NAME OF THE VARIABLE
4. The name of the variable is 'Highest year of school completed'.
5. Previously, the standard variable 'Age left school' has been used in some cases as a surrogate for determining the level of school education obtained by an individual. 'As 'Age left school' is imprecise for this purpose, the ABS considered it necessary to produce a standard variable which measures the concept more precisely. Also, with the introduction of the Australian Standard Classification of Education (ASCED) (cat. no. 1272.0) to replace the ABS Classification of Qualifications (ABSCQ), the full educational continuum is now included in a single classification. In order to derive a 'Level of highest educational attainment' across the full continuum, a precise measure of the level at which school study has been completed is required.
DEFINITION OF THE VARIABLE
Nominal definition
6. The variable 'Highest year of school completed' is defined as:
- The highest level of primary or secondary education which a person has completed, irrespective of the type of institution or location where that education was undertaken.
7. 'Highest year of school completed' is an attribute of the counting unit Person.
Operational definition
8. Operationally, 'Highest year of school completed' is obtained by direct question. The operational definition is identical to the nominal definition.
Scope of the variable
9. The variable 'Highest year of school completed' applies to all persons.
SUPPORTING VARIABLES
10. 'Highest year of school completed' has no supporting variables.
DISCUSSION OF CONCEPTUAL ISSUES
11. Highest year of school completed is generally used as an indicator of the level of education attained at Primary and Secondary school. Care should be taken in drawing conclusions about level of attainment from this variable however, as it provides no information about the complexity of educational programmes undertaken by individual students, or qualifications awarded as a result of participating in these programmes.
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