This chapter deals with issues related to education in ESCWA member countries and includes data on student enrolment at various levels, teaching staff, adult and youth illiteracy rates and other related indicators. Definitions of education levels are based on the 1997 version of the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED97). Data cover public and private education; students studying abroad are not included in this analysis.
        The Institute for Statistics (UIS) of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and ESCWA share education data, which are obtained by UIS from member countries. All data related to tertiary education were collected by ESCWA in the form of questionnaires, studies and statistical abstracts. It should be noted that any discrepancy between a published indicator and an indicator produced at country level may be attributed to the fact that UIS adopts the population estimates calculated by the United Nations Population Division.

Adult illiteracy rates, by gender, for those aged 15 years and over for the period 1980-2005 are presented in table II-1.

Youth illiteracy rates, by gender, for those aged 15 to 24 for the period 1980-2005 are shown in table II-2.

Table II-3 focuses on pre-primary education in ESCWA member countries, indicating the number of enrolled students and teaching staff at the pre-primary level, by gender, in addition to gross and net enrolment ratios for the period 1998-2003. While the teaching staff category includes full- and part-time teachers, it excludes staff such as administrators and librarians who do not perform teaching functions.

Primary education in ESCWA member countries is detailed in table II-4, which shows the number of enrolled students and teaching staff at the primary level, by gender, in addition to gross and net enrolment ratios for the period 1998-2003.

Table II-5 on secondary education in ESCWA member countries shows the number of enrolled students and teaching staff at the secondary level, by gender, in addition to gross and net enrolment ratios for the period 1998-2003. It also provides breakdowns for technical/vocational and general programmes.

The number of university students in ESCWA member countries, by field of study, for the period 1998-2003 is shown in table II-6, which was prepared in accordance with ISCED97.

Table II-7, which was prepared in accordance with ISCED97, indicates the number of university graduates in ESCWA member countries, by field of study, for the period 1998-2003.