Bangladesh 1993-1994 Demographic and Health ... - Measure DHS

EducationEducation is a key determinant of the life style and status an individual enjoys in a society. It affectsalmost all aspects of human life, including demographic and health behavior. Studies have consistentlyshown that educational attainment has strong effects on reproductive behavior, contraceptive use, fertility,infant and child mortality, morbidity and issues related to family health and hygiene. Tables 2.4.1 and 2.4.2provide data on educational attainment of the household population in the BDHS.Table 2.4.1Educational level of the male household populationPercent distribution of the de facto male household population age six and over by highest level ofeducation attended, and median number of years of schooling, according to selected backgroundcharacteristics, Bangladesh 1993-94MedianBackground No edu- Primary primary Secondary/ years ofcharacteristic cation incomplete complete lligher Missing Total Number schoolingAge !6-9 23.5 76.1 0.3 0.0 0.0 100.0 2987 0.810-14 20.9 61.2 17.9 0.0 0.0 100.0 3410 2.815-19 26.4 30.3 37.4 5.9 0.0 100.0 2298 5.220-24 33.0 24.9 26.4 15.6 0.1 1~0.0 1974 5.025-29 40.8 23.6 21.1 14.5 0.0 100.0 1683 3.230-34 43.4 26.4 21.3 9.0 0.0 1000 1619 2.635-39 42.6 23.0 23.6 10.5 0.2 100.0 1484 3.040-44 42.1 23.0 22.0 12.6 0.3 100.0 1027 3.145-49 44.3 25.6 20.5 9.3 0.2 100.0 897 2.550-54 47.5 25.4 18.7 8.3 0.0 100.0 690 1.055-59 49.8 25.8 19.2 5.3 0.0 100.0 539 1.060-64 52.5 25.7 17.9 3.8 0.2 100.0 505 0.065+ 53.7 28 5 15.3 1.9 0.6 1043.0 1190 0.0ResidenceUrban 20.0 31 5 28.0 20.5 0.0 100.0 2432 5.8Rural 36.6 40.3 18.4 4.7 0.1 100.0 17873 1.7DivisionBarisal 22.2 46.1 24.0 7.5 0.1 100.0 1311 3.4Chittagong 34.6 41.0 19.2 5.1 0.1 100.0 5636 2.1Dhaka 35.6 36.3 19.4 8.6 0.l 1000 6099 2.1Khulna 32.2 40.3 21.3 6.2 0.0 100.0 2584 2.6Rajsbabi 38.2 38.3 17.8 5.6 0.l 1000 4674 1.6Total 34.6 39.2 19.5 6.6 0.1 100.0 20305 2.1IExcludes 4 men for whom an age was not reported.Education has become more widespread over time in Bangladesh. This is apparent from thedifferences inlevels of educational attainment by age groups. A steadily decreasing percentage of both malesand females have never attended school in each younger age group. For men, the proportion who have neveraaended school decreases from 54 percent in the oldest age group (65 years or more) to 21 percent amongthose age 10-14; for women the decline is more striking: from 90 percent to 22 percent (see Figure 2.3).Despite considerable improvement in the spread of education, levels of educational attainment stillremain discernibly low among people in Bangladesh, win a strong differential persisting between males andfemales, About one-third of men (35 percent) and about half of women (48 percent) age six years and above,have not received any formal education. The median number of years of schooling is 2.1 for men and lessthan one full year for women. In almost every age group there are smaller proportions of men than women13