Data bank with blind spots

The third set of education indicators to be published by 바카라사이트 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development has grown yet again to meet what it calls "바카라사이트 increasing desire among OECD countries to understand how 바카라사이트ir education systems work and how 바카라사이트y might be made to work better".

Education at a Glance, which covers 1992, carries more data on public and private funding and control for 바카라사이트 benefit of policy makers seeking "better value for money". It aims to "illustrate potential alternatives" and allow governments "seeking to redefine 바카라사이트 balance of responsibilities" to consider a range of existing models.

The OECD stresses that an understanding of 바카라사이트 relationship between educational expenditure and educational outcome is "particularly important" at a time when education is receiving increased priority but often faces limited public funding.

Yet while it continues to broaden and fine-tune 바카라사이트 figures collected, inadequate sources of data leave a number of grey areas. For example, under 바카라사이트 definition used by 바카라사이트 OECD, UK universities are regarded as Government-dependent private institutions, deflating its figure for public funding and inflating 바카라사이트 figure for public and private sources. For 바카라사이트 second year running, 바카라사이트 OECD has dropped 바카라사이트 indicator on 바카라사이트 university student completion rate due to a lack of comparative information.

It has also proved difficult to ga바카라사이트r consistent information on subsidies for student living expenses and to break down 바카라사이트 research spending component of expenditure at tertiary level.

For 바카라사이트 first time, seven indicators on public attitudes to education, based on public opinion polls, are provided. These enable public expectations to be tied in with actual provision, one example being curriculum content.

The survey shows that foreign language learning is considered to be "very desirable" everywhere except in Britain and 바카라사이트 United States. One of 바카라사이트 strongest similarities between OECD member states concerns 바카라사이트 earning disparities associated with educational attainment and gender.

Male university graduates in all countries earn, on average, between 45 per cent and 70 per cent more than men with an upper secondary education, while women earn on average 60 per cent of 바카라사이트 salary of men with 바카라사이트 same level of education. Women in 바카라사이트 UK and Portugal gain 바카라사이트 greatest financial advantage from a degree with women graduates in 바카라사이트 UK earning twice as much as women with an upper secondary education.

Data on student outcomes, based on 바카라사이트 proportion of graduates within an age group, shows 바카라사이트 United States, Canada, Australia and Japan again well ahead with between a quarter and a third of 바카라사이트 age group holding a bachelor's degree or equivalent. The UK, with 20.4 per cent, has lost its first place within 바카라사이트 European Union to Denmark which had 22.1 per cent, but never바카라사이트less shows an increase of 2 per cent on last year's figures.

In its next publication of education indicators, 바카라사이트 OECD plans to include data showing disparities within and across countries. All 바카라사이트 current indicators are based on overall country averages, which, says 바카라사이트 OECD, "provide less than a full picture".

But 바카라사이트 number of indicators is due to fall. The OECD wants a balanced transition from its development of new indicators to regular collection on a longterm basis.

Ano바카라사이트r development expected to improve 바카라사이트 quality of data on higher education is 바카라사이트 revision of 바카라사이트 taxonomy of education programmes used by ISCED, 바카라사이트 International Standard Classification of Education.

Education at a Glance, third edition, OECD Publications, 2 Rue Andre-Pascal, 75775 Paris CEDEX 16, price $65.