CENSUS 2011 A profile of education enrolment, attainment and progression in South Africa Contents List of Tables ............................................................................................................................. iv List of Figures ............................................................................................................................. v List of acronyms and abbreviations ......................................................................................... vii Preface .................................................................................................................................... viii Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................... ix Executive Summary .................................................................................................................... x CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background to the South Africa education system ............................................................. 1 1.2 Impacts of education intervention policies in the education system over time ................. 2 1.3 Objectives of the monograph .............................................................................................. 3 1.4 Data and methods ................................................................................................................ 4 1.4.1 Education questions asked in the Census 2011 questionnaire ........................................ 5 1.4.2 Data deficiencies and methodological issues ................................................................... 7 1.4.2.1 School attendance ......................................................................................................... 8 1.4.2.2 Educational institution ................................................................................................... 8 1.4.2.3 Highest level ................................................................................................................... 8 1.4.2.4 Post-school field of education ....................................................................................... 8 1.5 An overview of the chapters ................................................................................................ 9 CHAPTER 2: ENROLMENT RATES AND OTHER EDUCATION INDICATORS ................................ 10 2.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 10 2.2 School attendance ............................................................................................................. 10 2.2.1 School attendance by province for persons aged 5–24 years ........................................ 11 2.2.2 School attendance by population group for learners aged 5–24 ................................... 13 2.3 Enrolment rates for the age group 5-24 years .................................................................. 13 2.3.1 Net enrolment rates ....................................................................................................... 14 2.3.2 Gross Enrolment Rate (GER) ........................................................................................... 19 2.3.3 Age-specific enrolment rates (ASERs) ............................................................................. 23 2.3.4 Gender Parity Index (GPI) ............................................................................................... 25 2.4 Conclusion .......................................................................................................................... 27 i | P a g e CENSUS 2011: A profile of education enrolment, attainment and progression in South Africa CHAPTER 3: EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT ............................................................................... 29 3.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 29 3.2 The rationale of the time-plotting events technique ........................................................ 29 3.3 Attainment of primary education ...................................................................................... 33 3.4 Educational attainment by population group.................................................................... 38 3.5 Educational attainment by province .................................................................................. 42 3.6 Educational attainment by settlement type ...................................................................... 45 3.7 Educational attainment for persons attending public or private institutions ................... 48 3.8 Educational attainment by place of birth: born in or outside South Africa ...................... 51 3.9 Conclusion .......................................................................................................................... 55 CHAPTER 4: EDUCATION PROGRESSION IN SOUTH AFRICA .................................................... 58 4.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 58 4.2 Education progression ratios by sex .................................................................................. 59 4.3 Education progression ratios by population group ........................................................... 63 4.4 Education progression ratios by province ......................................................................... 65 4.5 Education progression ratios by settlement type.............................................................. 68 4.6 Education progression ratios by institution ....................................................................... 70 4.7 Education progression ratios by whether born in or outside South Africa ....................... 72 4.8 Education progression ratios for TVET colleges................................................................. 75 4.9 Education progression to the next level by post-school field of education ...................... 78 4.10 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 80 CHAPTER 5: EDUCATION DIFFERENTIALS ................................................................................ 83 5.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 83 5.2 Educationalattainment and employment status by education level ................................ 83 5.2.1 Educational attainment and official employment status ............................................... 84 5.2.2 Educational attainment and employment status by population group ......................... 87 5.2.3 Educational attainment and employment status by place of birth ................................ 88 5.2.4 Employment status by field of education ....................................................................... 90 5.3 Unemployment and educational attainment by age......................................................... 93 5.4 Educational attainment and income.................................................................................. 95 5.5 Conclusion .......................................................................................................................... 98 ii | P a g e CENSUS 2011: A profile of education enrolment, attainment and progression in South Africa CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................................... 99 6.1 A synthesis of the findings ................................................................................................. 99 6.1.1 Enrolment rates and school attendance ........................................................................ 99 6.1.2 Educational attainment ................................................................................................ 100 6.1.3 Education progression .................................................................................................. 102 6.1.4 Education differentials .................................................................................................. 103 6.1.4.1 Educational attainment and employment status ...................................................... 103 6.1.4.2 Educational attainment and monthly income ........................................................... 104 6.2 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 104 6.3 Recommendations ........................................................................................................... 107 6.4 Recommendations and further research agenda ............................................................ 107 References ............................................................................................................................. 109 Appendix A: Time plots for educational attainment by district ............................................ 111 Appendix B: Time plots for progression ratios ...................................................................... 151 iii | P a g e CENSUS 2011: A profile of education enrolment, attainment and progression in South Africa List of Tables Table 2.1: Basic educational phases by level