You are here: Department of Education website > Education Trends: Key Indicators on Education in Ireland and Europe

5. Participation in Education

5.1 Recent and Projected full-time enrolment (aided only) by level 1979/80-2009/10

Between 1979/80 and 2005/06, the number of students at each level changed dramatically. At primary level, the number decreased by 19.5 per cent, to reflect the changing demography in Ireland. At second level, the number increased by 12 per cent reflecting the increased participation rate in post-compulsory education, while at third level the number more than tripled from over 37,000 to 136,719.

At primary level, enrolment declined up to 2000/01 but has increased again each year since then. Based on recent birth data, this increase is set to continue for at least the next 13 years and enrolment may possibly reach the 1979/80 figures at the end of this period.

At second level, enrolment increased up to 1996/97 and has declined since then. This decrease is set to continue until 2007/08 but enrolment should begin to increase again after this, in line with the increase in primary enrolment.

At third level, enrolment has been constantly increasing and this trend is expected to continue into the near future.

SCHOOL YEAR	1979/80	1989/90	1999/00	2003/04
NUMBER OF FULL-TIME PUPILS AT:
FIRST LEVEL
Total First Level	547,431	552,182	444,310	457,889

SECOND LEVEL
Total Second Level	292,280	339,132	353,860	332,407

THIRD LEVEL
Total Third Level	37,425	64,137	115,696	136,719

Source: Department of Education & Science, Statistics Section

5.2 Full time students aged 15-19 in public and private institutions as a percentage of population aged 15-19 by sex and age, 1993/94 and 2005/06

**Full time students aged 15-19 as a percentage of the population by sex and age**
	Age	15	16	17	18	19
1993/94	MALE	94.5	88.1	76.7	57.5	44
	FEMALE	97.1	94.3	87.5	70.1	51.1
2005/06	MALE	98.5	91.4	77.6	56.9	44.6
	FEMALE	101.2	97.9	92.2	75.6	62

Note: Estimates of participation in full-time education by single year of age are based on provisional population estimates supplied by the Central Statistics Office. Caution should be exercised in comparing data between years.

Source: Department of Education & Science

5.3 Students aged 15-24 years - as a percentage of the corresponding age population, 2004/2005

**Students aged 15-24 years - as percentage of corresponding age population**
EU25	BE	CZ	DK	DE	EE	GR	ES	FR	IE	IT	CY	LV	LT	LU	HU	MT	NL	AT	PL	PT	SI	SK	FI	SE	UK	IS	NO
61.0	68.2	60.8	67.5	64.9	63.7	65.2	55.0	59.3	58.3	55.1	40.2	64.8	70.4	41.6	61.6	39.7	63.7	52.5	69.8	51.6	68.8	53.9	70.8	68.0	57.9	66.9	64.2

NOTES

Germany, Italy, Poland, Slovenia: Data exclude Ph.D students

Cyprus: Most tertiary students study abroad and are not included.

Source: Eurostat Education Statistics (UOE)

5.4 Students (all levels) aged 18 & 22 as a percentage of the corresponding age population, by sex, 2004/2005

	EU-25	BE	CZ	DK	DE	EE	GR	ES	FR	IE	IT	CY	LV	LT	LU	HU	MT	NL	AT	PL	PT	SI	SK	FI	SE	UK	IS	NO
Age 18
Total	79	89	88	81	86	82	81	70	79	90	81	30	85	90	67	79	54	79	77	93	66	89	81	94	96	60	75	86	Total
Females	82	92	89	82	85	86	87	75	81	:	85	37	88	92	71	80	58	80	78	93	72	92	84	94	95	63	79	88	Females
Males	77	86	87	80	86	78	76	64	77	76	76	22	82	89	64	79	50	78	76	93	60	87	79	93	96	58	72	83	Males
Age 20
Total	52	:	49	50	53	57	78	51	52	56	44	24	53	64	25	59	32	59	33	68	46	50	39	50	47	52	56	50	Total
Females	56	:	52	50	56	67	87	58	56	56	49	28	61	72	24	63	37	60	38	71	53	60	42	59	53	56	56	55	Females
Males	48	:	46	51	51	47	70	44	48	57	39	20	45	56	25	55	28	58	28	65	40	42	37	42	41	47	56	45	Males
Age 22
Total	39	:	33	51	56	38	33	36	32	30	33	18	46	49	8	38	19	41	27	50	35	45	26	59	49	34	53	42	Total
Females	42	:	36	59	53	42	35	40	35	26	37	16	54	54	7	43	20	40	28	55	40	54	29	65	57	37	59	47	Females
Males	37	:	31	44	60	34	30	31	29	34	28	21	39	45	9	34	17	42	25	46	30	35	23	54	42	31	48	38	Males
Age 24
Total	23	:	21	46	24	22	14	23	16	13	22	11	23	25	3	22	8	25	21	28	22	33	14	50	43	27	40	32	Total
Females	24	:	22	53	22	25	15	24	18	12	24	8	27	29	2	24	8	22	21	28	22	39	14	51	49	30	44	34	Females
Males	22	:	20	39	25	19	14	21	15	14	20	14	19	23	4	20	8	27	21	28	21	26	13	49	37	23	35	31	Males

