- Summary
- Introduction
- Acknowledgements
- Indicators Part I: Population and School Enrollment
- Indicators Part II: Academic Performance
- Indicators Part III: Contexts for Learning
- Indicators Part IV: Expenditure for Education
- Indicators Part V: Education Returns: Educational Attainment and Income
- List of Tables
- List of Exhibit and Figures
- References
- Appendix A: The Education Systems of the G-20 Countries
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Indicator 1: School-Age Population
G-20 Countries Included: Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States
From 2002 to 2012, the school-age population (including both 5- to 19-year-olds and 20- to 29-year-olds) decreased in Japan and the Republic of Korea, but increased in Argentina, Australia, India, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the United States. However, in all G-20 countries, there was a decline in the school-age population as a percentage of the total population from 2002 to 2012.
This indicator describes the size of the school-age population in the G-20 countries both in absolute numbers and in terms of the percentage of the population. It focuses on the age group most likely to be enrolled in education (i.e., 5- to 29-year-olds), as well as on two subsets of that age group: those most likely to be enrolled in primary or secondary education (i.e., 5- to 19-year-olds) and those generally of postsecondary or higher education age (i.e., 20- to 29-year-olds). The indicator also describes changes in the percentage of the school-age population over time, from 2002 to 2012.
In 2012, the total population across the G-20 countries ranged from 22 million in Australia to 1.3 billion in China, and the schoolage population of 5- to 29-year-olds ranged from 7.2 million in Australia to 554.8 million in India (table 1-1). In the United States, there were 106.2 million 5- to 29-year-olds, which represented 34 percent of the total population (table 1-2). In the other G-20 countries, the school-age population ranged from 25 percent of the total population in Italy and Japan to 50 percent in Saudi Arabia and South Africa.
The subpopulation of 5- to 19-year-olds represented 20 percent of the total population in the United States in 2012 (table 1-2). The U.S. percentage of 5- to 19-year-olds was higher than the percentages in 10 other G-20 countries and lower than the percentages in 8 other countries. The percentages of 5- to 19-year-olds in the other G-20 countries ranged from 14 percent in Germany, Italy, and Japan to 29 percent in India, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa.
The subpopulation of 20- to 29-year-olds represented 14 percent of the total population in the United States in 2012, which was below the percentages in 11 other countries. The percentages in the other G-20 countries ranged from 11 percent in Italy and Japan to 21 percent in Saudi Arabia and South Africa.
From 2002 to 2012, the school-age population and both subsets of that population decreased in Japan and the Republic of Korea, but increased in Argentina, Australia, India, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the United States (figure 1-1). The other G-20 countries experienced varied population changes over the same time period. For example, in Canada, China, Germany, and the Russian Federation, the population of 5- to 29-year-olds and 5- to 19-year-olds decreased, but the population of 20- to 29-year-olds increased. In Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, the population of 5- to 29-year-olds and 20- to 29-year-olds increased, while the population of 5- to 19-year-olds decreased.
However, despite the net percentage increases in the school-age population just described for some countries, in all reporting G-20 countries, there was a decline in the school-age population as a percentage of the total population from 2002 to 2012.
Definitions and Methodologie
In each country, the percentage of the population of 5- to 29-year-olds in 2002 and 2012 was calculated by dividing the population of 5- to 29-year-olds by the total population. The percentage change in the population of 5- to 29-year-olds was calculated by subtracting the population of 5- to 29-year-olds in 2002 from this population in 2012 and dividing by the 2002 population of 5- to 29-year-olds. These calculations were applied in the same way to the 5- to 19-year-old and 20- to 29-year-old age groups. As a percentage of the total population, an age group (e.g., 5- to 29-year-olds) might have declined from 2002 to 2012 even though its size increased. This would occur if there was a higher rate of increase in the total population than in the specific age group 8