Demographic Profile of Youth Population - Education Levels, Age Distribution, Gender

Demographic Profile of Youth Population

The demographic profile of the youth population is a significant factor in understanding various aspects such as economic growth, social development, education, health, and politics. It covers all individuals aged between 15 and 29 years old globally. This section will discuss the demographic characteristics of the youth population based on its age distribution, gender, education levels, and other factors.

Education Levels

Educational attainment refers to the highest level of schooling completed by an individual. It is often used as an indicator of human capital accumulation. According to estimates from UNESCO, more than half of young people worldwide were enrolled in secondary education in 2016. However, there were still disparities across regions with higher percentages observed in developed regions compared to developing ones. In addition, the number of out-of-school children has been declining steadily over recent decades. For instance, primary school enrollment increased from 83% in 1999 to 88% in 2015.

Secondary Education

Secondary education refers to the formal education delivered in institutions outside of primary schools. Globally, enrollment in secondary education grew rapidly from 54% in 2005 to 60% in 2016. Kathmandu Valley in Nepal, for example, saw an increase in secondary school enrollments from 79% in 2010 to 92.7% in 2016. Countries like Bangladesh have also shown significant improvements in secondary school enrollments, rising from 46% in 2005 to 64% in 2016. Nonetheless, progress remains uneven, with regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa lagging behind with only 44% of young people attending secondary education in 2016, up from 38% in 2005.

Age Distribution

Globally, the youth population comprises 15-40% of the total global population. In some countries, however, this percentage can reach up to 45%, such as Burundi and Niger, while it falls below 10% in Japan and Italy. The demographic transition towards fewer births and longer life expectancy means that populations worldwide are aging, and older adults currently outnumber young people in most parts of the world. This shift in demography poses challenges to policymakers regarding the provision of resources and services for different generations.

Gender

Gender gaps continue to persist in the access to quality education, particularly in developing countries where girls' participation rates remain lower than boys'. However, overall, more females than males completed tertiary education in 2016. Despite these differences, there are notable exceptions, such as China and India, where male students dominate enrolment at higher levels of education. Additionally, girls' literacy rate is generally superior to boys' literacy rate, which is not the case for boys' literacy rate being superior to girls' literacy rate.