Statistics Iceland has published data on the number of students at the upper secondary, post-secondary non-tertiary and tertiary levels and on the enrolment rate at these school levels in the middle of the autumn semester of 2007. Data on students at the upper secondary, post-secondary non-tertiary and tertiary levels has also been reclassified according to ISCED97. Consequently several tables have been updated from 2002 onwards.
More than 104 thousand students at all levels
During the school year 2007-2008 the total number of students in Iceland at all school levels is 104,064. At the pre-primary level there are 17,446 pupils enrolled, 43,802 at the primary and lower secondary level, 25,090 at the upper secondary level and 17,726 at the post-secondary non-tertiary and tertiary levels together. The number of students in Iceland has increased by 1,776 since 2006, an increase of 1.7%.
Since 1997 the number of students at all levels has grown by 17,904, or by 20.8%. In this period the number of students at the post-secondary non-tertiary and tertiary levels has more than doubled. The increase in percentages is 111.7%. At the same time the increase at the upper secondary level is 21.7% and 17.4% at the pre-primary level. At the primary and lower secondary levels the increase is 3.5%.
Women’s share of this increase is noticeable, especially at the post-secondary non-tertiary and tertiary levels. At these levels the number of women increased by 6,109 (124.4%) but the number of men by 3,245 (93.2%). Women are 52.3% of students at the upper secondary level and 62.2% of students at the post-secondary non-tertiary and tertiary levels.
The enrolment rate of 16 year olds stays at 93%
The enrolment rate of 16 year olds in Iceland during the autumn term of 2007 was 93% when all modes of teaching are considered (i.e. day courses, evening school and distance learning). The enrolment rate of 16 year olds has not changed since last year. Autumn 2005 has seen the highest enrolment rate for the 16 year old cohort when it reached 94%.
Women attend school in greater numbers than men. The enrolment rate of 16 year old women is 94% compared with 92% among 16 year old men. There is also a noticeable difference in the enrolment rate between regions. The highest enrolment rate measured for both sexes of 16 year olds is in the West, or 96%. In this region as well as in the Westfjords there is no difference between the sexes in the enrolment rate of 16 year olds. The sex difference is greatest in the Southwest and in the East. Women in the East have the highest enrolment rate measured (97%) but males in the Southwest the lowest (86%).
The enrolment rate at post secondary and tertiary level
At the post-secondary non-tertiary and tertiary levels the largest cohorts are the 22 and 23 years old. The ratio of women in these cohorts is considerably higher than for men (figure 2). When the cohort of 23 years old is counted together for the post-secondary non-tertiary and tertiary levels the enrolment rate for women is 38% compared with 23% for men. The difference is 15 percentage points in favour of women.
New presentation of data – International classification of education 1997
Statistics Iceland now publishes for the first time data on the number of students according to ISCED97. The division of levels is different than before, i.e. there are now four levels of education above compulsory education. These levels are upper secondary education, post-secondary non-tertiary education, first stage of tertiary education and second stage of tertiary education. Furthermore, in the new presentation of the data general studies and vocational education are presented separately for the first time as well as different degrees at the tertiary level of education. For example in 2007, the total number of students at the upper secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary levels was 26,186. Thereof 16,539 attended general studies, or 63% of students at these two levels compared with 9,647 students in vocational education, or 37%. The proportion of men and women in these two types of programmes is interesting. Women clearly favour general subjects as 70% of them are enrolled in this area but only 30% in vocational subjects. The difference for men is not as great as 56% men are enrolled in general studies compared to 44% in vocational subjects (figure 3).
About the data
Information is gathered directly from the schools and refers to the number of students in the middle of October. Each student is only counted once even if he is studying in two schools. The enrolment rate is computed by classifying students by age and domicile on December 1, each year and computing their proportion of the relevant age group.
Statistics:
Overview
Upper secondary schools
Universities