Methodology and Quality Update

Latest Update on Methodology and Quality    

11/02/2025

Statistical Presentation

 Data description

 
Education and Training Statistics publication presents data on the participation of the 8–19-year-old population in Saudi Arabia.
Education and training statistics publication is a survey conducted to collect data on the basic characteristics as follows:
•    School age.
•    Languages spoken.
•    Household-related information.
Data is also used to estimates:
•    Participation in education and training from 8-19 years old.
•     Knowing the languages spoken.
•    Participation of parents in school activities.
•    Average individual satisfaction with student life.
•    Teaching and school quality.
•    Data relating to the school or university.
•    Bullying and truancy.
•    Non-enrolment in an educational program.
•    Academic achievement.
•    Home learning environment.
•    Individual's living conditions.
•    Free time away from school.
•    Time spent on doing homework.
•    Participating in activities outside of school.
•    Care responsibilities.
•    Individual's satisfaction with their life.
•    School vision.
•    Economic activities.

Classification system

The following classifications are applied in the education and training statistics publication.
The National Classification for Economic Activities (ISIC4):
It is a statistical classification based on the International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC4) used to describe the productive activities of an establishment. 
Saudi Standard Classification of Occupations(ISCO_08):
A statistical classification based on the International Classification  (ISCO_08) that provides a system for the classification and compilation of professional information obtained through censuses, statistical surveys, and administrative records.
This classification is used in the education and training statistics publication to classify employees based on their occupations.
Saudi Classification of Specializations and Educational Levels:
A statistical classification based on the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED_11) and (ISCED_13) for education and training, issued by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). It serves as the reference classification for organizing educational programs and qualifications according to their levels and fields of study. It comprehensively covers all educational programs, levels, and methods, spanning from early childhood education to higher education levels.
This classification is used in the education and training statistics publication to classify individuals from 8-9 years and according to their majors and education levels.
National Code of Countries and Nationalities (3166 ISO – codes Country):
A statistical classification based on the international standard  (ISO 3166_Country codes), which is a standard issued by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO of the UN), and this classification gives numeric and literal codes for the world’s (248) countries, based on the classification of countries.  
The classification is used in the education and training statistics publication to classify Saudi or non-Saudi individuals .
Metadata are collected through interviews, so that outputs can be produces in accordance with all relevant classifications.
The classifications are available on the GASTAT’s website: www.stats.gov.sa

Sector coverage

Not applicable.

Statistical concepts and definitions

Terms and concepts of education and training survey publication:
•    School:
It is an institution where students receive education from teachers.
•    Education:
It refers to formal education and training, known as institutionalized and structured education provided by public institutions and recognized private entities. These collectively constitute the formal education system of the state, and the educational programs within this category are recognized as such by the relevant national education authorities or their equivalents.  An example of this is education provided by school systems, colleges, universities, and other official educational institutions that typically offer systematic and continuous education on a full-time basis.
•    Academic achievement:
The highest educational level successfully completed by an individual, typically measured in relation to the highest educational level successfully achieved and usually certified by a recognized qualification.
•    Bullying:
It refers to repeated aggressive behavior aimed at harming or intimidating another person. This behavior can be physical, verbal, or psychological.
•    Truancy:
It refers to staying away from school without permission. It is a type of absenteeism that can be occasional or habitual. Truancy is often seen as a form of rebellion or avoidance, where students skip school to avoid an unpleasant situation they are facing.

Statistical unit

The statistical unit in education and training statistics publication is the individual.

Statistical population

The statistical population for the education and training statistics publication consists of individuals aged 8 to 19 years in Saudi Arabia.

Reference area

Education and training statistics publication covers educational activities in 13 administrative regions of Saudi Arabia.

Time coverage

The data is available for the years 2017, 2023, and 2024.

Base period

Not applicable.

Unit of measure

All results are reported as percentage (e.g.: Educational attainment, enrolment rates in education).

Reference period

References period to the variables or dataset as following:
•    Data on the number of family members and their demographic characteristics are based on the date of contact with the family and interviews with its members.
•    Data on the number of days of school/college/university absenteeism in the past month is based on the interview.
•    Data on bullying and the individual's voluntary absenteeism from school in the past 12 months is based on the interview.
•    Data on training activities in the past 12 months is based on the interview.

Confidentiality 

Confidentiality - policy

According to the Royal Decree No. 23 dated 07-12-1397, data must always be kept confidential and must be used by GASTAT only for statistical purposes.
Therefore, the data are protected in the data servers of the Authority.

