Education at a Glance 2024

Chapter B2. What are the main characteristics of primary and lower secondary education?

Highlights

• Since 2013, 12 countries have extended the length of compulsory education at either pre-primary or upper secondary level. As enrolment rates in the years before and after compulsory education are already generally high, these measures often aim to increase enrolment among disadvantaged groups, where rates are lower.

• The vast majority of primary students are enrolled in public institutions, averaging 85% across OECD countries. In some countries, government-dependent private institutions are prevalent, which often function in similar ways to public institutions.

• Grade repetition is relatively uncommon before upper secondary education. On average across the OECD, 1.5% of students in primary education and 2.2% of students in lower secondary education were repeating their current grade in 2022. In all school systems, boys are more likely to repeat a grade than girls both at primary and lower secondary level.

Context

Compulsory education is a foundational element of modern societies, requiring children and adolescents to attend school for a specified number of years. This is intended to ensure that all individuals acquire the essential knowledge and skills they need for personal development and civic participation. Although some characteristics of compulsory education, such as the starting age and duration, vary widely across countries, the programmes within compulsory education are usually relatively homogeneous compared to other levels of education. Generally, compulsory education spans primary and lower secondary levels, covering children aged approximately 6 to 14 years. This period is crucial as it lays the groundwork for lifelong learning and development, equipping students with basic literacy, numeracy and critical thinking skills.

The global commitment to compulsory education is reflected in international frameworks and agreements, such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4, which aims to "ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all." (UNESCO, 2024[1]). These frameworks emphasise the importance of providing free and compulsory primary and secondary education to all children, regardless of their socio-economic background, gender or geographical location.

Other findings

• Enrolment of students aged 6 to 14 is universal in OECD countries, with an enrolment rate of 98%. Around two-thirds of students in this age group are enrolled in primary education.

• On average, the population of children aged 6 to 14 has grown by 0.5% per year since 2013 across countries. Notably, two-thirds of countries have experienced positive annual growth rates. Of these, Slovenia, South Africa and Sweden stand out, with annual growth of 2% or more in this age group.

• At lower secondary level, overall academic achievements and attendance records are the main factors used to decide whether a student progresses to the next grade. Typically, the decision is made by school leaders and teachers, sometimes in consultation with parents, within guidelines or regulations coming from national or other levels of government.

Note

In this edition of Education at a Glance, Chapter B2 analyses the data on primary and lower secondary education as well as compulsory education characteristics across countries.

Analysis

Compulsory education

Compulsory education refers to a mandated period during which children are legally required to attend school. The vast majority of OECD countries guarantee free schooling during the years of compulsory education. The duration of compulsory education varies widely across OECD countries. For example, in Israel, Mexico and Romania, compulsory education spans 14 years, whereas in India, it lasts only 7 years. Generally, compulsory education covers the entirety of primary and lower secondary levels. However, an increasing number of countries are extending it to include pre-primary and upper secondary levels as well. Notably, 8 countries, including Brazil and Switzerland, have made all pre-primary years compulsory, while 16, including Austria and the Netherlands, require attendance for some years of pre-primary education. More than half of the OECD countries also incorporate some years of upper secondary education into compulsory schooling. In 12 countries, including Belgium and Chile, all years of upper secondary education are compulsory (Figure B2.1 and Annex Table X1.5).

The duration of compulsory education is typically defined in terms of grades or an age range, or both. It usually begins for children who have reached a certain age on a certain date, at the start of the school year or within a set period. Countries have various criteria for when students can be said to have completed their compulsory education. In about half of them, reaching the ending age is sufficient but in nearly one-third of the countries, students need to have completed a particular level of education. Other common criteria include completing a certain number of grades or obtaining a diploma or certificate. For instance, in Belgium, Finland, the Netherlands and Portugal, compulsory education ends either upon completing upper secondary education or reaching the ending age. Similarly, in Australia, students fulfil the compulsory education requirements by either obtaining a Year 10 certificate or its equivalent, or by reaching the ending age (Table B2.1).

The impact of compulsory education policies on educational equity

Compulsory education is a common policy instrument for increasing participation in education, particularly among marginalised groups (Harmon, 2017[2]). By mandating school attendance, these policies ensure that students remain in the educational system for longer, thereby increasing overall enrolment rates and reducing dropout rates. For instance, in the Netherlands, a one-year increase in the ending age for compulsory education has reduced the dropout rate by 2.5 percentage points (Cabus and De Witte, 2011[3]). In Italy, following the introduction of a one-year extension to compulsory education, a larger proportion of 16-year-olds remained in school, particularly those at greater risk of dropping out due to having less educated parents or parents with low occupational status (Raimondi and Vergolini, 2019[4]).

