The net enrolment ratio (NER) reflects the number of pupils in the theoretical school-age group at a particular level of education (primary or secondary, in this case), expressed as a percentage of the total population in that age group. The rates listed in annex table 5 show the extent of participation in primary and secondary education among children and youth belonging to the official age group for the particular level of schooling. A high NER denotes a high degree of participation among the official school-age population. The NER is not calculated for tertiary education because the wide variations in student age at this level of education make it difficult to determine an appropriate age group. A sharp discrepancy between the GER and NER indicates that enrolled children and youth do not progress regularly through the grades and that the system’s internal efficiency could be improved.
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Annex tables 4 and 5 also include indicators showing how females fare relative to males with respect to gross and net enrolment ratios at each level. A ratio lower than 1 indicates that females are at a disadvantage in terms of school enrolment. It is interesting to note the disparities in the female-to-male ratio across countries and levels of education. In many countries, females appear to outnumber males at the tertiary level, but in others females are not well represented at this level or at the lower levels of education. Annex table 6 shows primary to secondary school transition rates by sex and country. This indicator measures the degree of progression to a given level of education from the previous level of education. It is calculated by dividing the number of new entrants in the first grade of secondary education by the number of pupils who were enrolled in the final grade of primary education the previous school year, then multiplying by 100 to obtain a percentage. A low transition rate can reflect difficulties with accessibility or problems related to student performance at the primary level. This indicator can also help in assessing the relative selectivity of an education system, which may be linked to pedagogical or financial requirements.
Labour force participation and employment The analysis presented in the World Youth Report has highlighted the important role youth
employment can play in climate change mitigation and adaptation. Although there are many gaps in terms of youth employment data, the statistics included in the relevant annex tables are sufficient to provide an overall picture of the situation. Annex table 7 presents indicators of the youth employment situation in individual countries. The percentage of youth in the labour force is a measure of the proportion of a country’s youth population actively involved in the labour market and includes those who are working or looking for work. It provides an indication of the relative size of the youth labour force available to engage in the production of goods and services. Labour force activity among the young may reflect the availability of educational facilities as well as the degree to which young workers are discouraged from joining the labour force. Female/male labour force participation rates show sex differentials in labour force participation. Ratios of less than 1 suggest that females are less likely than males to seek or secure employment. Annex tables 7 and 8 present a complex global picture with respect to labour force participation and employment among youth. In some countries, virtually all young people—including those in the age 15-19 subgroup—are in the labour force. In other countries, most youth do not enter the labour force until later. Gender differentials in participation also vary, with some countries showing little difference and others showing much lower rates of female youth participation in the labour force. The age transition in labour force participation rate, expressed as a ratio, shows the change that occurs in labour force participation among youth as they progress from the younger to the older subgroup. The data indicate that in every country, with the exception of Tajikistan, labour force participation is higher for older youth. However, the degree of increase is variable across countries and by sex. For example, in Hungary and Lithuania the rates of labour force participation among 20- to 24-year olds are more than ten times the corresponding rates for youth aged 15-19 years, while in about two dozen countries the rates for older youth are not even double those for the younger subgroup. Genderbased ratios are also highly variable. In Haiti and Iceland, labour force participation rates are the same for younger and older female youth, while in Jordan the rate for the latter subgroup