Statistics and indicators on women and men

Table 4c. Secondary education
Last update: December 2009
 
Afghanistan
2007
  b
14.6
38.2
2007
26.1
Albania
2004
  b
73.0
74.5
2004
47.9
Algeria
2004
  b
68.2
64.6
2005
  b
50.7
Andorra
2008
  a
74.8
68.5
2008
49.2
Angola
...
...
...
2002
  b
45.7
Anguilla
2005
  b
79.1
82.6
2008
49.9
Antigua and Barbuda
...
...
...
2007
51.1
Argentina
2006
83.6
75.2
2006
52.1
Armenia
2007
88.2
83.5
2008
49.2
Aruba
2008
77.6
71.6
2008
51.3
Australia
2007
88.2
86.9
2007
47.6
Austria
...
...
...
2007
47.8
Azerbaijan
2008
  a
97.2
99.3
2008
47.8
Bahamas
2007
88.5
83.6
2007
50.4
Bahrain
2006
91.6
85.2
2006
49.7
Bangladesh
2007
42.6
40.4
2007
50.3
Barbados
...
...
...
2008
  a
50.3
Belarus
2006
  b
88.9
87.0
2008
49.4
Belgium
2006
  b
85.1
88.6
2007
48.0
Belize
2007
66.0
60.8
2008
51.4
Benin
2001
  b
12.9
26.1
2005
  b
35.4
Bermuda
...
...
...
2006
51.5
Bhutan
2008
45.3
45.4
2008
48.2
Bolivia
2007
69.7
70.2
2007
48.4
Bosnia and Herzegovina
...
...
...
2007
49.6
Botswana
2005
  b
60.2
52.9
2006
51.1
Brazil
2007
80.9
73.2
2007
51.7
British Virgin Islands
2007
  b
88.7
78.9
2007
53.8
Brunei Darussalam
2008
89.9
86.6
2008
48.6
Bulgaria
2007
86.9
88.1
2007
47.7
Burkina Faso
2008
12.2
16.5
2008
41.8
Burundi
...
...
...
2008
40.8
Cambodia
2007
  b
31.8
36.3
2007
44.2
Cameroon
...
...
...
2008
44.0
Canada
...
...
...
2006
48.2
Cape Verde
2008
66.1
58.0
2008
52.4
Cayman Islands
2007
  a
90.0
71.2
2008
51.9
Chad
2003
  b
5.2
15.7
2007
30.8
Chile
2007
86.7
83.9
2007
49.8
China
...
...
...
2007
47.7
China, Hong Kong SAR
2007
  a
76.3
74.7
2007
48.8
China, Macao SAR
2008
74.9
75.0
2008
49.2
Colombia
2008
74.5
68.1
2008
51.4
Comoros
...
...
...
2005
  b
42.5
Congo
...
...
...
2004
  b
46.0
Cook Islands
2007
  a
72.7
67.7
2007
50.1
Costa Rica
...
...
...
2008
50.0
Côte d'Ivoire
2002
  b
15.4
26.9
2002
  b
35.6
Croatia
2006
  b
89.2
87.4
2007
49.7
Cuba
2008
84.7
83.8
2008
48.6
Cyprus
2007
  a
96.3
94.0
2007
49.3
Czech Republic
...
...
...
2007
49.1
Democratic Republic of the Congo
...
...
...
2008
  a
35.5
Denmark
2007
91.1
88.2
2007
49.4
Djibouti
2008
  b
20.4
28.4
2008
40.7
Dominica
2007
  a
90.1
88.7
2008
49.0
Dominican Republic
2008
63.4
52.2
2008
53.7
Ecuador
2008
51.9
50.7
2008
49.3
Egypt
2002
  b
69.2
73.2
2004
  b
47.4
El Salvador
2008
55.8
54.2
2008
50.1
Equatorial Guinea
...
...
...
2002
  b
36.4
Eritrea
2007
22.0
30.1
2007
41.4
Estonia
2007
91.4
88.5
2007
49.3
Ethiopia
2006
  b
19.8
30.8
2008
41.9
Fiji
2006
82.8
75.6
2007
51.1
Finland
2007
97.2
96.5
2007
50.1
France
2007
99.1
97.5
2007
48.9
Gabon
...
...
...
2000
  b
46.3
Gambia
2008
  b
41.8
42.5
2008
  b
48.4
Georgia
2007
  b
79.2
82.4
2008
48.7
Germany
...
...
...
2007
48.2
Ghana
2008
  b
44.3
48.4
2008
45.9
Gibraltar
...
...
...
2008
47.4
Greece
2007
90.6
91.4
2007
47.1
Grenada
2007
  b
85.4
85.4
2007
49.0
Guatemala
2006
  b
36.6
39.7
2007
48.0
Guinea
2008
21.0
34.2
2008
36.2
Guinea-Bissau
2001
  b
7.0
12.6
2001
  b
35.5
Guyana
...
...
...
2008
50.3
Honduras
...
...
...
2008
55.3
Hungary
2007
90.4
90.5
2007
48.7
Iceland
2007
91.7
88.9
2007
50.2
India
...
...
...
2007
44.0
Indonesia
2007
69.9
69.5
2007
49.4
Iran, Islamic Republic of
2008
75.0
75.2
2008
48.2
Iraq
2005
  b
32.9
45.9
2005
  b
38.9
Ireland
2007
90.2
86.1
2007
50.6
Israel
2007
88.1
87.1
2007
48.8
Italy
2007
93.2
91.7
2007
48.3
Jamaica
2007
78.4
75.0
2007
50.4
Japan
2007
98.2
97.8
2007
48.8
Jordan
2007
  b
84.4
83.1
2007
49.5
Kazakhstan
2009
86.5
87.3
2009
48.2
Kenya
2008
  b
48.2
50.1
2008
47.6
Kiribati
2005
  b
71.8
64.9
2005
51.7
Kuwait
2006
  b
78.5
74.9
2006
49.8
Kyrgyzstan
2008
81.0
79.9
2008
49.3
Lao People's Democratic Republic
2007
  b
33.5
38.5
2008
43.9
Latvia
...
...
...
2007
49.6
Lebanon
2008
  a
78.5
70.8
2008
51.8
Lesotho
2007
  b
30.9
19.5
2007
  b
56.8
Liberia
2000
  b