Similarly, an analysis of compulsory schooling reforms across 12 European countries which had raised the minimum school leaving age found that these reforms significantly improved educational attainment. The impact was most notable among individuals in the lowest quartiles of the ability distribution (Brunello, Fort and Weber, 2009[5]). There is also evidence that additional education also contributes to reduced wage inequality (Brunello, Fort and Weber, 2009[5]). In the Republic of Türkiye, the extension of compulsory education has significantly narrowed the educational attainment gap between urban and rural children. The reform reduced the urban-rural disparity in completed years of schooling at age 17 by 0.5 years for men and by 0.7-0.8 years for women (Kirdar, Dayioglu and Koç, 2016[6]). Compulsory education policies therefore play a critical role in promoting educational equity and ensuring that all children, regardless of their socio-economic background, have access to sustained educational opportunities.

Extension policies in compulsory education

Extending the scope of compulsory education to pre-primary/pre-school education as well as to upper secondary education and training involves different motivations and strategies. The inclusion of at least one year of pre-primary education in the scope of compulsory education in 11 OECD countries over the last decade reflects the growing recognition of the importance of early childhood education. By making three years of pre-primary education compulsory in 2019, France underscored the pedagogical significance of nursery schools in its educational system and their crucial role in reducing early childhood inequalities, particularly those related to language development (European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education, 2020[7]). Countries with already high enrolment rates at the national level may strategically target subpopulations with less favourable backgrounds when implementing such policies. For instance, Lithuania targets young children living in households at socio-economic risk and mandates compulsory pre-school education for them (Eurydice, 2023[8]). Similarly, Belgium aims to increase regular attendance among children born outside the country or with low-educated parents in large cities through the inclusion of pre-primary education in compulsory education (European Commission, 2020[9]).

Some countries extend compulsory activities beyond education until the age of 18 to reduce the population neither in employment, nor in formal education or training (NEET). For instance, training became mandatory for students aged between 16 and 18 in France in September 2020. Young people can fulfil this requirement through various means including schooling, apprenticeships, training courses, civic service or social and professional integration measures. Similarly, Austria, Italy and Poland have made it obligatory to pursue either formal education or training for those up to the age of 18 (Table B2.1). Finland extended compulsory education to the age of 18 in 2021 aiming to promote equity within its education system, as jobseekers in the labour market are usually expected to hold at least an upper secondary qualification (Ministry of Education and Culture of Finland, 2024[10])

The implementation of such compulsory activities can also vary within countries. In Switzerland, for example, compulsory formal education or training is mandated until the age of 18 only in the cantons of Geneva and Ticino. In the United Kingdom, students in England are obliged to engage in one of formal education, training, volunteering, or part-time employment until they reach 18, whereas those in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have no such requirements (Table B2.1).

In addition to these recently implemented policies, there are changes in the pipeline in some countries. For instance, Romania intends to make all years of pre-primary education compulsory by 2030 (International Trade Administration, 2023[11]). Additionally, Luxembourg plans to extend compulsory education from 16 to 18 by 2026. Under this reform, individuals over 16 who wish to enter the workforce before they turn 18 will have to apply for an exemption for the specified duration (Antar, 2023[12]).

Enrolment of students aged 6 to 14

Enrolment among 6-14 year-olds is virtually universal in OECD countries, with enrolment rates of 98% on average. The majority of these students are in primary or lower secondary education, with the specific distribution depending on the duration of these education levels in each country. Typically, primary education lasts six years in OECD countries, but it ranges from four years in several countries (e.g. Austria and Hungary) to eight years in Ireland. Lower secondary education generally lasts three years, with a range from two years in Belgium and Chile to six years in Germany and Lithuania. As a result, around two-thirds of students aged 6 to 14 are enrolled in primary education on average across OECD countries. Countries where primary education starts later, or upper secondary education starts earlier, may see greater shares of 6-14 year-olds enrolled at pre-primary or upper secondary levels. For example, in all countries where primary education begins at the age of 7, over 10% of students aged 6 to 14 are enrolled in pre-primary education (Table B2.2 and Annex Table X1.5).

On average, the population of children aged 6 to 14 has grown by 0.5% per year since 2013 across OECD and partner and/or accession countries. During this period, two-thirds of countries have experienced positive annual growth rates while one-third saw this age group shrink. Slovenia, South Africa and Sweden stand out, with annual growth of 2% or more in their populations of 6-14 year-olds. In contrast, Croatia, Korea and Portugal have seen annual falls of at least 1% in this age group since 2013 (Figure B2.2).

Education systems need to be prepared to handle both shrinking and growing school-age populations by ensuring they have sufficient infrastructure, learning spaces, trained teachers, resources and viable schools to maintain or improve access to quality education (see Chapter D2, Box D2.3). Proactive planning and investment are crucial to accommodate demographic changes and prevent potential overcrowding and resource shortages in schools.

