Data Sources

We have compiled all available enrollment ratios for primary, secondary, and tertiary levels for the 89 countries from 1820 to 1945 at five-year intervals using the various sources. Where necessary, the underlying data were applied to the nearest five-year date.

Available compendia (Banks and Wilson, 2013; Mitchell, 2003a, 2003b, 2003c; UNESCO, 1958, 1961, 1966; Benavot and Riddle, 1988; Lindert, 2004) provide historical enrollment statistics for many independent states and colonies. Additional historical statistics, especially those on female enrollment, are available from the US Bureau of Education’s Report of the Commissioner of Education (various years), Barnard (1854), and Monroe (1911). We have also compiled data from other sources, including national statistical publications. The historical estimates for 1820–1945 are combined with information from UNESCO publications since 1950 to get a full time series on enrollment ratios up to 2010.

Banks, A.S., & Wilson, K.A. 2013. Cross-national time-series data archive. Jerusalem: Databanks International. http://www.databanksinternational.com

Barnard, H. 1854. National education in Europe: being an account of the organization, administration, instruction and statistics of public schools of different grades in the principal states. New York: C.B. Norton

Benavot, A., & Riddle, P. 1988. The Expansion of Primary Education, 1870–1940: Trends and Issues. Sociology of Education, 61(3), 191–210.

Lindert, P. 2004. Growing public. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press

Mitchell, B. R. 2003a. International historical statistics: Africa, Asia & Oceania, 1750–2000 (4th ed.). London: Palgrave Macmillan.

Mitchell, B. R. 2003b. International historical statistics: The Americas, 1750–2000 (5th ed.). London: Palgrave Macmillan.

Mitchell, B. R. 2003c. International historical statistics: Europe, 1750–2000 (5th ed.). London: Palgrave Macmillan

Monroe, P. 1911. A cyclopedia of education. New York: The Macmillan Company

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). 1958. World survey of education II: Primary education. Paris: UNESCO.

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). 1961. World survey of education III: Secondary education. Paris: UNESCO.

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). 1966. World survey of education IV: Tertiary education. Paris: UNESCO

U.S. Bureau of Education. Various years. Report of the commissioner of education. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office