Education and Agriculture: A Note Based on Irish Census of Population Statistics. ESRI Memorandum Series No. 128 1978

Geary, R.C. (1978) Education and Agriculture: A Note Based on Irish Census of Population Statistics. ESRI Memorandum Series No. 128 1978. [Policy Paper]

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Abstract

The statistic used in Table 1 is the number of males who finished their education at the primary level as a percentage of number of males gainfully occupied on farms of different sizes. Hence the higher the percentage the lower the level of education. The national average level for males was 66.3 percent; the second last row of the table shows that, except for sons etc assisting, percentages in agriculture were substantially in excess of this latter figure. Column 2 shows that it is only at the 100 - 200 acre class that male farmers approach the national average. The farmer and relative percentages improve with farm size but appreciably only at the large farm sizes. Percentages for agricultural labourers decline only slightly with farm size; of course, employees are numerous only on large farms. It can scarcely be said that the larger farmers have better educated workers, though there seems to be a slight effect. Educationally the male farming class make a poor showing, by the simple test used. About the most cheerful prospect in the lower percentage for sons compared with farmers; but the improvement will take a generation for full effect. That the table shows such regularity is statistically satisfactory. One can draw inferences from it without much qualification. In these comparisons, however, present (i.e. 1966) age is of the essence, as numbers with post-primary experience are increasing all the time we expect sons' percentages to be lower than fathers'. To make valid comparisons, corrections must be made for differences in present age.

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