Assessing Educational Opportunities: From the First Statistical Analysis in Serbia

Abstract

In 1882, Serbia’s Law on Primary Schools established a six-year schooling requirement for every child between the ages of 7 and 11. The intent was to ensure equal access to education for all children and achieve full school enrollment by 1892 (Ilić Rajković, 2021). This paper uses official statistical data to explore the equality of educational chances in the years immediately following the adoption of the law. Specifically, we delve into the indicators of equal educational opportunities and their interpretation by statisticians. The paper has two primary objectives: to illuminate the notion of equal chances at this transformative juncture in Serbian educational history and to highlight pertinent methodological and statistical approaches.