Statistics
and indicators on women and men |
|
|
|
Table
4.A - Basic education and literacy |
|
|
2nd-level
gross enrolment
ratio (per 100),
|
Girl's share
of 2nd-level
enrolment (%),
|
Percentage
illiterate,
1985/2002 a
|
|
2000/2001 |
1992/1997
|
Ages
15-24 |
Ages
25 + |
Africa
|
Algeria |
73 |
68 |
48 |
|
38 |
|
14 |
|
80 |
|
50 |
|
Angola |
16 |
19 |
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Benin |
.. |
.. |
.. |
|
73 |
|
45 |
|
88 |
|
67 |
|
Botswana |
82 |
77 |
52 |
|
8 |
|
14 |
|
40 |
|
47 |
|
Burkina
Faso |
8 |
12 |
35 |
|
77 |
|
54 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Burundi |
9 |
12 |
39 |
|
52 |
|
40 |
|
82 |
|
57 |
|
Cameroon |
.. |
.. |
.. |
|
29 |
|
15 |
|
68 |
|
43 |
|
Cape
Verde |
77 |
75 |
49 |
|
14 |
|
10 |
|
63 |
|
35 |
|
Central
African Republic |
.. |
.. |
29 |
|
65 |
|
37 |
|
87 |
|
60 |
|
Chad |
.. |
.. |
20 |
|
40 |
|
27 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Comoros |
.. |
.. |
.. |
|
48 |
|
35 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Congo |
38 |
46 |
43 |
|
3 |
|
2 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Côte
d'Ivoire |
17 |
30 |
32 |
|
62 |
|
40 |
|
85 |
|
64 |
|
Dem.
Rep. of the Congo |
.. |
.. |
31 |
|
25 |
|
12 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Djibouti |
14 |
23 |
41 |
|
62 |
|
38 |
|
87 |
|
63 |
|
Egypt |
83 |
88 |
45 |
|
46 |
|
29 |
|
79 |
|
50 |
|
Equatorial
Guinea |
.. |
.. |
35 |
|
5 |
|
2 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Eritrea |
24 |
33 |
42 |
|
40 |
|
20 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Ethiopia |
4 |
6 |
43 |
|
51 |
|
39 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Gabon |
58 |
61 |
47 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Gambia |
31 |
44 |
38 |
|
51 |
|
35 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Ghana |
32 |
40 |
.. |
|
11 |
|
6 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Guinea |
.. |
.. |
26 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Guinea-Bissau |
.. |
.. |
.. |
|
56 |
|
27 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Kenya |
29 |
32 |
.. |
|
14 |
|
8 |
|
54 |
|
26 |
|
Lesotho |
36 |
30 |
59 |
|
2 |
|
17 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Liberia |
.. |
.. |
.. |
|
47 |
|
15 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Libyan
Arab Jamahiraya |
.. |
.. |
.. |
|
7 |
|
<1 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Madagascar |
.. |
.. |
49 |
|
23 |
|
16 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Malawi |
31 |
40 |
18 |
|
51 |
|
30 |
|
75 |
|
37 |
|
Mali |
.. |
.. |
34 |
|
81 |
|
62 |
|
91 |
|
76 |
|
Mauritania |
20 |
22 |
34 |
|
62 |
|
43 |
|
83 |
|
59 |
|
Mauritius |
75 |
79 |
50 |
|
5 |
|
6 |
|
24 |
|
14 |
|
Morocco |
.. |
.. |
42 |
|
54 |
|
29 |
|
80 |
|
53 |
|
Mozambique |
9 |
14 |
39 |
|
62 |
|
40 |
|
81 |
|
47 |
|
Namibia |
65 |
58 |
54 |
|
10 |
|
14 |
|
35 |
|
27 |
|
Niger |
5 |
8 |
35 |
|
90 |
|
75 |
|
97 |
|
87 |
|
Nigeria |
.. |
.. |
46 |
|
16 |
|
10 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Reunion |
.. |
.. |
50 |
|
<1 |
|
5 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Rwanda |
14 |
14 |
44 |
|
23 |
|
17 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Sao
Tome and Principe |
.. |
.. |
.. |
|
8 |
|
4 |
|
54 |
|
21 |
|
Senegal |
.. |
.. |
37 |
|
72 |
|
51 |
|
88 |
|
70 |
|
Seychelles |
.. |
.. |
49 |
|
2 |
|
3 |
|
21 |
|
23 |
|
Sierra
Leone |
24 |
29 |
.. |
|
.. |
|
. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
South
Africa |
91 |
83 |
54 |
|
9 |
|
9 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Sudan |
.. |
.. |
47 |
|
41 |
b |
22 |
b |
74 |
b |
43 |
b |
Swaziland |
.. |
.. |
51 |
|
16 |
|
17 |
|
46 |
|
37 |
|
Togo |
24 |
54 |
27 |
|
36 |
|
13 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Tunisia |
