NATivi-: i:i)rc ATiox ix Tin-, tkanskki. 469 



J. NTMIU-.K A\- All.AliLi:. ' 



Ivestrictiiig" ourselves more particularly to tiie native popula- 

 tion we find. then, that while larjj^e numbers t)f children are 

 attendinji^ school yet very many UKjre do not attend. I have 

 Avorked out a com])arative table shewing not only the actual en- 

 rolment, but also the number of children available. (See Tables 

 IX and X post.) The latter number has been determined on 

 the basis of 25 per cent, of the population. This basis is by 

 no means too high for the pur])oses oi our study, especially 

 since it is applied to a heathen and ])olygamous community, 

 where one would naturally expect to find larye families. It has 

 already been shown that in the census of 1904 it was found that 

 the number of children between the ages of 5 and 14 actually 

 represented 26.1 per cent, of the population. 



The actual figures of attendance in the districts which are 

 under General Councils are given in Taljle X. Certain few of 

 the most backward districts are not yet under the I'ondoland 

 (ieneral Council, but leaving them out of consideration for the 

 present and confining ourselves to those of which we have 

 exact knowledge, we find an average roll (191 5) of 62.835 '^^ 

 an area in which the population amounts to 689,122. If 25 per 

 cent, of the children are of school age then 109,245 children are 

 still available. If it is a problem for us to find accommodation 

 for our present pupils, and grants in aid are secured with diffi- 

 culty, what will the i^roblem be like if we were called upon to 

 accommodate 1J/2 times as many more children in our schools? 



3. REASONS FOR NON-.\TTENDANCE. 



At present the natives find their children very useful as 

 servants. The boys are given various duties to perform, such as 

 the herding of the sheep and goats, and the girls assist in the 

 nursing of numerous younger brothers and sisters, as well as 

 in the share of work which usually falls to the womenfolk. In 

 ■consequence, there is a certain reluctance about sending the 

 children to school. There is also an idea abroad (quite a cor- 

 rect one) that if the girls are sent to school and are educated 

 they will not submit willingly to any arrangement of marriage 

 with some heathen man, and so may refuse to marry a man 

 who could aft'ord to ])ay her father a substantial dowrv for her. 

 Speaking broadly, the natives do not employ servants as we do, 

 and consequently the children are widely used in that capacity, 

 and for that reason large numbers are kej)t at home. 



4. DESIRE FOR COM P^;LS()R^• ATTENDANCE. 



However, there has l)een f|uitc an insistent demand of late 

 for comi)ulsory education, and anyone who has attended recent 

 sessions of the Transkeian (ieneral Council will know how, year 

 after year, lengthy discussions take place, and unanimous, of 

 nearly unanimous, resolutions are carried on that subject. 

 Hitherto the authorities have frowned upon the suggestion upcjn 

 the grounds of expense, and not wholly without reason. 



