EDUCATION INDICATORS: An International Perspective

Notes on Figures and Tables for Indicator 1

Australia

Lower secondary education includes ungraded secondary students. Due to difficulties in categorizing some school levels, participation figures for nonuniversity higher education are high.

Czech Republic

Most part-time students are enrolled in adult education and their age is unknown. They experience the same curricula and take the same examinations as full-time students.

Denmark

All formal regular education is classified as full-time. Numbers refer to persons enrolled on October 1, 1991. Adult education is excluded.

Hungary

Disabled students are included in primary and lower secondary education. Age distribution data are estimated at the lower secondary education level for 14-year-olds and over, at the upper secondary education level for 19-year-olds and over, and at the higher education level for 24-year-olds and older.

Italy and Sweden

No distinction between full-time and part-time at higher education.

Japan

There are an additional 147,500 students, whose ages are unknown, who are not included.

Norway

Figures are estimates for primary and lower secondary education.

United States

There is no distinction between full- and part-time at upper secondary education.

Technical Notes

Calculation of Full-Time Equivalent Scores

For the indicators on per student expenditure and participation rates, all part-time enrollments are converted into full-time equivalents. Full-time equivalents were calculated using the following convention:

Preprimary-secondary levels: one part-time enrollment equals one full-time enrollment.

Higher education levels: two part-time enrollments equal one full-time enrollment.

In the case of preprimary, primary, secondary, and special education, part-time students are counted as full-time without conversion. In higher education, the duration of studies is typically longer if students proceed through at less than full-time pace. Therefore, conversions are made.

Supplemental Table 1 details the coefficients used for calculating full-time equivalent numbers by level of education.

Calculation of Enrollment Ratio

The enrollment ratio is calculated by dividing the total number enrolled at all levels, irrespective of age, by the population in the target age range.