According to the Global Education Digest, a report published last year by the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 69 out of 100 adults of college age are enrolled in higher-education programs in Europe and North America.

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As highlighted in the Digest, secondary education costs more than primary education mostly because of the need for teachers trained to provide subject-specific instruction.

UNESCO: EDUCATION

In contrast, the families of students in North America and Western Europe provide just 7% of total spending on secondary education, according to the Digest.

UNESCO: EDUCATION

According to the Digest, 88% of children reached the last grade of this level of education in 2009, compared to 81% in 1999.

UNESCO: EDUCATION