Percentage of private enrolment
Definition: Enrolment in private educational institutions at a given level of education expressed as a percentage of total enrolment at the same level.
Purpose: To measure the relative weight of private education in terms of enrolment, hence the scale and capacity of private education within a country.
Calculation method: Divide the number of students enrolled in private educational institutions in a given level of education by total enrolment (public and private) at the same level of education, and multiply the result by 100.
Data required: Enrolment by level of education and by type of institution (public/private).
Data source: Schools census or surveys.
Type of disaggregation: By gender, geographical location (region, urban/rural) and by level of education.
Interpretation: A high percentage indicates strong involvement of the non-governmental sector (including religious bodies, other organizations, associations, communities, private enterprises or persons) in providing organized educational programs.
Quality standards: This indicator should be based on complete and reliable data on enrolment in each of the different types of educational institutions, applying consistent definitions and criteria to distinguish between public and private educational institutions. 'Private' refers to all educational institutions not operated by a public authority, regardless of whether they receive financial support from such authorities.
Limitations: In countries where private institutions are substantially subsidized or aided by the government, the distinction between private and public educational institutions may be less clear-cut especially when certain students are directly financed through government scholarships. The fact that some religious or private schools are not registered with the government nor follow the common national curriculum may also result in them not being included in official statistics, hence preventing a realistic assessment of the share of enrolment in private education
Educational attainment of the population aged 15-24 years and above
Definition: Percentage distribution of population aged 15-24 years and above according to the highest level of education attained or completed with reference to ISCED.