Notes

Germany, Italy, Poland ,Slovenia: Data exclude Ph. D. students.

Cyprus: Most tertiary students study abroad and are not included.

Luxembourg: Most third-level students study abroad and are not included. Also many students at primary and second-level study abroad and are not included in enrolment data but are in population data, therefore all participation rates by age are underestimated.

Source: Eurostat - Education statistics (UOE)

5.5 Students aged 30 years & over as a percentage of all pupils and students (all levels of education), 2004/05

**Students aged 30 years and over as percentage of all pupils and students, 2004/05**
	EU-25	BE	CZ	DK	DE	EE	GR	ES	FR	IE	IT	CY	LV	LT	LU	HU	MT	NL	AT	PL	PT	SI	SK	FI	SE	UK	IS	NO
Total	7.4	13.1	3.8	9.2	2.6	6.2	:	6.4	1.9	2.6	3.6	0.7	7.7	4.6	0.7	5.7	1.9	3.8	3.8	2.6	5.1	6.1	2.9	13.5	14.4	21.9	10.7	7.9	Total
Females	8.9	14.9	4.2	11.0	2.3	8.3	:	7.6	2.2	2.9	3.7	0.7	10.5	6.2	0.3	7.3	1.9	4.1	3.6	3.4	5.6	6.5	3.6	15.5	18.3	25.8	14.1	9.9	Females
Males	6.0	11.2	3.4	7.3	2.8	3.9	:	5.1	1.5	2.3	3.4	0.7	4.5	2.9	1.0	4.1	1.9	3.4	4.0	1.8	4.5	5.6	2.1	11.5	10.0	17.5	7.0	5.8	Males

Notes

Germany, Italy, Poland, Slovenia: Data exclude PH. D.

Cyprus: Most tertiary students study abroad and are not included.

Luxembourg: Most tertiary students study abroad and are not included. Also many students at Primary, Lower second-level and Upper second-level study abroad and are not included in enrolment data but are included in population data, therefore all participation rates by age are underestimated.

Source: Eurostat - Education statistics (UOE)

5.6 Female participation at upper second-level: females per 100 males 2004/05

	EU25	BE	CZ	DK	DE	EE	GR	ES	FR	IE	IT	CY	LV	LT	LU	HU	MT	NL	AT	PL	PT	SI	SK	FI	SE	UK	IS	NO
1975/76	:	97	:	95	:	:	77	82	96	102	80	:	:	:	:	:	:	65	72	:	89	:	:	115	99	77	:	:	1975/76
2004/05	106	105	100	108	90	104	91	111	99	113	95	97	100	99	104	97	89	98	87	91	111	96	100	110	120	126	106	96	2004/05

Notes

United-Kingdom: Data include students in further Education.

