Statistics Singapore Newsletter
March 2013
Educational Profile of Singapore
Resident Non-Students, 2002 - 2012
By
Teo Zhiwei
Income, Expenditure and Population Statistics Division
Singapore Department of Statistics
Introduction
not
attending
educational
institutions
as
full-time students. Singapore residents who
This article looks at the distribution of the
are upgrading their qualifications through
Singapore resident non-student population
part-time
in terms of the highest qualification attained.
included in the data. The Singapore resident
It examines the trends in educational profile
population refers to Singapore citizens and
in 2012 and over the past decade for males
permanent residents.
courses
while
working
are
and females as well as across different age
groups. It also looks at educational attainment
in terms of mean years of schooling.
The
Singapore
Standard
Classification (SSEC)
The data for 2005 and 2010 used in this paper
1
Educational
is used to classify
persons by their highest qualification attained.
are from the General Household Survey 2005
Highest qualification attained refers to the
and Census of Population 2010 conducted by
highest grade or standard of formal education
the Singapore Department of Statistics.
a person has passed or the highest level of
education where a certificate, diploma, or
Data for other years are based on the
Comprehensive
Labour
Force
conducted by the Ministry of Manpower.
The
data
cover
the
Singapore
resident
population aged 25 years and over who are
1
degree is awarded.
Survey
The
educational
qualification
may
be
attained through full-time or part-time study
in
a
structured
educational
programme.
SSEC 2010 is used to classify the data from 2010 onwards. For data prior to 2010, the SSEC 2000 is used. More
information on the SSEC is available on the SingStat website at: http://www.singstat.gov.sg/methodologies_and_
standards/standards_and_classifications/SSEC.html
Copyright © Singapore Department of Statistics. All rights reserved.
1
Statistics Singapore Newsletter
The
educational
skill
certifications,
March 2013
qualifications
certificates
exclude
of
course
attendance and honorary qualifications which
are not the result of formal learning and
examination
by
a
formal
educational
institution or professional body.
C HART 1
Educational Profile
Younger Population Are Better Educated
The increased schooling opportunities over
the years are reflected in the distribution of
educational attainment by age.
HIGHEST QUALIFICATION ATTAINED OF RESIDENT NON-STUDENT POPULATION
BY AGE GROUP AND SEX, 2012
Age Group
(Years)
Males
Females
65 & Over
60-64
55-59
50-54
45-49
40-44
35-39
30-34
25-29
100%
University
Note:
2
50%
Diploma & Professional
Qualification
0%
0%
Post-Secondary
(Non-Tertiary)
50%
Secondary
100%
Below
Secondary
For the age group of 25-29 years, some males could be still pursuing higher education after performing national
service at an earlier age.
Statistics Singapore Newsletter
In
2012,
the
resident
education
proportions
non-students
2
of
with
March 2013
Singapore
Between 2002 and 2012, there was a
tertiary
marked increase in the proportion of the
were generally higher for younger
population with tertiary qualifications.
males and females than for the older cohorts
(Chart 1).
University graduates constituted 26 per
cent of the resident non-student population
For example, more than 70 per cent of
aged 25 years and over in 2012, up from 15
Singapore resident non-students aged 25-29
per cent a decade ago (Chart 2).
years and 30-34 years were tertiary educated.
In contrast, less than 20 per cent among
Persons
those aged 60-64 years, and 65 years and
qualifications also accounted for a larger
over had tertiary qualifications.
share of the resident non-student population
with
diploma
and
professional
at 14 per cent in 2012, up from 8.9 per
Growth in Tertiary Educated Population
cent in 2002.
At
educational
Overall, the tertiary educated accounted
profile of the Singapore resident non-
for 40 per cent of the resident non-student
student population has improved over the
population aged 25 years and over in 2012,
last decade.
up from 24 per cent in 2002.
the
same
time,
C HART 2
the
HIGHEST QUALIFICATION ATTAINED OF RESIDENT NON-STUDENT POPULATION
AGED 25 YEARS & OVER, 2002 AND 2012
Per Cent
45.7
2002
2012
32.3
25.7
24.0
19.0
13.9
6.6
Below Secondary
2
Secondary
9.1
Post-Secondary
(Non-Tertiary)
14.7
8.9
Diploma &
Professional
Qualification
University
In this article, the tertiary educated refer to persons with diploma and professional qualifications, or university
qualifications.