80 |
76 |
48 |
|
28 |
|
7 |
|
68 |
|
42 |
|
Uganda |
.. |
.. |
38 |
|
37 |
|
23 |
|
67 |
|
37 |
|
United
Rep. of Tanzania |
5 |
6 |
46 |
|
12 |
|
7 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Zambia |
21 |
26 |
.. |
|
28 |
|
20 |
|
53 |
|
25 |
|
Zimbabwe |
42 |
47 |
46 |
|
4 |
|
6 |
|
33 |
c |
17 |
c |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Latin America/Caribbean
|
Argentina |
100 |
94 |
52 |
|
2 |
|
2 |
|
5 |
|
4 |
|
Bahamas |
.. |
.. |
55 |
|
2 |
|
4 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Barbados |
102 |
101 |
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Belize |
77 |
71 |
52 |
|
20 |
d |
21 |
d |
33 |
e |
32 |
e |
Bolivia |
78 |
81 |
.. |
|
8 |
|
4 |
|
36 |
|
16 |
|
Brazil |
114 |
103 |
.. |
|
4 |
|
7 |
|
17 |
|
17 |
|
Chile |
86 |
85 |
51 |
|
1 |
|
2 |
|
8 |
|
7 |
|
Colombia |
73 |
67 |
51 |
|
4 |
f |
5 |
f |
12 |
|
11 |
|
Costa
Rica |
63 |
58 |
51 |
|
2 |
|
3 |
|
6 |
|
6 |
|
Cuba |
87 |
83 |
52 |
|
<1 |
|
<1 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Dominican
Republic |
67 |
53 |
57 |
|
8 |
|
10 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Ecuador |
58 |
57 |
50 |
|
4 |
|
4 |
|
13 |
|
9 |
|
El
Salvador |
.. |
.. |
52 |
|
15 |
|
15 |
|
36 |
|
27 |
|
French
Guiana |
.. |
.. |
50 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Grenada |
.. |
.. |
54 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Guadeloupe |
.. |
.. |
52 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Guatemala |
35 |
39 |
47 |
|
29 |
|
18 |
|
50 |
|
34 |
|
Guyana |
.. |
.. |
51 |
|
<1 |
|
<1 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Haiti |
.. |
.. |
.. |
|
36 |
|
36 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Honduras |
.. |
.. |
.. |
|
20 |
|
23 |
|
43 |
|
40 |
|
Jamaica |
85 |
82 |
51 |
|
6 |
|
17 |
|
17 |
|
26 |
|
Martinique |
.. |
.. |
51 |
|
<1 |
|
<1 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Mexico |
77 |
73 |
49 |
|
4 |
|
3 |
|
15 |
|
9 |
|
Netherlands
Antilles |
89 |
78 |
.. |
|
3 |
|
3 |
|
5 |
|
5 |
|
Nicaragua |
58 |
50 |
53 |
|
28 |
|
29 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Panama |
71 |
67 |
.. |
|
4 |
|
4 |
|
10 |
|
9 |
|
Paraguay |
61 |
59 |
51 |
|
5 |
|
4 |
|
14 |
|
10 |
|
Peru |
82 |
89 |
48 |
|
7 |
g |
3 |
g |
28 |
h |
10 |
h |
Puerto
Rico |
.. |
.. |
.. |
|
6 |
|
8 |
|
12 |
|
11 |
|
Saint
Kitts and Nevis |
.. |
.. |
51 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Saint
Lucia |
100 |
77 |
63 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Suriname |
94 |
80 |
53 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Trinidad
and Tobago |
84 |
78 |
50 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
6 |
|
2 |
|
Uruguay |
105 |
92 |
.. |
|
1 |
|
2 |
|
3 |
|
4 |
|
US
Virgin Islands |
.. |
.. |
50 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Venezuela |
.. |
.. |
57 |
|
4 |
|
5 |
|
14 |
|
11 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Asia
|
Afghanistan |
.. |
.. |
25 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Armenia |
.. |
.. |
.. |
|
<1 |
|
<1 |
|
2 |
|
1 |
|
Azerbaijan |
84 |
86 |
51 |
|
<1 |
|
<1 |
|
2 |
|
1 |
|
Bahrain |
105 |
98 |
51 |
|
4 |
|
3 |
|
30 |
|
13 |
|
Bangladesh |
47 |
45 |
.. |
|
60 |
|
43 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Brunei
Darussalam |
85 |
80 |
52 |
|
2 |
|
2 |
|
24 |
|
10 |
|
Cambodia |
13 |
24 |
36 |
|
29 |
|
18 |
|
49 |
|
22 |
|
Chinai |
58 |
77 |
46 |
|
2 |
|
1 |
|
17 |
|
6 |
|
China, Hong Kong SAR |
.. |
.. |
49 |
|
<1 |
|
1 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
China, Macao SAR |
87 |
82 |
53 |
|
<1 |
|
1 |
|
15 |
|
6 |
|
Cyprus |
94 |
93 |
49 |
j |
<1 |
|
<1 |
|
6 |
|
2 |
|
Georgia |
.. |
.. |
49 |
|
<1 |
|
<1 |
|
2 |
|
1 |
|
India |
.. |
.. |
38 |
|
35 |
|
