Archive:SDG 4 - Quality education (statistical annex)

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all (statistical annex)

Data extracted in May 2020.

Planned article update: June 2021.

Highlights

EU trend of SDG 4 on quality education

This article provides an overview of statistical data on SDG 4 ‘Quality education’ in the European Union (EU). It is based on the set of EU SDG indicators for monitoring of progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in an EU context.

This article is part of a set of statistical articles, which are based on the Eurostat publication ’Sustainable development in the European Union — Monitoring report - 2020 edition’. This report is the fourth edition of Eurostat’s series of monitoring reports on sustainable development, which provide a quantitative assessment of progress of the EU towards the SDGs in an EU context.

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Table 1: Indicators measuring progress towards SDG 4, EU-27
Table 2: Explanation of symbols for indicating progress towards SD objectives and targets

Early leavers from education and training

This indicator measures the share of the population aged 18 to 24 with at most lower secondary education who were not involved in any education or training during the four weeks preceding the survey. The data stem from the EU Labour Force Survey (EU-LFS).

Figure 1: Early leavers from education and training, by sex, EU-27, 2002-2019 (% of the population aged 18 to 24)
Source: Eurostat (sdg_04_10)

Table 3: Compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of the share of early leavers from education and training
Source: Eurostat (sdg_04_10)

Figure 2: Early leavers from education and training, by country, 2014 and 2019 (% of the population aged 18 to 24)
Source: Eurostat (sdg_04_10)

Participation in early childhood education

This indicator measures the share of children between the age of four and the starting age of compulsory primary education who participated in early childhood education. Data presented here stem from the joint UIS (UNESCO Institute of Statistics)/OECD/Eurostat (UOE) questionnaires on education statistics, which constitute the core database on education.

Figure 3: Participation in early childhood education, EU-27, 2000-2018 (% of the age group between 4-years-old and the starting age of compulsory education)
Source: Eurostat (sdg_04_30)

Table 4: Compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of the participation rate in early childhood education
Source: Eurostat (sdg_04_30)

Figure 4: Participation in early childhood education, by country, 2013 and 2018 (% of the age group between 4-years-old and the starting age of compulsory education)
Source: Eurostat (sdg_04_30)

Underachievement in reading, maths and science

This indicator measures the share of 15-year-old students failing to reach level 2 (‘basic skills level’) on the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) scale for the three core school subjects of reading, mathematics and science. The data stem from the PISA study, a triennial international survey that aims to evaluate education systems by testing the skills and knowledge of 15-year-old students.

Figure 5: Underachievement in reading, maths or science, EU-27, 2006-2018 (% of 15-year-old students)
Source: Eurostat (sdg_04_40)

Table 5: Compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of the underachievement rate in reading, maths and science
Source: Eurostat (sdg_04_40)

Figure 6: Underachievement in reading, maths or science, by country, 2018 (% of 15-year-old students)
Source: Eurostat (sdg_04_40)

Tertiary educational attainment

This indicator measures the share of the population aged 30 to 34 who have successfully completed tertiary studies (for example, at university or a higher technical institution). Tertiary educational attainment refers to ISCED (International Standard Classification of Education) 2011 levels 5–8 for data from 2014 onwards and to ISCED 1997 levels 5–6 for data up to 2013. The indicator is based on the EU Labour Force Survey (EU-LFS).

Figure 7: Tertiary educational attainment, by sex, EU-27, 2002-2019 (% of the population aged 30 to 34)
Source: Eurostat (sdg_04_20)

Table 6: Compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of the tertiary education attainment rate
Source: Eurostat (sdg_04_20)

Figure 8: Tertiary educational attainment, by country, 2014 and 2019 (% of the population aged 30 to 34)
Source: Eurostat (sdg_04_20)

Employment rate of recent graduates

The employment rate of recent graduates is defined as the percentage of the population aged 20 to 34 with at least upper-secondary education (ISCED 2011 levels 3 to 8) who are in employment, not in any education and training during the four weeks preceding the survey, and who have successfully completed their highest educational attainment one to three years before the survey. The data stem from the EU Labour Force Survey (EU-LFS).

Figure 9: Employment rate of recent graduates, by sex, EU-27, 2006-2019 (% of population aged 20 to 34)
Source: Eurostat (sdg_04_50)

Table 7: Compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of the employment rate of recent graduates
Source: Eurostat (sdg_04_50)

Figure 10: Employment rate of recent graduates, by country, 2014 and 2019 (% of population aged 20 to 34)
Source: Eurostat (sdg_04_50)

Adult participation in learning

Adult participation in learning refers to people aged 25 to 64 who stated they received formal or non-formal education and training in the four weeks preceding the survey (numerator). The denominator consists of the total population of the same age group, excluding those who did not answer the question ‘participation in education and training’. Adult learning covers formal and non-formal learning activities — both general and vocational — undertaken by adults after leaving initial education and training ^[1]. Data stem from the EU Labour Force Survey (EU-LFS).

Figure 11: Adult participation learning, EU-27, 2002-2019 (% of population aged 25 to 64)
Source: Eurostat (sdg_04_60)

Table 8: Compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of the share of adults participating in learning
Source: Eurostat (sdg_04_60)

Figure 12: Adult participation in learning, by country, 2014 and 2019 (% of population aged 25 to 64)
Source: Eurostat (sdg_04_60)

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Notes

↑ The general definition of adult learning covers formal, non-formal and informal training but the indicator adult participation in learning only covers formal and non-formal education and training. For more information, see: Eurostat, Participation in education and training.

[1] The general definition of adult learning covers formal, non-formal and informal training but the indicator adult participation in learning only covers formal and non-formal education and training. For more information, see: Eurostat, Participation in education and training.

[1]