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Statistics Singapore Newsletter
March 2013
Improved Educational Profile across All
The
proportion
with
diploma
and
Age Groups
professional qualifications rose by a smaller
extent, from 19 per cent to 25 per cent.
Compared
with
saw
an
with
tertiary
2002,
increase
in
all
the
qualifications
age
groups
proportion
Among the resident non-student population
in
aged 35-44 years, the proportion with
2012.
The tertiary educated made up 74 per cent
tertiary
qualifications
also
increased
of Singapore resident non-students aged
significantly from 26 per cent in 2002 to 60
25-34 years in 2012, up from 50 per cent
per cent in 2012. About 40 per cent held
in 2002 (Chart 3).
university qualifications and 19 per cent
held diploma and professional qualifications
The increase was largely due to the rise in
in 2012, an increase from the corresponding
the proportion of university graduates from
proportions
30 per cent to 49 per cent.
per cent respectively a decade ago.
C HART 3
of
17
per
cent
and
9.2
HIGHEST QUALIFICATION ATTAINED OF RESIDENT NON-STUDENT POPULATION
BY AGE GROUP, 2002 AND 2012
2012
2002
Per Cent
25-34 Years
35-44 Years
49.3
30.5
26.4
40.4
35.4
30.8
24.7
19.1
14.9
11.1
5.3
Below
Secondary
Secondary
12.5
9.1 9.5
PostSecondary
19.2
17.8
Diploma &
University
Below
7.7 10.0
Secondary
Secondary
Professional
(Non-Tertiary) Qualification
45-54 Years
Post-
16.9
9.2
Diploma &
Secondary
Professional
(Non-Tertiary)
Qualification
University
55 Years & Over
79.8
61.2
53.8
32.1
26.3 26.0
19.3
18.9
6.3
Below
Secondary
4
Secondary
11.9
11.1
Post-
5.2
Diploma &
Secondary
Professional
(Non-Tertiary)
Qualification
11.5
8.3
University
3.2
Below
Secondary
Secondary
6.9
Post-
2.5
5.5
Diploma &
Secondary
Professional
(Non-Tertiary)
Qualification
3.1
7.1
University
Statistics Singapore Newsletter
March 2013
For the older age groups, the increase
in 2012 (Table 1). Among females, the
in
corresponding proportion rose from 20 per
the
proportion
with
tertiary
qualifications was comparatively smaller.
cent to 36 per cent.
Between 2002 and 2012, the proportion
While
with tertiary qualifications rose from 14
qualifications was higher for males than
per cent to 31 per cent for those aged
females among resident non-students aged
45-54 years, and from 5.6 per cent to
25 years and over, it was the reverse among
13 per cent for those aged 55 years
younger residents within the group.
the
proportion
with
tertiary
and over.
Among those aged 25-34 years in 2012,
Improved Educational Profile for Males
76
per
cent
of
females
held
tertiary
and Females
qualifications, compared to 72 per cent of
males (Table 2).
The educational profiles of both males and
females improved. Among male resident
However, for those aged 35 years and over,
non-students aged 25 years and over, the
the proportion of males in each age group
proportion with tertiary qualifications rose
with tertiary qualifications was larger than
from 28 per cent in 2002 to 43 per cent
that of the females.
TABLE 1
RESIDENT NON-STUDENT POPULATION AGED 25 YEARS & OVER BY
HIGHEST QUALIFICATION ATTAINED AND SEX, 2002 AND 2012
Per Cent
Males
Females
2002
2012
2002
2012
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
Below Secondary
42.9
29.2
48.4
35.1
Secondary
22.6
17.3
25.4
20.6
7.0
10.5
6.2
7.8
Diploma & Professional Qualification
10.4
14.9
7.6
13.0
University
17.2
28.1
12.4
23.5
Total
Post-Secondary (Non-Tertiary)
TABLE 2
RESIDENT NON-STUDENT POPULATION BY HIGHEST QUALIFICATION
ATTAINED AND AGE GROUP, 2012
Per Cent
25-34 Years
35-44 Years
45-54 Years
55 Years & Over
Males
Females
Males
Females
Males
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
5.2
5.4
10.5
14.3
30.9
33.2
54.2
67.6
Secondary
10.5
11.7
15.3
20.1
20.9
30.9
19.7
18.9
Post-Secondary (Non-Tertiary)
11.9
7.4
11.0
9.2
11.3
10.8
8.8
5.1
Diploma & Professional Qualification
26.0
23.6
19.0
19.4
13.2
10.7
7.1
4.0
University
46.4
51.9
44.2
37.0
23.7
14.3
10.1
4.4
Total
Below Secondary
Note:
Females Males
Females
For the age group of 25-34 years, some males could be still pursuing higher education after performing national
service at an earlier age.
