The bar chart compares the number of females per 100 males enrolled in primary, secondary, and tertiary education in both developing and developed countries in 1990 and 1998. A target enrollment ratio of 100, representing gender parity, is also indicated.
Overall, developed countries consistently recorded higher female-to-male ratios than developing countries across all education levels, with tertiary education even surpassing the target. Meanwhile, although developing countries saw improvements from 1990 to 1998, none of the levels reached the gender parity benchmark.
In developing countries, the ratio at the primary level rose slightly from 83 to 87, while secondary education improved from 72 to 82. Tertiary education experienced the lowest female participation, increasing modestly from 66 to 75, and remained the least balanced in terms of gender.
In contrast, developed countries showed strong gender balance across all levels. The female-to-male ratio in primary education rose from 95 to 96, while secondary education improved from 98 to 99, both nearing the target. Tertiary education exceeded gender parity in both years, rising from 105 in 1990 to 112 in 1998, indicating a greater number of women than men at that level