Completion rates of pupils in upper secondary education, 2004-2009

The drop-out rate is distinctly lower among pupils with direct transition from lower to upper secondary education. Six per cent of pupils who start a basic course in general education when they are 16 years old drop out of upper secondary education. In contrast, 37 per cent of pupils who start at the age of 17 or older drop out. For all pupils in the 2004 cohort, in both general and vocational education, the drop-out rate is 18 per cent.

Stable throughput

The cohort that entered upper secondary education in 2004 is 10 per cent larger than the 2002 cohort. Nevertheless, the percentual throughput is the same for both cohorts. Compared with the pupils who started a basic course in 1998, the completion rate has decreased by 3 per cent.

Throughput in upper secondary education has remained relatively stable in the last decade. Sixty-eight per cent of pupils in the 1994 cohort have achieved a general or vocational certificate within a five-year period, while the same figure for the 1998 cohort is 72 per cent. For both 2002 and 2004 cohorts, 69 per cent completed upper secondary education within five years.

Social background important

As in previous years, social background has a large impact on the pupils’ likelihood of achieving a certificate. A higher proportion of girls complete upper secondary education compared with boys in all groups of parental educational level. The largest variation between girls and boys is found in the group where the parents’ highest level of education is lower secondary school. In this group, 52 per cent of girls complete upper secondary education, compared with 40 per cent of boys.

Tables:

• Table 1 Pupils who started a basic course for the first time in 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2004, by completed upper secondary education whithin five years, and gender. Per cent
• Table 2 Pupils who started a basic course for the first time in 2004, by completed upper secondary education within five years, areas of study and gender. Per cent
• Table 3 Pupils who started a basic course for the first time in 2004, by completed upper secondary education within five years, gender and parents' level of education. Per cent
• Table 4 Pupils and who started a basic course for the first time in 2004, by completed upper secondary education within five years, gender and county of residence at 16 years of age. Per cent
• Table 5 Immigrants and Norwegian-born to immigrant parents who started a basic course for the first time in 2004 by completed upper secondary education within five years, gender and country background. Per cent
• Table 6 Pupils who started a basic course for the first time in 2004, by completed upper secondary education whitin five years, by areas of study, age and final qualification.Per cent
• Table 7 Pupils who started a basic course for the firste time in 2004, by completed upper secondary education within five years, lower secondary school points and gender. Per cent
• Table 8 Pupils who started a basic course for the first time in 2004, by completed upper secondary education within five years, lower secondary school points and areas of study. Per cent