The bar chart provides a comparison of the percentage of women pursuing higher education in five different countries in the years 1980 and 2015.
Overall, the data reveals variations in the percentage of female school-leavers entering higher education across the five countries, with some experiencing substantial increases, while others remained relatively stagnant or declined.
In Australia and France, the percentage of women accessing higher education either remained the same or saw marginal increases over the 35-year period. Specifically, the proportion of Australian women entering universities stood at just under 30% in 1980 and slightly under 50% in 2015. Conversely, in France, the figures reflect a growth from slightly above 20% in 1980 to just under 60% in 2015. This suggests a significant increase in female participation in higher education in both countries. Additionally, the United Kingdom also witnessed a notable rise from around 20% in 1980 to approximately 50% in 2015. In contrast, the United States demonstrated a similar trend with nearly 40% in 1980 and just above 50% in 2015.
On the other hand, South Korea experienced a decline in the percentage of women pursuing higher education from over 20% in 1980 to below 20% in 2015, portraying a considerable decrease. This signifies a contrasting trend compared to the other countries, where the proportion of female school-leavers entering higher education is on the rise. The disparities in percentages among these nations indicate varying attitudes or opportunities for women’s participation in higher education over the given period.