National Statistical Institute

'Education and Culture Statistics' Department

Svilen Kateliev

Head of department

2, P. Volov Str.; 1038 Sofia, Bulgaria

[email protected]

+359 2 9857 469

Adult Education Survey (individuals 25-64 years old) was conducted in all EU member states according to common methodology which ensured international comparable data. Main subject of the survey is participation in different types of learning activities.

· International Standard Classification of Education, 1997 (ISCED 1997) for AES 2007 and AES 2011;

· International Standard Classification of Education, 2011 (ISCED 2011) for AES 2016;

· Classification of the fields of education and training (COO-2008) for AES 2007 and AES 2011;

Classification of the fields of education and training (COO-2015) for AES 2016;

· National Classification of Occupations and Duties

· Classification of Economic Activities (CEA-2008, for international use NACE.BG 2008).

Sample survey covering individuals aged 25-64, permanent residents in Bulgaria.

· Lifelong learning: All learning activity undertaken throughout life, with the aim of improving knowledge, skills and competences, within a personal, civic, social, and employment related perspectives.

· Formal education is defined as education provided in the system of schools, colleges, universities and other formal educational institutions that normally constitutes a continuous "ladder" of full-time education for children and young people, generally beginning at the age of five to seven and continuing to up to 20 or 25 years old.

· Non Formal Education is defined as any organised and sustained educational activities that do not correspond exactly to the above definition of formal education. Non-formal education may therefore take place both within and outside educational institutions and cater to persons of all ages.

Informal learning is purposeful (intentional) learning activity aimed to enhance personal knowledge and skills. The most widespread forms (methods) of Informal learning are:raining with the help of a family member, colleague or friend; usage of printed materials/issues- books, manuals, specialized journals, guidelines; PC usage; watching educational TV programmes or audio/video tapes with educational topics; visitsof museums,historical and natural sights with a guide; visits of training centers, libraries and community centers with educational goals.

Individuals and learning activities.

The reference population is defined as people living in private households. The target population is restricted to people aged 25 to 64.

Whole country

2007, 2011, 2016

Not applicable.

Individuals aged 25-64 in private households selected in the sample.

Every 5 years.

Face-to-face interviews (PAPI).

Data validation is done by the National Statistical Institute and quality tests are carried out by the Eurostat.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

A set of quality criteria have been set up within the Commission Regulation No 1175/2014.

The national quality report provides users with basic information on quality at national level.

The data has been used by the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy and the Ministry of Education and Science.

The most important indicators on participation in LLL (Formal, Non-formal and Informal education), are included in the National Strategy of Life Long Learning.

A lot of interest from employers' organizations.

Not available.

Not available.

100%

Two-stage stratified random sample.

All calculations of the standard errors were performed by SPSS software, Complex Sample Analysis Module.

For survey 2007 response rate is 81.5%.

For survey 2016 response rate is 87.9%.

For survey 2016 response rate is 77.2%.

The sampling frame is based on the 2011 Population Census System. Shortcomings:

• Although the population frame was updated with demographic events (births and deaths), the migration processes could not be tracked and recorded;
• Time lag between update and the moment of the interview.

AES 2007 13.1% - households.

AES 2011 6.3% - households.

AES 2016 - 11.0% - households.

AES 2007: 86.9% households.

AES 2011: 93.6% households.

AES 2016: 89.0% households.

Survei vehicle: stand alone

Survey type: Face-to-face interview (PAPI)

Proxy answers not allowed.

Full pilot testing for AES 2007, partial pilot testing for AES 2011 and AES 2016.

Unit non-response AES 2007: 642 households.

Unit non-response AES 2011: 436 households.

Unit non-response AES 2016: 987 households.

AES 2007: - no response rate under  90%.

AES 2011: FEDPAYVAL (10.98%) and NFEPAIDVAL1 (15.26%)

AES 2016: NFEPAIDVAL2 (15.8%) and NFEPAUDVAL1 (11.7%).

The coding, initial data checking and data entry were carried out at the Regional Statistical Offices (RSO). In predominant number of RSO (smaller ones), the interviewers conducted coding and data entry by themselves under supervision of the responsible expert. In other RSO there were detached experts for coding and/or data entry. The RSO were free to choose the most beneficial way of doing required work. The data tools framework (programme for data entry) was designed with additional controls and filters. There were added also extra checking rules by comparing the entered information between different related questions in order to confront possible inconsistent answers. During the data entry experts from RSOs, who met difficulties or problems contacted experts in Head Office for solutions. Some general decisions or emerged special features were spread to all RSOs as extensions of the methodology. After finishing the work at regional level, the data was checked and validated again in the Head Office. Some mistakes emerged mainly at coding, and were corrected at the database. Additional verifications were made at record level.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable (Annual data).

In accordance to the Rules for Dissemination of Statistical Products and Services.

In accordance to the Rules for Dissemination of Statistical Products and Services.

Not applicable.

7 months.

Not applicable (only final results published).

All deliverables were sent in time.

All deliverables were sent in time.

Fully comparable with all EU member states. Partial comparability with previous waves due to a change in methodology. Informal learning data should not be compared to previous studies.

Not applicable.

Partially comparable due to the changes of the general methodology.

Three waves: 2007, 2011 and 2016.

Partial comparability with similar research.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Carried out quality tests, mainly on the coherency of the gathered information.

Press release in the internet site.

Education in the Republic of Bulgaria

Data on Adult Education Survey are available to all users of the NSI website under the heading Education and Lifelong Learning: http://www.nsi.bg/en/node/4935

Not applicable.

In accordance to the Rules on Provision of the Anonymised Individual Data for Scientific and Research purposes.

Information services by order in accordance to the Rules for Dissemination of Statistical Products and Services.

Not applicable.

Methodological documents of Eurostat.

100%

AES 2011: Quality report in accordance to the Commission Regulation No 823/2010.

AES 2016: Quality report in accordance to the Commission Regulation No 1175/2014.

Staff involved in administering survey:

4 experts from Department "Education and Culture Statistics" - for survey organization, implementation of methology, preparation of the national questionnarie and interviewrs manual, sampling, training of regional coordinators, data procesing, preparation of EU datase and quality report, data dissemination.

1 expert from Department "Information System and Application Software" - responsible for preparation of the data entry tool;

28 regional coordinators from Regional Statistical offices - responsible for organization of the fieldwork, training of interwiwers and supervision of the filedwork, post-coding and initial data entry.

The average time for answering the questionnaire: 23.4 minutes

· Law on Statistics;

· Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics (recital 24 and Article 20(4)) of 11 March 2009 (OJ L 87, p. 164), stipulates the need to establish common principles and guidelines ensuring the confidentiality of data used for the production of European statistics and the access to those confidential data with due account for technical developments and the requirements of users in a democratic society.

In compliance to the Law on Statistics (Articles 25 and 26).