News statistics have revealed that younger people are significantly better educated than their older counterparts.

Figures released by the Central Statistics Office show that educational attainment improved significantly in the 20 years to 2011.

According to the 2011 Census, almost 43 per cent of individuals aged between 20 and 39 have a third level qualification, compared to just 13 per cent of those aged 65 and over.

The research also found that more women (28 per cent) than men (23 per cent) are graduates.

Children with parents that have been educated to third level are more likely to remain in full-time education, with almost nine out of ten (89 per cent) of 20-year-olds who have parents with degrees completing their studies.

This figure dropped to just over two-thirds (68 per cent) for those with parents educated to Leaving Cert level and 45 per cent among those with parents who were not educated beyond lower secondary level.

Written by Donal Walsh

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