Education in States and Nations: 1991

(ESN) Indicator 10: Secondary education enrollment

The secondary education enrollment rate measures the percentage of persons in a country or state of a certain age who are enrolled in school programs classified as secondary. Secondary education encompasses the end stage of compulsory education in most countries. Because the end year of the compulsory age range typically arrives for most teens before their secondary education is complete, persistence in school past the end year reflects the desirability and importance of secondary-level credentials. Countries and states with high secondary education enrollment rates may have economies that require highly skilled labor forces and depend on the education system to provide necessary training. Countries and states with relatively high rates also may have a large number of students receiving more than one secondary education credential. For example, in Germany, many skilled workers graduate from secondary school with a vocational credential, then return to school later for a higher or different credential.

• Enrollment in secondary education was above 90 percent at ages 14 and 15 in all states in 1990 and all countries in 1991, except for Hungary (age 15), Portugal, Spain (age 15), and Turkey. Enrollment at age 16 dropped below 90 percent also in Czechoslovakia, Ireland, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. At age 17, enrollment dropped below 90 percent in all states and countries except West Germany and the Netherlands. Enrollments in West Germany and the Netherlands dropped below 90 percent at age 18.

• In 9 of the 19 other countries, over 20 percent of 19-year-olds attended secondary school; however, of the U.S. states had enrollment rates above 7 percent among 19-year-olds. Likewise among 21-year- olds, 5 of the 19 other countries recorded rates above 10 percent, while none of the U.S. states showed rates even above 3 percent at that age.

Note on interpretation:

Countries differ greatly in how they classify certain programs as either higher education or upper secondary programs. For example, some programs that are begun subsequent to the completion of general secondary education are classified as non-university higher education in the United States and in parts of Canada, whereas they are defined as upper secondary education in most other countries. (See the supplemental note on levels of education.)

Table 9b

Figure 10