Source: Eurostat - Education statistics (UOE)

5.7 Post-Leaving-Certificate (PLC) Participants by age-group, 2005/2006

**Post-Leaving-Certificate (PLC)**
**Participants by age-group 2005/2006**
	2005/06	2005/06	2005/06
Age	Males	Females	Total
<17	15	31	46
17-18	1,959	5,587	7,546
19-20	2,330	5,461	7,791
21-24	1,621	2,975	4,596
25-29	688	1,701	2,389
30-39	768	2,151	2,919
40-49	425	1,907	2,332
50-59	227	895	1,122
60+	164	471	635
Total	8,197	21,179	29,376

Source: Department of Education & Science

5.8 Percentage of pupils with special needs who are educated separately, 2002-2004

BE NL	BE FR	BE DE	CZ	DE	DK	EE	GR	ES	FR	IE	IT	CY	LV	LT	LU	HU	MT	NL	AT	PL	PT	SK	FI	SE	UK	IS	NO
4.9	4.2	1.8	5.0	4.8	2.3	4.2	0.6	0.4	2.2	1.8	0.5	0.5	3.4	1.2	1.5	3.9	1.3	1.9	1.6	1.8	0.5	3.6	3.6	1.5	1.1	0.7	0.4

Explanatory note

The percentage of SEN pupils within compulsory education who are educated in separate settings is calculated as a percentage of the total compulsory school age population. Separate provision is defined as applying to pupils who spend most of the school week in a non-mainstream (separate) school or class. Legal definitions of SEN within each country are available from the National Overviews of Special Education on the National Pages of the European Agency website at http://www.european-agency.org.

Source: European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education and Eurydice, Key Data on Education in Europe 2005 (Figure C3).

5.9 Special Needs Pupils as a percentage of all National School pupils, 2005-06

2005-2006
	Male	Female	Total
Pupils In Ordinary Classes.	226,165	215,801	441,966
Pupils In Special Schools.	4,265	2,362	6,627
Pupils in Ordinary National Schools taught by a Special Class Teacher or a Resource Teacher for travellers	5,222	4,074	9,296
Total Pupils In National Schools.	235,652	222,237	457,889

	Male	Female	Total
Special School Pupils as a percentage of all National School pupils.	1.8%	1.1%	1.4%
Pupils in Ordinary National Schools taught by a Special Class Teacher/ Resource Teacher for travellers as a percentage of all Ordinary school pupils.	2.3%	1.9%	2.1%

Notes

Data include travellers receiving the services of a Resource teacher for travellers but exclude other special needs pupils who are not in a special class setting.

Data exclude non-aided pupils.

Source: Department of Education & Science

5.10 Pupils in Special Schools and pupils taught by Special Class Teachers in Ordinary National Schools, as a percentage of National School enrolment, by category of recognised need and location (special schools or ordinary schools), 2005/06

**SPECIAL SCHOOL PUPILS BY TYPE 2005/2006**
	PUPIL TYPE	Number
	MILDLY MENTALLY HANDICAPPED	2458
	MODERATELY MENTALLY HANDICAPPED	1287
	SEVERE/PROFOUND MENTALLY HANDICAPPED	655
	HEARING IMPAIRED	141
	VISUALLY IMPAIRED	30
	PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED	138
	MULTIPLY HANDICAPPED	406
	EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED	159
	SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITY	244
	YOUNG OFFENDER	140
	SEVERE EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED	277
	PROFOUNDLY DEAF	68
	AUTISM/AUTISTIC SPECTRUM DISORDERS	490
	OUT OF PARENTAL CONTROL	27
	SPECIFIC SPEECH/ LANG. DISORDER	3
	TOTAL	6523

**PUPILS TAUGHT BY SPECIAL CLASS TEACHER, BY TYPE, 2005/2006**
	PUPIL TYPE	Number
	MILDLY MENTALLY HANDICAPPED	1763
	MODERATELY MENTALLY HANDICAPPED	124
	SEVERE/PROFOUND MENTALLY HANDICAPPED	31
	HEARING IMPAIRED	41
	PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED	0
	SPECIFIC SPEECH/LANG. DISORDER	397
	MULTIPLY HANDICAPPED	13
	EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED	38
	SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITY	210
	SEVERE EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED	7
	AUTISM/AUTISTIC SPECTRUM DISORDERS	451
	TOTAL	3075

Note: Data exclude 104 pupils in Special Schools for travellers.

Source: Department of Education and Science.