20 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Indonesia |
56 |
58 |
45 |
|
5 |
|
3 |
|
34 |
|
16 |
|
Iran
(Islamic Rep. of) |
75 |
81 |
44 |
|
10 |
|
5 |
|
47 |
|
28 |
|
Iraq |
.. |
.. |
38 |
|
20 |
|
12 |
|
53 |
|
31 |
|
Israel |
93 |
94 |
50 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
9 |
|
4 |
|
Jordan |
.. |
.. |
50 |
k |
4 |
|
2 |
|
41 |
|
15 |
|
Kazakhstan |
87 |
90 |
52 |
|
<1 |
|
<1 |
|
5 |
|
1 |
|
Kuwait |
57 |
55 |
49 |
|
7 |
|
8 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Kyrgyzstan |
86 |
86 |
.. |
|
<1 |
|
<1 |
|
6 |
|
2 |
|
Lao
People's Dem. Rep. |
31 |
44 |
39 |
|
36 |
|
21 |
|
60 |
|
29 |
|
Lebanon |
79 |
72 |
.. |
|
7 |
|
3 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Malaysia |
74 |
67 |
57 |
|
5 |
|
4 |
|
31 |
|
15 |
|
Maldives |
57 |
53 |
.. |
|
2 |
|
2 |
|
5 |
|
5 |
|
Mongolia |
77 |
63 |
57 |
|
2 |
|
3 |
|
3 |
|
2 |
|
Myanmar |
38 |
40 |
50 |
|
10 |
|
9 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Nepal |
43 |
58 |
32 |
|
67 |
|
32 |
|
89 |
l |
59 |
l |
Occupied
Palestinian Territory |
86 |
80 |
48 |
|
3 |
|
3 |
|
30 |
|
11 |
|
Oman |
67 |
69 |
48 |
|
4 |
|
1 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Pakistan |
20 |
29 |
32 |
|
57 |
|
33 |
|
73 |
|
46 |
|
Philippines |
81 |
74 |
.. |
|
3 |
|
4 |
|
9 |
|
7 |
|
Qatar |
92 |
86 |
49 |
|
9 |
|
11 |
|
35 |
|
26 |
|
Republic
of Korea |
94 |
94 |
48 |
|
<1 |
|
<1 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Saudi
Arabia |
64 |
71 |
46 |
|
19 |
|
6 |
|
55 |
|
25 |
|
Singapore |
.. |
.. |
47 |
|
<1 |
|
1 |
|
13 |
|
4 |
|
Sri
Lanka |
.. |
.. |
51 |
|
3 |
|
3 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Syrian
Arab Republic |
41 |
46 |
46 |
|
21 |
|
5 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Tajikistan |
71 |
86 |
.. |
|
<1 |
|
<1 |
|
5 |
|
2 |
|
Thailand |
80 |
84 |
.. |
|
2 |
|
1 |
|
12 |
|
5 |
|
Turkey |
.. |
.. |
39 |
|
12 |
|
3 |
|
40 |
|
13 |
|
Turkmenistan |
.. |
.. |
.. |
|
<1 |
|
<1 |
|
5 |
|
2 |
|
United
Arab Emirates |
80 |
71 |
50 |
|
6 |
|
13 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Uzbekistan |
.. |
.. |
.. |
|
<1 |
|
<1 |
|
6 |
|
2 |
|
Viet
Nam |
64 |
70 |
.. |
|
6 |
g |
6 |
g |
18 |
h |
6 |
h |
Yemen |
.. |
.. |
20 |
|
64 |
|
17 |
|
92 |
|
57 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Oceania
|
American
Samoa |
.. |
.. |
46 |
|
<1 |
|
<1 |
|
1 |
|
<1 |
|
Fiji |
.. |
.. |
49 |
|
3 |
|
2 |
|
23 |
|
13 |
|
French
Polynesia |
.. |
.. |
55 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Guam |
.. |
.. |
.. |
|
<1 |
|
<1 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
Kiribati |
.. |
.. |
54 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Marshall
Islands |
.. |
.. |
.. |
|
4 |
|
5 |
|
14 |
|
9 |
|
Micronesia
(Fed. States of) |
.. |
.. |
.. |
|
5 |
|
6 |
|
31 |
|
23 |
|
New
Caledonia |
.. |
.. |
52 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
11 |
|
8 |
|
Palau |
.. |
.. |
.. |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
4 |
|
2 |
|
Papua
New Guinea |
18 |
24 |
39 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Samoa |
80 |
73 |
50 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
2 |
|
3 |
|
Solomon
Islands |
.. |
.. |
38 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Togo |
.. |
.. |
.. |
|
36 |
|
13 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Tonga |
.. |
.. |
48 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
Vanuatu |
26 |
31 |
43 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Developed regions
|
Albania |
77 |
75 |
49 |
|
4 |
|
1 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Australia |
157 |
156 |
49 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Austria |
97 |
101 |
47 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Belarus |
93 |
96 |
.. |
|
<1 |
|
<1 |
|
4 |
|
1 |
|
Belgium |
153 |
