The basis for the report is statistics on adults in primary education, published for the first time in March 2024. The statistics show that 8 150 adults were enrolled in adult primary education in the 2022/2023 school year, based on reporting from all municipalities and education centres in Norway responsible for such education.

Seven out of ten participants in adult primary education were women with an immigrant background. The remaining participants were primarily men with an immigrant background. Eight out of ten participants were between the ages of 20 and 49, although female participants had a higher average age than male participants. The majority had lived in Norway for less than ten years, with three years being the most common length of residence.

Many originate from countries that suggest they may have arrived as refugees. Three out of ten participants were from Syria, which also had the most balanced gender distribution among the 15 most common countries of origin. The Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, and Afghanistan were among the four most common backgrounds. Relatively few participants were from Ukraine, despite the high number of Ukrainian refugees who have arrived in Norway in recent years.

Of the 8 150 participants in the 2022/2023 school year, about half remained in primary education for adults in 2023/2024. Participants from South Sudan were the most likely to still be enrolled the following year, while those from Ukraine were the least likely to continue.

Seven out of ten of those who took part in modular education over the two school years showed progression from one year to the next. Participant age appears to be an important factor in progression from one module to the next. Furthermore, participants who were also enrolled in the introduction programme, showed progression from one school year to another to a greater degree than others.

Among those who completed module 4 in the 2022/2023 school year, about half were enrolled in upper secondary education the following autumn. As many as nine out of ten participants aged 16 to 19 began upper secondary education after completing module 4, compared to less than half of those aged 30 and over. The Democratic Republic of the Congo was the country of origin with the highest transition rate to upper secondary education after completing module 4, while Somalia had the lowest rate among the five most common countries of origin.

Of the 8 150 participants in adult primary education in 2022/2023, 2 599 were no longer enrolled in any form of education one year later. Of these, seven out of ten were not employed. This means that 1 855 individuals were not registered as active in education or work one year after their primary education, corresponding to 23 percent of all participants. Adults aged 50 and older are overrepresented among those who are inactive one year after participation. Participants from Syria and Somalia also stand out from the rest in this context.

Among all participants in the 2022/2023 school year, a higher proportion of men than women were employed, and more men than women transitioned into employment after participation in primary education. In Finnmark, a larger share of participants outside education entered the workforce compared to the rest of the country.