The educational structure of the population has two significant components: literacy and the educational attainment of residents. The number of literate and illiterate individuals is determined for those aged 10 and above, who could have achieved literacy based on their age.
According to the data from the 1961 census, in the municipality of Novi Becej, there were a total of 3,316 illiterate residents, and by 1971, this number had decreased to 2,996. Although the data from the 1981 census have not been comprehensively processed, there are indications that the number of illiterate individuals in the Novi Becej municipality has further decreased over the past decade. However, evaluating all these data in relation to the total population of the municipality in 1961, 1971, and 1981, the percentage of illiterate individuals remains relatively high. In 1961, 9.86% of the population in the municipality were illiterate. By 1971, this percentage had decreased to 9.44%, and it hovers around 9% this year. This minimal decrease in illiteracy is a consequence of the previously discussed unfavorable population structure. The largest share in the age structure is held by the population aged 50 and above, which also occupies a leading position in the illiterate population structure. As the population of this age category stays in the municipality, and the younger literate and educated population leaves, the illiteracy rate decreases very slowly.
In the absence of final data for 1981, we will illustrate the structure of illiterate population by age groups from 1971. A quantitative and qualitative analysis of the data clearly reveals the causes of the slow decline in illiterate population in the Novi Becej subregion.
The age group between 50 and 64 years had the highest representation in the total illiterate population aged 10 and above — 34.4%. It is followed by the age group of 65 and above, with a representation of 28.2%. Therefore, illiterate individuals aged 50 and above constituted 62.6%, which is close to 2/3 of the total illiterate population. The age group of 35 to 49 years also had a relatively high representation among illiterate residents — 20.1%. The smallest share among illiterate residents in 1971 was the population aged 10 to 34 years — 15.48%.
The gender structure of the illiterate population also has a characteristic feature. Out of the total 2,996 illiterate individuals in 1971, 897 were male, or 29.93%, and 2,099 were female, accounting for 70.07%.
In the ten-year period from 1961 to 1971, the comparative educational structure of the population indicates a decline in individuals without formal education and those with only four years of elementary school. In 1961, among the population aged 10 and above, 31.44% had no formal education, and in 1971, this percentage decreased to 25.60%. In terms of those with only four years of elementary school, the percentage was 53.71% in 1961 and 48.64% in 1971.
From completing full elementary school to higher education, the proportional relationships in the comparative educational structure of the population reverse. The number of individuals with completed elementary, secondary, and higher education constantly increases. In 1961, there were 1,524 individuals with completed elementary school, or 5.48%, and in 1971, there were 3,132 individuals, or 11.34%. For those with completed vocational and technical school in 1961, the percentage was 6.79%, and in 1971, it was 9.15%. The number of individuals with completed secondary school nearly doubled. In 1961, those with completed secondary school accounted for 2.00%, and in 1971, it was 3.91%. The number of individuals with completed higher education was almost three times higher in 1971 compared to 1961. In 1961, there were 55 individuals with completed higher education, or 0.19%, and in 1971, there were 207 individuals, or 0.75%. The number of individuals with completed university education, or faculty, almost doubled. In 1961, there were 81 individuals with completed university education, or 0.29%, and in 1971, there were 145 individuals, or 0.52%.
Population Structure of Individuals Aged 10 and Above, by Educational Attainment and Gender, in 1971, indicates partial differences observed in the educational structure of the population across settlements. It has already been mentioned that in 1971, 25.60% of the population aged 10 and above in the municipality had no formal education. However, during the same period, this population in Bočar was represented at 32.78% in comparison to the total population of this settlement aged 10 and above. In Kuman, this population was represented at 25.94% (at the municipality level), in Novo Miloševo at 26.24%, and in the settlement of Novi Bečej at 24.12%.
With only four years of elementary school, in 1971, there were 48.7% of the population aged 10 and above in the municipality. In Bočar, this population was 42.98%, in Kuman 51.17%, in Novo Miloševo 53.70%, and in Novi Bečej 46.03%. The difference between Bočar and Novo Miloševo is more than 10%.
According to the 1971 census, in Bočar, 12.63% of the population had completed elementary school, in Kuman 10.00%, in Novo Miloševo 9.49%, and in Novi Bečej 12.52%.
