How does the Human Development Index (HDI) measure education?

The Human Development Index (HDI) measures education by considering two main indicators: mean years of schooling and expected years of schooling.

Mean years of schooling refers to the average number of years of education received by individuals aged 25 and older in a country. This indicator provides an assessment of the overall educational attainment of the population.

Expected years of schooling, on the other hand, measures the number of years of education that a child of school entrance age is expected to receive, assuming the current patterns of enrollment and educational attainment remain constant throughout their life. This indicator reflects the potential for future educational achievements and opportunities.

Both mean years of schooling and expected years of schooling are combined to calculate the education component of the HDI. This component is then standardized and combined with the other two components of the HDI, namely life expectancy and income, to provide an overall measure of human development.

In summary, the HDI measures education by considering the average years of schooling attained by adults and the expected years of schooling for children, providing insights into the educational achievements and opportunities within a country.