Higher education graduates’ rate in Türkiye soars to 40 pct: Report

ISTANBUL

The higher education graduation rate of young adults in Türkiye, which was 9 percent in 2000, rose to 40 percent in 2021, according to the “Education at a Glance 2022: Evaluations and Suggestions on Türkiye” report prepared by an independent think tank.

Pointing out that participation in higher education plays a key role in individual and social development, the report said that Türkiye is one of the OECD countries with the highest increase in this category.

According to the report, the participation rates of young adults in education after compulsory education in the country are above the OECD average.

Türkiye is among the countries with the highest participation rate in the education of the population aged 20-24, with 50 percent, it also said.

“Türkiye has the highest participation rate in education among OECD countries, with 32 percent in the 25-29 age group and 17 percent in the 30-39 age group. The participation rate in the 25-29 age group increased by 12 percent compared to 2013.”

The higher education graduation rate for young adults aged 25-34, which was 9 percent in 2000, increased to 40 percent in 2021, the report also pointed out, noting that one out of every four adults aged 25-64 in Türkiye is a graduate of higher education.

Furthermore, the proportion of adults aged 25-64 who have graduated from secondary education approaches 50 percent, while it is around 80 percent in the OECD average.

Türkiye is one of the countries where the decrease in the rate of young population without secondary education is at the highest level. The rate, which was 57 percent in 2011, decreased to 36 percent by 2021.

It emphasized that the employment advantage of continuing education and being a graduate of higher education is “an issue that should be emphasized, especially in terms of women’s employment in Türkiye.”

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an intergovernmental organization with 38 member countries, founded in 1961 to stimulate economic progress and world trade.

It is a forum and its members are countries that describe themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy, providing a platform to compare policy experiences, seek answers to common problems, identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members.