In 1971, 125 individuals in Bočar had completed school for skilled and semi-skilled workers, accounting for 6.21% of the total population aged 10 and above. In Kuman, it was 8.50%, in Novo Miloševo 6.67%, and in Novi Bečej 11.10%. The largest difference between settlements occurs between Bočar and Novi Bečej, primarily due to the different economic structures. In the economy of Novi Bečej, industry occupies an increasingly prominent place, requiring a growing number of skilled and semi-skilled workers, while in other municipalities, this sector is still in its early stages.
A similar proportional relationship exists with other completed secondary schools. With completed college education in 1971, Bočar had only 11 individuals, or 0.55%, Kuman had 0.33%, Novo Miloševo had 0.32%, and Novi Bečej had 0.69%. The largest difference is observed between Novo Miloševo and Novi Bečej, mainly due to the more favorable conditions that students from Novi Bečej have for obtaining secondary education.
The qualification structure of the population by activities, especially the population structure by educational attainment by activities, in the municipality also indicates certain specificities and characteristics. A comparative analysis of the qualification structure of workers who live and work in the municipality reveals that the skilled workforce is most represented in the industry, followed by agriculture, trade, construction, craftsmanship, hospitality, and other activities. In 1971, a total of 3,152 workers of various qualifications were employed in economic activities, and by 1978, this number increased to 4,048. Alongside the increase in the number of skilled workers in the economy, the number of these workers in non-economic activities decreased from 178 to 168. Such changes are in line with the gradual intensification of the development of certain economic activities, primarily industry and construction, which experienced the greatest increase in the number of skilled workers during the observed period.
By analyzing the overall changes in the qualification structure by activities from 1971 to 1978, the largest increase is observed in skilled workers, amounting to 964, or 84.63%. The number of unskilled workers decreased from 1,028 to 974, or 5.54%. The decrease in the number of skilled workers in agriculture is not due to reduced demand for skilled workers in this economic activity. On the contrary, modern agriculture requires a skilled workforce. However, a certain percentage of skilled workers from agriculture in the municipality emigrates to other, economically more developed areas in Vojvodina.
An increase in the skilled workforce also occurred in construction, transportation, and trade, as these branches of the economy experienced significant growth during the analyzed period. In all other sectors of the economy, the number of skilled workers decreased, most notably in craftsmanship. In this branch, the number of skilled workers decreased from 242 to 74. This phenomenon can also be linked to the emigration of skilled workers to industry in this municipality or to other subregions.
The structure of workers by educational attainment by activities complements the educational structure of the population in the municipality. From 1971 to 1978, the number of workers with high, higher, secondary, and lower education in the industry increased from 132 to 285, or by 116%. Within this sector, specific differences are observed in terms of individual levels of educational attainment. The number of workers with a university education increased by 150%, those with higher education by 88.88%, those with secondary education by 146%, and those with lower education by 34.61%. The most significant increase was in the highest level of vocational education, in line with the efforts of basic organizations of associated labor in this industry to raise the qualification structure of workers to a higher level.
In agriculture, there was no increase in all levels of education for workers overall. Minimal increases were achieved in higher, higher, and secondary education, while the number of workers with lower education significantly decreased. These trends are also in line with efforts to raise the level of qualification structure for workers.
A very significant improvement in the qualification structure of workers occurred in construction, transportation, and trade. The number of workers with high, higher, secondary, and lower education in construction increased by 127%, in transportation by eight times, and in trade by 35.13%. A noticeable decrease in the number of workers with this level of education occurred in hospitality, craftsmanship, and housing-communal activities, as a certain percentage of these workers moved to other economic and non-economic activities.
When considering the structure of workers by educational attainment overall for economic activities in 1971 and 1978, there is a significant increase in the number of workers with high, higher, and secondary education. This increase amounts to 72.75%. In all economic activities, the largest increase is in the number of workers with secondary education, from 249 (1971) to 445 (1978), or 78.71%. In this period, the number of workers with lower education decreased in all economic activities.
In non-economic activities, the number of workers with secondary and lower education decreased, while the number of workers with higher and university education increased. The most significant increase was achieved among workers with higher education. From 131 workers with higher education in 1971, this number increased to 218 in 1978, representing an increase of 66.41%.