14.1
25.0
2008
42.9
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
...
...
...
2006
52.9
Liechtenstein
2004
  a
68.6
62.0
2007
45.9
Lithuania
2007
92.9
91.3
2007
48.9
Luxembourg
2007
84.9
81.2
2007
49.8
Madagascar
2008
24.4
23.3
2008
48.6
Malawi
2008
24.0
26.0
2008
45.6
Malaysia
2005
72.0
65.6
2005
51.3
Maldives
2007
  b
70.8
68.1
2006
  b
50.3
Mali
2008
22.2
34.9
2008
38.6
Malta
2005
  b
89.7
83.6
2005
48.6
Marshall Islands
2007
  b
46.6
43.3
2007
49.1
Mauritania
2007
  b
15.2
17.3
2007
  b
45.6
Mauritius
2005
  b
80.9
79.3
2008
  b
49.6
Mexico
2007
72.1
69.8
2007
51.3
Micronesia (Federated States of)
...
...
...
2005
49.3
Monaco
...
...
...
2008
48.0
Mongolia
2008
85.2
78.8
2008
51.6
Montserrat
2007
  a
96.2
95.1
2007
46.4
Morocco
2003
  b
31.6
37.4
2007
  b
45.5
Mozambique
2008
6.0
6.5
2008
42.8
Myanmar
2007
46.4
46.3
2007
49.9
Namibia
2007
  b
60.1
48.7
2008
53.8
Nauru
...
...
...
2007
51.4
Nepal
2007
  b
40.4
44.0
2008
46.7
Netherlands
2007
  b
89.7
87.5
2007
48.4
Netherlands Antilles
2003
  b
84.6
77.2
2003
  b
52.1
New Zealand
2002
92.1
89.5
2007
49.3
Nicaragua
2008
  b
48.5
41.9
2008
52.6
Niger
2007
6.8
11.0
2008
37.6
Nigeria
2007
  b
22.5
29.0
2007
43.0
Niue
1999
  a
95.7
90.9
2005
48.1
Norway
2007
96.9
96.3
2007
48.3
Occupied Palestinian Territory
2007
91.3
86.0
2007
50.5
Oman
2008
77.8
78.6
2008
48.0
Pakistan
2008
  b
27.9
36.9
2008
41.8
Palau
...
...
...
2007
  b
49.6
Panama
2008
68.7
62.6
2008
50.9
Paraguay
2006
59.7
55.8
2006
50.1
Peru
2007
76.1
75.7
2007
50.0
Philippines
2007
65.5
54.5
2007
51.4
Poland
2007
94.7
93.0
2007
48.5
Portugal
2007
91.9
84.2
2007
50.7
Qatar
2008
98.0
66.8
2008
48.9
Republic of Korea
2007
94.7
98.1
2007
46.8
Republic of Moldova
2008
  b
80.8
77.6
2008
49.9
Romania
2007
72.1
73.9
2007
48.7
Russian Federation
...
...
...
2007
48.4
Rwanda
...
...
...
2008
47.8
Saint Kitts and Nevis
2007
  b
80.4
88.9
2008
50.8
Saint Lucia
2008
  b
82.1
77.1
2008
50.9
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
2008
95.4
85.4
2008
52.3
Samoa
2004
  b
68.3
60.4
2005
  b
50.7
San Marino
...
...
...
2008
48.7
Sao Tome and Principe
2007
40.2
36.1
2008
51.1
Saudi Arabia
2007
  a
75.8
70.3
2008
  a
46.4
Senegal
2007
  b
19.7
25.4
2008
44.3
Serbia
2008
  a
88.8
86.6
2008
49.4
Seychelles
2005
  a
100.0
94.3
2007
50.1
Sierra Leone
2007
20.4
29.7
2007
41.0
Singapore
...
...
...
2008
48.2
Slovakia
...
...
...
2007
49.1
Slovenia
2007
89.0
88.1
2007
48.5
Solomon Islands
2003
  b
25.2
29.1
2005
43.5
South Africa
2007
  b
74.0
69.7
2007
  b
51.0
Spain
2007
95.9
92.7
2007
50.2
Sri Lanka
...
...
...
2004
  b
49.4
Suriname
2005
  b
74.1
55.3
2008
55.5
Swaziland
2007
26.3
30.7
2007
47.1
Sweden
2007
99.1
99.2
2007
48.5
Switzerland
2007
82.6
86.8
2007
47.5
Syrian Arab Republic
2008
67.0
68.4
2008
48.5
Tajikistan
2008
77.3
87.6
2008
45.9
TFYR of Macedonia
2005
80.6
82.4
2007
47.8
Thailand
...
...
...
2008
51.0
Timor-Leste
2007
  b
32.9
29.9
2005
48.7
Togo
2000
  b
14.7
30.3
2007
  b
34.6
Tokelau
...
...
...
2004
  b
45.1
Tonga
2006
  b
73.7
59.5
2006
48.4
Trinidad and Tobago
2007
  b
76.8
72.0
2007
  b
51.0
Tunisia
2003
  b
68.9
62.9
2006
  b
51.0
Turkey
2007
  b
65.5
76.6
2007
  b
44.4
Turks and Caicos Islands
2005
  b
68.7
71.7
2005
  b
47.8
Tuvalu
...
...
...
2001
46.2
Uganda
2007
  b
18.2
20.3
2007
  b
45.0
Ukraine
2008
  b
85.5
84.5
2008
  a
48.3
United Arab Emirates
2007
  b
84.5
83.2
2007
  b
48.8
United Kingdom
2007
93.0
89.7
2007
49.2
United Republic of Tanzania
...
...
...
1999
  b
44.8
United States
2007
89.1
87.4
2007
48.9
Uruguay
2007
71.2
64.4
2007
48.8
Uzbekistan
2007
90.2
93.1
2007
48.7
Vanuatu
2004
  b
35.3
40.7
2004
44.7
Venezuela
2008
73.6
65.5
2008
51.4
Viet Nam
...
...
...
2007
49.5
Yemen
2005
  a
25.9
48.5
2005
32.1
Zambia
2008
44.1
53.8
2008
45.4
Zimbabwe
2006
37.2
38.9
2006
48.1