5.11 Number of pupils in Special schools or taught by a Special class or Resource teacher for travellers in Ordinary schools

	Special schools	Ordinary schools
1979/80	8115	2247
1989/90	8491	3119
1999/00	7228	8743
2005/06	6627	9296

Source: Department of Education & Science

5.12 Percentage of the population aged 25 to 64 participating in education and training, 2004

In a knowledge society, individuals must continuously update and complement their knowledge, competencies and skills for personal and professional development. The average percentage of the population aged 25-64 participating in education and training over the four weeks prior to the 2004 Labour Force Survey in the EU was 9.9%. Ireland's figure in this regard was only 7.2%. Both figures are considerably below the EU Benchmark 2010 figure of 12.5%.

**Percentage of the adult population aged 25 to 64 participating in education and training, 2004**
EU AVERAGE	9.9%
IRELAND	7.2%
EU Benchmark 2010	12.5%

Source: Eurostat, LFS

5.13 Percentage of the population aged 25-64 years, participating in education or training, by sex, 2004

**Percentage of the population aged 25 to 64 years, having followed any kind of education or training, by sex, 2004**
	EU25	BE	CZ	DK	DE	EE	GR	ES	FR	IE	IT	CY	LV	LT	LU	HU	MT	NL	AT	PL	PT	SI	SK	FI	SE	UK	IS	NO
Males	9.2	9.7	6.0	23.4	7.8	5.8	3.7	4.7	7.6	6.1	6.5	9.0	6.1	5.0	9.3	3.9	5.5	16.1	11.5	4.7	4.4	16.1	3.9	20.9	31.5	17.6	27.6	18.2
Females	10.7	9.3	6.5	31.9	7.0	7.6	4.1	5.6	7.9	8.4	7.2	9.6	11.8	7.9	9.5	5.3	4.4	16.9	12.5	6.3	5.1	19.8	5.2	28.2	40.3	25.3	35.6	19.9

Explanatory note

This Life-long learning indicator refers to persons aged 25 to 64 who were interviewed for the European Union Labour Force Survey (EU LFS) and answered that they received education or training in the four weeks preceding the survey.
The variable is derived from 2 variables ‘participation in regular education’, ‘participation in other taught activities’.
The information collected relates to education or training whether or not relevant to the respondent's current or possible future job.
It includes initial education, further education, continuing or further training, training within the company, apprenticeship, on-the-job training, seminars, distance learning and evening classes. It includes also courses followed for general interest and may cover all forms of education and training such as language, data processing, management, art/culture, and health/medicine courses.

Note:

Data for Iceland refer to 2003 and may not be comparable as Self learning activities was a third variable collected in that year.

Source: Eurostat, LFS

5.14 Participation rate of 25-34 year olds in any kind of learning by sex, 2003

Acquiring and continuously updating and upgrading a high level of knowledge, skills and competencies is considered a prerequisite for the personal development of all citizens and for participation in all aspects of society from active citizenship through to labour market integration.

**Participation rate of 25-34 year olds in any kind of learning by sex**
	EU25	BE	CZ	DK	DE	EE	GR	ES	FR	IT	IE	CY	LV	LT	LU	HU	MT	NL	AT	PL	PT	SI	FI	SE	SK	UK	NO
Female	50	50	31	83	48	41	28	35	59	57	55	50	63	38	87	21	83	48	91	42	56	88	87	75	62	45	36
Male	51	51	36	81	52	42	27	32	63	58	47	54	49	30	86	18	80	53	88	39	53	85	82	78	63	44	38
Total	50	51	34	82	50	41	27	33	61	57	51	52	56	34	86	20	82	51	90	41	54	86	85	77	62	44	37

Explanatory note

Respondents were asked if they had participated in any form of education, training or learning activity over the twelve months preceding the survey. Three forms of such activity were identified: formal (education and training in the regular system of schools, universities and colleges), non-formal (all types of taught learning activities which are not part of a formal education programme) and informal learning (self-learning which is not part of either formal or non-formal education and training, by using different methods like books, computers, learning centres or educational broadcasting).

Notes

United Kingdom: Informal training is not included.

