Publications
Fact Sheet
2022

Access to Tertiary Education – Country Comparison Using Gross Enrolment Ratio, March 2022

The purpose of this Fact Sheet is to assess whether South Africa’s participation rate at universities fares well when compared to that of other countries.

Abstract

A commonly used measure of participation in tertiary education is the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER). The GER is often used internationally as a proxy measure to compare access to education across numerous countries. Such comparisons serve as a barometer for how countries perform in terms of their education systems, and they also serve as indicators used to measure a country’s competitiveness against other countries. Investors often draw on this indicator to assess investment potential in a country.

The purpose of this Fact Sheet is to assess whether South Africa’s participation rate at universities fares well when compared to that of other countries.

This publication covers

  • Definition and Interpretation of GER
  • Limitation of GER
  • Definition of Tertiary Education
  • Findings