Just under half of persons aged 25-64 participated in education and lifelong
learning during 2011, the NSO said this morning.

Quoting an Adult Education Survey,the Office said that 46.8 per cent of adults followed courses. 53 per cent of participants were men, while 47 per cent were
women. The results also indicated a declining participation rate as persons grow older.

This trend was observed for both sexes, with the 25-34 age group accounting for the largest participation rate and the 55-64 age group for the lowest.

Four per cent of the population aged 25-64, or 9,481 individuals, participated in formal  education activities during 2011. Of these, just over 80 per cent were reading for a tertiary qualification.

Participants in non-formal education accounted for 34 per cent of the total population aged 25-64. Collectively, these individuals undertook 109,803 learning activities, primarily in the form of courses or on-the-job training. The majority of these activities (60 per cent) were job-related.

According to the results, 44 per cent of the persons engaged in non-formal learning
activities had a secondary level of education or lower. Out of those participating in
non-formal learning, 83 per cent were employed while another 6 per cent were unemployed.