5
Statistics Singapore Newsletter
March 2013
Mean Years of Schooling
the mean years of schooling of the population
has also risen over time.
Mean Years of Schooling Rose over
Time and across All Age Groups
Among resident non-students aged 25 years
and over, the mean years of schooling rose
With more Singapore residents attaining
from 8.7 years in 2002 to 10.3 years in 2012
higher levels of educational qualifications,
(Chart 4).
C HART 4
MEAN YEARS OF SCHOOLING AMONG RESIDENT NON-STUDENT POPULATION
AGED 25 YEARS & OVER, 2002-2012
Years
11.0
10.0
9.3
8.7
9.0
8.8
9.3
9.4
9.7
9.7
10.1
10.2
10.3
8.9
8.0
7.0
6.0
5.0
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
CHART 5
MEAN YEARS OF SCHOOLING AMONG RESIDENT NON-STUDENT POPULATION
BY AGE GROUP, 2002-2012
Years
16.0
13.6
14.0
12.0
12.0
12.7
10.0
9.9
10.3
35 – 44 Years
8.0
8.2
6.0
4.0
45 – 54 Years
6.9
4.4
2.0
0.0
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
6
25 – 34 Years
55 Years & Over
Statistics Singapore Newsletter
Over
the
last
decade,
the
mean
March 2013
Concluding Remarks
years
of schooling rose for every age group,
reaching 13.6 years for the age group of
In
25-34
age
opportunities, the educational attainment of
group of 35-44 years, 10.3 years for the
the resident non-student population aged 25
age group of 45-54 years and 6.9 years for
years and over improved over the last decade.
years,
12.7
years
for
the
tandem
with
increasing
schooling
the age group of 55 years and over in 2012
(Chart 5).
Between
2002
and
2012,
there
was
a
significant increase in the proportion of
Narrower Difference between Males
the population with tertiary qualifications.
and Females in Mean Years of
The improvement was reflected across all
Schooling
age groups, with the younger age groups
showing a comparatively larger increase.
Females
male
are
catching
counterparts
in
up
the
with
their
attainment
The educational profiles of both males and
of
females also improved over the last decade,
higher educational qualifications, especially
with females catching up with their male
among the younger age groups.
counterparts in the attainment of higher
educational qualifications.
The difference between male and female
non-students in mean years of schooling was
During the same period, the mean years
narrower in 2012 compared to 2002 (Table 3).
of schooling of the resident non-student
population rose at the overall level as well
In particular, for the younger cohort aged 25-34
as across all age groups. At the same time,
years, the mean years of schooling for females
the difference between males’ and females’
(13.7 years) was marginally higher than that of
mean years of schooling also narrowed over
their male counterparts (13.5 years) in 2012.
the past decade.
TABLE 3
MEAN YEARS OF SCHOOLING AMONG RESIDENT NON-STUDENT
POPULATION BY AGE GROUP AND SEX, 2002 AND 2012
Years
Age Group
(Years)
Total
2002
Males
Females
2012
Difference
Males
Females Difference
9.3
8.1
1.2
10.9
9.9
1.0
25-34
12.1
11.8
0.3
13.5
13.7
-0.2
35-44
10.3
9.6
0.7
13.1
12.4
0.7
45-54
8.9
7.5
1.4
10.7
9.8
0.9
55 & Over
5.6
3.3
2.3
7.9
6.0
1.9
Note:
For the age group of 25-34 years, some males could be still pursuing higher education after
performing national service at an earlier age.
7