Global education digest 2012: opportunities lost: the impact of grade repetition and early school leaving

Each year the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) publishes its Global Education Digest (GED) presenting the latest education statistics worldwide. The Digest offers particular value by presenting a wide range of education statistics - from early childhood learning programmes to adult literacy - and by highlighting a special theme, which is analysed based on indicators drawn from the statistical tables of the report. This current edition of the Digest examines key issues and indicators related to children's progression through schooling, such as grade repetition, early school leaving and levels of learning achievement in primary and lower secondary education. As access to primary and secondary education continues to increase globally, there is growing interest in developing benchmarks and instituting comparisons that can improve the functioning and efficiency of education systems everywhere. The Digest presents data to identify which children are most likely to repeat a grade or leave school early and when. The report examines the gender and ages of these children, while highlighting the extent to which household wealth and location shape a child's educational progression. The Digest also explores policy options, notably concerning automatic promotion and repetition practices. To better inform this debate, the report presents the most recent results of learning assessments among primary pupils before examining the economic costs associated with high rates of grade repetition and dropout.

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