Confidentiality - data treatment

Data are displayed in appropriate tables to facilitate its summarization, comprehension, results extraction, comparison with other data and coming up with statistical connotations for the study community. It is also easier to check tables without the need to see the original questionnaire, which usually include data like names and addresses of individuals, names of data providers, which violates the confidentiality of statistical data.
“Anonymity of data” is one of the most important procedures. To keep data confidential, GASTAT removed personal information of individuals, households, or business entities in a way that does not allow the identification of the respondent either directly (by name, address, contact number, identity number etc.) or indirectly (by combining different - especially rare - characteristics of respondents: age, occupation, education etc.).

Release policy

Release calendar

Education and training statistics publication has been included in the statistical calendar.

Release calendar access

Available on the: https://www.stats.gov.sa/statistical-calendar-releases

User access

One of GASTAT’s objectives is to better meet its clients' needs, so it immediately provides them with the publication's results once the education and training statistics publication is published.
It also receives questions and inquiries of the clients about the Publication and its results through various communication channels, such as:
•    GASTAT official website:  www.stats.gov.sa
•    GASTAT official e-mail address:  info@stats.gov.sa
•    Client support e-mail: info@stats.gov.sa
•    Official visits to GASTAT’s official head office in Riyadh or one of its branches in Saudi Arabia.
•    Official letters.
•    Statistical telephone: (199009).

Frequency of dissemination

Annual

Accessibility and clarity

News release

The announcements of each publication are available on release calendar as mentioned in 7.2. Release calendar access. The news release can be viewed on the website of GASTAT through the following link:
https://stats.gov.sa/news

Publications

GASTAT issues the education and training statistics publication and reports regularly within a pre-prepared dissemination plan and is published on GASTAT’s website. GASTAT is keen to publish its publications in a way that serves all users of different types, including publications in different formats that contain (publication tables, data graphs, indicators, Methodology and Quality Report, and questionnaires) in both English and Arabic.
Education and training statistics publication are available on the link:
https://www.stats.gov.sa/statistics

On-line database

The data is published on the statistical databaseGASTAT (stats.gov.sa)

Micro-data access 

Microdata are unit-level data obtained from sample surveys, censuses, and administrative systems. They provide information about characteristics of individual people or entities such as households, business enterprises, facilities, farms, or even geographical areas such as villages or towns. 
The different types of microdata files to meet different information needs:
•    Public use:
It consists of sets of records containing information on individual persons, households, or business entities anonymized in such a way that the respondent cannot be identified either directly (by name, address, contact number, identity number etc.) or indirectly (by combining different - especially rare - characteristics of respondents: age, occupation, education etc.).
•    Scientific use:
These files established based on specific methodology asked by data requester to extract the datasets with specific characteristics used for strategic studies and decision making as well scientific research purposes on individuals, households and enterprises with no direct identifiers, which have been subject to control methods to protect confidentiality.
Qualified users who meet the standards and procedures of confidentiality protection can access the files of scientific use of accurate data through the platform "ITAHA" of the General Authority for Statistics, while the most sensitive data for use is shared by visiting the accurate data laboratory within a secure environment managed by the Authority.

Other

Not available.

Documentation on methodology

Documentation of the methodology covers the education and training statistics publication:
•    The concepts, definitions, issues, and classifications are based on international standards derived from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). 
•    The standards applied in the survey, based on the standards of both the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
• Documenting the methodology for the Education and Training Statistics Bulletin 1
• Documenting the methodology for the Education and Training Statistics Bulletin 2

Quality documentation

Quality documentation covers documentation on methods and standards for assessing, measuring, and monitoring the quality of statistical process and output. It is based on standard quality criteria such as relevance, accuracy and reliability, timeliness and punctuality, accessibility and clarity, comparability, and coherence.

Quality management

Quality assurance

GASTAT declares that it considers the following principles: impartiality, user orientated, quality of processes and output, effectiveness of statistical processes, reducing the workload for respondents. 
Quality controls and validation of data are actions carried out throughout the process in different stages such as the data input and data collection and other final controls.

Quality assessment

GASTAT performs all statistical activities according to a national model (Generic Statistical Business Process Model – GSBPM). According to the GSBPM, the final phase of statistical activities is overall evaluation using information gathered in each phase or sub-process. This information is used to prepare the evaluation report which outlines all the quality issues related to the specific statistical activity and serves as input for improvement actions.

