For attendance at Continuation Schools, see above, p. 31.) Provision must be made for courses of advanced instruction for the older or more intelligent children; and for ' practical ' instruction in

D