In recent years, skills development has become a priority among developed and developing countries alike. The data in this publication were gathered through the implementation of the the Skills Towards Employability and Productivity (STEP) Skills Measurement Program, which sponsored large-scale skills surveys of adult populations residing in urban areas in 12 low- and middle-income countries. STEP has been implemented in waves, the first surveys being implemented in seven countries in 2012 (Bolivia, Colombia, Ghana, Lao PDR, Ukraine, Vietnam, and the Yunnan Province in China), and the second in five countries in 2013 (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kenya, and Macedonia FYR). The data presented in this publication correspond to these countries. A third wave is currently under implementation in Serbia, Kosovo, Libya, and the Philippines.
This publication looks at the STEP household survey data through the lenses of educational attainment. It illustrates the similarities and differences among groups that have completed different education levels on a wide range of issues and outcomes. Section one analyzes the trajectory of skills acquisition: participation in early childhood education programs, educational attainment by gender, and participation in training and apprenticeship programs. Section two explores background conditions associated with educational attainment, including the socioeconomic status of survey respondents at age 15, the educational attainment of their parents, their households' asset levels, their health (as expressed by the presence of chronic illness), and their overall satisfaction with life. Sections three to five look at skill levels as reported by survey respondents. Section three covers cognitive skills: writing, numeracy, and reading (which is also evaluated through a direct reading assessment). Section four covers job-relevant skills, which are task-specific and which respondents possess or use on the job. Section five covers socio-emotional skills, using established metrics to measure personality and behavior. Finally, section six covers the status of survey respondents in the labor market: whether they are employed, unemployed, or inactive. For the employed, this section also includes information on respondents' opinions regarding the usefulness of their studies in their current job as well as information about those who own a business.
Edited excerpts from publication.
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