138 |
51 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Bulgaria |
91 |
93 |
49 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
3 |
|
1 |
|
Canada |
103 |
102 |
49 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Croatia |
.. |
.. |
49 |
|
<1 |
|
<1 |
|
6 |
|
1 |
|
Czech
Republic |
88 |
87 |
50 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Denmark |
131 |
125 |
49 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Estonia |
108 |
105 |
52 |
|
<1 |
|
<1 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
Finland |
130 |
119 |
53 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
France |
109 |
109 |
49 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Germany |
99 |
100 |
48 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Greece |
96 |
93 |
49 |
|
<1 |
|
1 |
|
8 |
|
3 |
|
Hungary |
99 |
98 |
50 |
|
<1 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
Iceland |
113 |
105 |
48 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Ireland |
127 |
119 |
50 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Italy |
91 |
95 |
49 |
|
<1 |
|
<1 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Japan |
103 |
102 |
49 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Latvia |
90 |
88 |
51 |
|
<1 |
|
<1 |
|
1 |
|
<1 |
|
Lithuania |
92 |
91 |
50 |
|
<1 |
|
<1 |
|
3 |
|
1 |
|
Luxembourg |
99 |
93 |
49 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Malta |
85 |
95 |
47 |
|
<1 |
|
3 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Monaco |
.. |
.. |
51 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Netherlands |
122 |
127 |
47 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
New
Zealand |
116 |
110 |
50 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Norway |
118 |
116 |
47 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Poland |
98 |
99 |
49 |
|
<1 |
|
<1 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Portugal |
116 |
108 |
51 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
19 |
|
11 |
|
Republic
of Moldova |
.. |
.. |
50 |
|
<1 |
|
<1 |
|
7 |
|
2 |
|
Romania |
81 |
80 |
49 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
6 |
|
2 |
|
Russian
Federation |
85 |
79 |
.. |
|
<1 |
|
<1 |
|
4 |
|
1 |
|
San
Marino |
.. |
.. |
48 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Serbia
and Montenegro |
.. |
.. |
50 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
13 |
|
3 |
|
Slovakia |
87 |
86 |
49 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Slovenia |
100 |
97 |
49 |
|
<1 |
|
<1 |
|
1 |
|
<1 |
|
Spain |
116 |
110 |
51 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
7 |
|
3 |
|
Sweden |
172 |
135 |
53 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
Switzerland |
96 |
103 |
47 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
The
FYR of Macedonia |
82 |
85 |
48 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
11 |
|
3 |
|
Ukraine |
99 |
87 |
.. |
|
2 |
|
<1 |
|
3 |
|
1 |
|
United
Kingdom |
169 |
146 |
52 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
United
States |
95 |
94 |
49 |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
.. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Back
Sources:
For second-level
gross enrolment ratio: the UNESCO Institute for Statistics
website (http://www.uis.unesco.org,
accessed on October 2003); for girl's share of second-
level enrolment: United Nations, Women's Indicators
and Statistics Database (Wistat), version 4, CD-ROM,
(United Nations publication, Sales No. E.00.XVII.4), based
on data provided by the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization; for
percentage illiterate: United Nations Statistics Division
Social Indicators website (http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/social/illiteracy.htm,
accessed on January 2004).