 

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Sources:

Net enrolment ratio in secondary education
UNESCO Institute for Statistics, table 5: Enrolment ratios by ISCED level, available from UIS website, http://www.uis.unesco.org (accessed December 2009).

Girls’ share of secondary enrolment
Calculated by the United Nations Statistics Division based on data published by the UNESCO Institute for Statistics in table 5: Enrolment ratios by ISCED level, available from UIS website, http://www.uis.unesco.org (accessed December 2009).

Footnotes:

Not available.
a
National estimation.
b
UIS estimation.

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Technical notes:

Statistics on enrolment are compiled by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Institute for Statistics (UIS) from data provided by national Governments.

The 1997 International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED 97) defines second-level education as education programmes at ISCED levels 2 and 3. Lower secondary education (ISCED 2) is generally designed to continue the basic programmes of primary level but is typically more subject-focused, requiring more specialized teachers for each subject area. The end of this level often coincides with the end of compulsory education where it exists. In upper secondary education (ISCED 3), the final stage of secondary education in most countries, instruction is often organized even more along subject lines and teachers typically need higher or more subject-specific qualification than ISCED level 2.

The second-level net enrolment ratio (NER) is the number of boys and girls in the theoretical second-level age group that are enrolled in that level, expressed as a percentage of the total population in the corresponding age group. It shows the extent of participation in second-level education of children or youth belonging to the official age group corresponding to second-level education in the given country. A high second-level NER denotes a high degree of participation of secondary school-age children or youth in second-level education. The theoretical maximum value is 100%. If the second-level NER is below 100%, then the complement, i.e. the difference with 100%, provides a measure of the proportion of children or youth of secondary school age not enrolled at that level of education. However, since some of these children or youth could be enrolled at levels of education other than the secondary level, this difference should in no way be considered as indicating the percentage of secondary school-age children not enrolled.

The girls’ share of secondary enrolment refers to the percentage of students enrolled in secondary education who are female. This indicator helps assess gender disparity with regard to participation in secondary education. When the indicator approaches 50% it reflects a good level of gender parity.

While enrolment data offer an easy way of comparing the number of boys and girls enrolled in schools, these statistics do not reflect differences between boys and girls in rates of school attendance or absenteeism, repetition and dropping out.