Relevance 

User needs 

Internal users in the GASTAT for education and training statistics publication data:
 Social statistics:
 Population, gender, and diversity.
 Living conditions, lifestyles, and justice statistics.   Health and education statistics.
There are a significant number of external users and beneficiaries of the education and training statistics publication data, including:
•    Government entities.
•    Regional and international organizations.
•    Research institutions.
•    Media.
•    Individuals.
The disseminated key variables used by external users:

User satisfaction

Not available.

Completeness 

The data of the education and training statistics publication are based on survey data sourced from the education and training survey, and the data status is complete.

Accuracy and reliability 

Overall accuracy

•    The data collected is improved through the researchers, that have been selected according to a set of practical and objective criteria and training program related to the field of work.
•    Alert, prevention, and correction rules are applied during the data collection process to the e-questionnaire of the education and training survey in order to improve data quality.
•    Data is checked with previous years to identify any significant changes in the data.
•    The internal consistency of the data is checked before it is finalized.
•    The links between variables are checked and coherence between different data series is confirmed.

Timeliness and punctuality 

 Timeliness 

GASTAT uses the Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS) issued by the International Monetary Fund. According to this Standard, all statistics agencies are required to publish data on an annual basis, and with a delay of not more than six months (180 days) after the end of the reference period. If the data are from different source, they may be published in a different frequency.

Punctuality

The publication takes place according to the published release dates on the statistical calendar for education and training statistics publication on the website of the General Authority for Statistics.
The data are available at the expected time, as scheduled in the statistical release calendar, If the publication is delayed, reasons shall be provided.

Coherence and comparability

Comparability - geographical

The data is geographically comparable.

Comparability - over time 

The survey began in 2017 as a triennial survey, and in 2023, it was conducted annually. Below are the major changes that occurred in recent years:
•    2020:
It was not implemented due to the (Covid-19) pandemic.
•    2021, 2022:
It was not implemented due to the census.
•    2023:
The education and training statistics publication has been published and has not been published due to the harmonization work with the Ministry of Education.

Coherence- cross domain 

Not applicable. 

Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics 

Not applicable. 

Coherence- National Accounts 

Not applicable. 

Coherence - internal 

Education and training statistics publication estimates have full internal coherence, as they are all based on the same corpus of microdata, and they are calculated using the same estimation methods.

Resources used 

Data revision

Data revision - policy

Not applicable, only final results will be published.

 Data revision - practice

Not applicable, only final results will be published.

Statistical processing

 Source data

The main source of data for the education and training statistics publication is the education and training survey.
The disseminated key variables of the education and training survey publication data are:
•    Sex.
•    Nationality.
•    Age groups.
•    Administrative region.

Frequency of data collection 

Annual.

Data collection

Data collection from the survey:
Data for the education and training statistics publication is collected through computer-assisted personal interviews (CAPI) as follows:

Data validation

Data are reviewed and matched to ensure their accuracy and precision in a way that suits their nature with the aim of giving the presented statistics quality and accuracy.
The data of the publication's current year are compared with the data of the previous year to ensure their integrity and consistency in preparation for processing data and extracting and reviewing results.
In addition to the data processing and tabulation to check their accuracy, all the outputs are stored and uploaded to the database after being calculated by GASTAT to be reviewed and processed by specialists in Health and Education Statistics through modern technologies and software designed for this purpose.

Data compilation

Data Coding:
In the Education and Training Statistics publication, interviewers collect a detailed description of the fields from the respondents. This information is then coded in-house by an automated process, which is reviewed by a small-dedicated team of coding experts using a series of consistency checks.
Data editing:
Specialists at the department of health and education statistics have processed and analyzed data in this stage, and this step was based on the following measures:
•    Sorting and arranging data in groups or different categories in a serial order.
•    Summarizing detailed data into key points or data.
•    Combining many data segments and ensuring their interconnection.
•    Processing incomplete or missing data.
•    Processing illogical data.
•    Converting data into statistically significant data.
•    Arranging, presenting, and interpreting data.
Extrapolation and weighting: 
After processing the data collected from respondents, survey weights were generated to produce indicator tables by following two main steps in creating survey weights: 
•    Adjustment of non-response.
•    Calibration weight
Applied statistical estimation:
The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) relied on the formulas adopted by international standards to calculate the main indicators of the education and training statistics publication as follows:
•    Percentage of adult population enrolled in education. 
•    Academic achievement rates for youth and adults by age group and level of education.
•    Participation rate in technical and vocational education programs at secondary level by sex.

Adjustment

Not applicable, only final results will be published.