Footnotes:
Note: Two dots (..) indicate
that data are not available or are not reported separately.
aData refer to the latest year available after 1985. For the
exact reference year, see United Nations Statistics Division
Social Indicators website (http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/social/illiteracy.htm)
bData
refer to northern states only and do not include homeless
and/ or nomad population.
cData
refer to ages 25-64.
dData
refer to ages 14-19.
eData
refer to ages 20+.
fData
refer to ages 18-24.
gData
refer to ages 15-29.
hData
refer to ages 30+.
iFor
statistical purposes, data for China do not include Hong
Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions.
jData
exclude Turkish institutions.
kData
refer to the East Bank only.
lData
refer to ages 25-69.
Technical
notes:
Table 4.A presents
selected indicators on second level enrolment and on illiteracy.
Indicators on enrolment
have been prepared mainly from statistics published by
the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) in its Statistical Yearbook and
web site. UNESCO compiles enrolment statistics from data
provided by national Governments in response to UNESCO
questionnaires.
ISCED classifies education
at the first, second and third levels as follows: First-level
education refers to schooling the main function of which
is to provide the basic elements of education (e.g., at
elementary school or primary school). The duration of
first-level education varies considerably across countries
(anywhere from four to nine years) but lasts for six years
in most countries. Education at the second level is education
provided at middle school, secondary school, high school,
teacher-training school at this level, and schools of
a vocational or technical nature. Second-level education
follows at least four years' previous instruction at the
first level, and provides general and/or specialized education.
Education at the third level is that provided at university,
teachers' college or higher professional school, and requires
as a minimum condition of admission the successful completion
of education at the second level.
Enrolment data in table
4.A refer, in general, to the beginning of the school
or academic year. While they 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 absenteeism, grade repetition and dropping
out.
The second-level gross
enrolment ratio is defined as total second-level enrolment,
regardless of age, divided by the population of the age
group that corresponds to this level of education. The
ratio shown in the tables has been multiplied by 100 to
make it less cumbersome to read. It should be noted that
the numerator includes all pupils regardless of age, whereas
the population used in the denominator is limited to the
range of official school ages for the second level. Therefore,
for countries with almost universal education at these
levels, the gross enrolment ratio may exceed 100 if the
actual ages of the pupils do not coincide with official
school ages (e.g., as a result of early age at enrolment
or repetition of grades).
Rates of illiteracy
are prepared from data published by UNESCO or the United
Nations Demographic Yearbook, based on data from national
population censuses or sample surveys. They are supplemented
by published and unpublished data compiled from national
sources by consultants in cooperation with the regional
commissions of the United Nations Economic and Social
Council. Data on illiteracy are also included in Wistat.
The definition of literacy
is given in a sidebar to chapter 4 of the report. Persons
able to read but not write, as well as those who can write
but not read, are not considered to be literate. This
definition of literacy is widely used in national population
censuses and surveys, but its interpretation and application
may vary to some extent among countries, depending on
national, social and cultural circumstances. Furthermore,
this concept of literacy includes persons who, although
familiar with the basics of reading and writing, might
still be considered functionally illiterate. Thus, a measure
of functional illiteracy would also be useful, but such
statistics are collected in only a few countries.
Illiteracy rates are
shown separately for the age groups 15-24 and 25 or over.
For young people in developing regions, literacy may be
a better measure of education than enrolment since it
usually reflects a minimal level of successfully completed
schooling (see box on measuring education). It should
be noted that data are lacking for a number of countries
or areas in the developed regions. This is due to the
fact that a question on literacy was not included in the
population censuses, since illiteracy has been reduced
to minimal levels through several decades of universal
primary education.