ATTENDANCE AT AN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION
JUSTIFICATION
Information on whether a person is attending an educational institution is used for education and labour market planning. It identifies the current study and educational participation activities of respondents.
The Census provides a wider range of information on the characteristics of students than is currently available from administrative sources. This topic is considered to be of high priority by education planners at federal, state and community levels and is used as input into decisions on the allocation of funds for schools.
Significant changes are occurring in education participation and further changes are anticipated. Data from this question when cross-classified with other Census variables are very important in monitoring these changes as they occur.
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
Questions enabling the identification of full-time and part-time students have been included in recent Censuses. Questions on the type of educational institution being attended by students have also been asked in a number of Censuses to enable comprehensive statistics to be produced on the characteristics of people attending various types of educational institutions.
USER REQUIREMENTS
Users require data on demographic, family, economic and social characteristics of people attending particular types of educational institutions.
Information on full-time students aged 15-24 years is used:
- for identifying dependent children in family coding
- by education planners to compare the current participation levels of small groups in the population
- to assist in developing policies affecting the labour market
- to develop policies affecting the labour market for young people in particular.
Data on the relationship between participation in education and labour market activities are required for governments to monitor the impact of their policies and programs relating to people in the labour market. While much of this need is met by surveys, the Census provides data for small areas and for small population groups which is unavailable elsewhere.
Data on type of institution being attended further enhance analysis by indicating the participation of different groups in the population in the various levels of education.
AVAILABILITY OF NON-CENSUS DATA
Monthly labour force surveys ask people whether or not they are attending school. Data on school and tertiary attendance for people aged 15-64 are also available from the Survey of Education and Work (results released in Education and Work, Australia, cat. no. 6227.0). However, survey data are not reliable at the small area level or for small population groups.
Information on attendance at an educational institution is also regularly collected in household surveys, including:
- Survey of Education and Training
- General Social Survey
- Multi-purpose Household Survey
- National Health Survey
- Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers.
Administrative data provide detailed information on age participation rates at school for contemporary students, and the highest year of schooling completed. This item is also embedded into the Australian Vocational Education and Training Management Information Statistical Standard, for the collection of administrative vocational education and training statistics by training providers.
POSSIBLE CHANGES FOR 2011
For the 2011 Census, the ABS is considering asking respondents to specify the type of other educational institutions, rather than marking the 'other educational institution' box.
2006 CENSUS QUESTIONS
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