The charts illustrate the average number of years spent in education by adults in Singapore between 2000 and 2010, along with the distribution of their highest educational qualifications during the same period.
Overall, both men and women experienced an increase in average years of schooling. In terms of highest educational attainment, the proportions of adults with primary, secondary, and high school qualifications declined, while the shares of those holding university and master’s degrees rose significantly.
In 2000, adult males spent an average of approximately 9 years in education, compared to 8 years for females. By 2010, these figures had risen to over 11 years for men and around 9 years for women, indicating a widening gap in educational duration between the genders.
With regard to qualifications, in 2000, the majority of adults held either a high school (32%), secondary (26%), or primary school qualification (25%). Only a small proportion had completed university (7%) or master’s level education (8%). However, by 2010, there was a dramatic shift: the share of adults with primary school education fell sharply to just 2%, while those with university and master’s degrees together accounted for 63% of the population.
In summary, the data suggest significant progress in educational attainment among Singaporean adults over the decade, though a notable gender disparity in average years of schooling remained.