Source: Eurostat LFS, Ad hoc module on lifelong learning 2003

5.15 Non participation in any type of training by urban/rural area

Country	EU25	BE	CZ	DK	DE	GR	ES	FR	IE	IT	CY	LV	LT	LU	HU	NL	AT	PT	FI	SE	UK
Urban	54.8	55.4	65.2	15.6	55.7	80.2	73.3	47.9	20.3	51.6	55.9		64.4	20.0	85.9	56.1	9.5	46.7	17.7	25.2	62.9
Semi-urban	56.5	57.8	69.9	20.8	60.7	82.7	74.7	49.3		51.0	61.7	52.9		17.0	89.5	63.3	10.7	59.2	20.4	28.2	60.2
Rural	58.6	55.4	72.6	24.0	59.6	90.1	80.3	51.1	30.1	52.1	72.1	54.5	77.0	18.1	89.0	53.8	11.9	54.6	25.9	30.6	62.9

See explanatory note in 5.14

Source: Eurostat LFS , Ad hoc module on lifelong learning 2003. Target population 25-64 years old.

5.16 Participation rate of employed persons in non formal learning

**Participation rate of employed persons in non formal learning**
Country	EU25	Be	CZ	DK	DE	EE	GR	ES	FR	IT	IE	CY	LV	LT	LU	HU	MT	NL	AT	PL	PT	SI	SK	FI	SE	UK	NO
	21	26	17	53	16	19	6	12	25	7	17	25	17	10	20	6	14	13	30	15	11	31	29	50	53	42	38

Explanatory note

Respondents were asked if they had participated in any form of education, training or learning activity over the twelve months preceding the survey. Three forms of such activity were identified: formal (education and training in the regular system of schools, universities and colleges), non-formal (all types of taught learning activities which are not part of a formal education programme) and informal learning (self-learning which is not part of either fromal or non-formal education and training, by using different methods like books, computers, learning centres or educational broadcasting).

Source: Eurostat LFS, Ad hoc module on lifelong learning 2003 (Target population: 25-64 years)

5.17 Mean volume of training in non formal education for all employed persons, 2003

hours

**Mean volume of training in non formal education by educational attainment level for employed persons**
Level of education	EU25	BE	CZ	DK	DE	EE	GR	ES	FR	IT	IE	CY	LV	LT	LU	HU	MT	NL	AT	PL	PT	SI	SK	FI	SE	UK	NO
Higher	69	66	75	57	69	64	77	113	87	61	42	55	65	50	53	114	62	73	109	47	80	49	60	53	54	37	39
Medium	67	72	39	57	80	46	85	96	87	56	35	51	51	55	42	134	93	77	78	35	102	41	28	43	47	33	34
Lower	60	74	18	74	74	:	72	82	74	58	28	31	:	:	40	116	82	78	64	21	108	37	11	39	44	27	37
All	67	69	47	74	74	56	80	102	85	58	37	53	58	52	46	126	80	76	85	40	96	44	35	48	50	34	36

Explanatory note

Respondents were asked if they had participated in any form of education, training or learning activity over the twelve months preceding the survey. Three forms of such activity were identified: formal (education and training in the regular system of schools, universities and colleges), non-formal (all types of taught learning activities which are not part of a formal education programme) and informal learning (self-learning which is not part of either fromal or non-formal education and training, by using different methods like books, computers, learning centres or educational broadcasting). The Volume of learning refers to the duration in the number of taught hours.

Source: Eurostat LFS, Ad hoc module on lifelong learning 2003

5.18 Participation rate and mean volume of hours in non formal learning

	EU25	BE	CZ	DK	DE	EE	GR	ES	FR	IE	IT	CY	LV	LT	LU	HU	MT	NL	AT	PL	PT	SI	SK	FI	SE	UK	NO
Mean volume of training hours	84	83	50	71	105	59	85	130	115	39	63	54	63	58	51	156	77	86	86	42	126	46	38	57	53	40	48
Participation rate in Non formal Education	17	20	13	47	13	15	5	10	20	14	5	21	13	8	16	5	9	11	25	10	9	24	21	41	48	35	33

Note: see Explanatory note in 5.17

Source: Eurostat LFS, Ad hoc module on lifelong learning 2003. Target population: persons aged 25-64 years.