The line graphs compare the proportions of male and female teenagers who remained in secondary education until the age of 18 in Norway, the UK, Spain and Italy between 1996 and 2003.
Overall, the proportions increased in most countries over the period, although some minor fluctuations were observed. Norway consistently recorded the highest percentages for both males and females, while Spain had the lowest proportion of boys and Italy the lowest proportion of girls by the end of the period.
Looking first at Norway, the figures for both genders started at 90% in 1996. The percentage of girls rose steadily to reach 100% in 2000 and remained at this level until 2002 before slipping slightly to 99% in 2003. Similarly, the figure for boys climbed gradually, peaking at 100% in 2002 before falling to approximately 92% in the final year. The UK also experienced a marked increase, with both male and female participation rising from around 64-65% to 85% by 2000, after which the figures remained stable.
In contrast, Spain and Italy recorded considerably lower percentages throughout the period. Among females, Italy fluctuated around 70%, ending at approximately 72%, whereas Spain increased from about 67% to 75%, overtaking Italy in the final year. For males, Italy rose gradually from 57% to around 67%, while Spain remained the lowest despite a slight overall increase from 52% to approximately 57% by 2003.