These challenges become even more pressing when external shocks, such as migration, occur. For instance, the displacement of millions of Ukrainians due to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has led to significant challenges. Ukrainian households have encountered several structural and familial barriers, including a lack of learning spaces and resources in their host countries, which have made difficult to enrol their children in school (OECD, 2023[13]). Other significant drivers of non-enrolment include the availability of remote learning and burden of following both host country and the Ukrainian curriculum (UNHCR, 2024[14]). However, host countries also implemented measures to increase enrolment as 16 out of 23 European Union Member States reported that enrolment in local schools is compulsory for Ukrainian children (European Commission, 2024[15]).

In most countries, a change in population drives a proportional change in the number of enrolled students so it does not lead a substantial change in enrolment rates for that age group. Exceptionally, the numbers of enrolled 6-14 year-olds in Peru and Poland, have increased faster than the population of that age group, possibly due to their relatively lower enrolment rates in 2013. However, there are also exceptions in the opposite direction. Bulgaria, Indonesia and Romania have experienced sizeable annual decreases in the number of enrolled students since 2013, even as the relevant school-age population has remained stable or increased, resulting in falling enrolment rates (Table B2.2).

Regional variations in the enrolment of 6 to 14 year-olds

Because the ages between 6 and 14 typically correspond to compulsory education in many countries, regional enrolment rates within countries tend to be uniformly high. In most OECD countries, enrolment rates of 6-14 year-olds across all subnational regions vary by less than 5 percentage points (Figure B2.3). This shows that participation in education is highly standardised among these children, resulting in smaller subnational differences than for other age groups (see Figure B1.4 and Chapter B3.2).

Despite the general pattern of high enrolment rates, there are a few significant disparities in some countries. Colombia stands out with the greatest regional variation in enrolment rates, showing a 45 percentage-point difference between the regions with the highest and lowest rates. The capital region has a much higher enrolment rates than less inhabited rural regions near the Amazon, such as Vichada and Vaupés. he rural nature of these regions in Colombia, and disparities in the allocation of public resources, may be the reason for the regional disparities in the enrolment rates of students aged 6 to 14. Bogotá allocates 1.7 times more resources to education than Vichada, highlighting the significant disparities in public spending for education throughout Colombia’s regions (Radinger et al., 2018[16]). Although, the rurality of a region does not substantially affect enrolment rates in this age group across the OECD, it may partly explain lower enrolment rates in specific regions.

Other countries with notable disparities include Bulgaria, Croatia, Finland, France, Norway and Romania, where the gap between the highest and lowest values exceeds 10 percentage points. However, these countries typically have only one or two region(s) whose enrolment rate for students aged 6 to 14 diverges notably from the rates in other regions within the country. For example, in France, the island, Mayotte faces challenges related to both school dropout and non-enrolment of children who have never attended school. Structural obstacles in monitoring and identifying out-of-school children on the island contribute to lower enrolment rates compared to the country average (Cécillon and Séraphin, 2023[17]).

Enrolment in primary and lower secondary education by type of institution

The vast majority of primary students are enrolled in public institutions, with an average of 85% across OECD countries. However, some countries have relatively high shares of primary students in private institutions, with over 54% attending private schools in Belgium and Chile (Figure B2.4). Although greater enrolment in private schools is often associated with high private expenditure on education, this is not necessarily the case, particularly in primary education. In education systems with larger shares of students in private schools, private institutions often receive substantial government funding. Such government-dependent private institutions often function in similar ways as public ones and there may be little distinction between them from the parents’ or students’ perspective. For example, in Belgium, government-dependent private institutions receive almost equivalent funding to public schools and cannot charge tuition fees or select students (Musset, 2012[19]).

In contrast, independent private institutions receive less than half their funding from the government. Consequently, private contributions, often in the form of tuition fees, play a much larger role for their funding. Across the OECD, 4% of primary students are enrolled in independent private institutions. Colombia has by far the highest share of primary students enrolled in independent primary institutions at 19% (Figure B2.4 and Table B2.3).

Enrolment patterns at lower secondary level show a similar trend, with public institutions remaining predominant. However, enrolment in private institutions increases in some countries at this level, including Australia, Denmark, Korea, Indonesia and the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom, in particular, shows the most substantial difference between primary and lower secondary levels, with the share of students enrolled in private institutions nearly doubling from 37% at primary level to 72% at lower secondary level. The large majority of those students are enrolled in government-dependent private institutions, with only 5% of lower secondary students in the United Kingdom enrolled in independent private institutions (Table B2.3).

Overall, the distribution of enrolment by institution type in primary and lower secondary education has remained stable since 2013. One exception is the United Kingdom, where enrolment in private institutions has increased by 26 percentage points at primary level and by 20 percentage points at lower secondary level (Table B2.3).

School choice in primary and lower secondary education

Parents' decisions regarding school choice are primarily influenced by the type of institutions available, the school choice policies in place and the costs associated with private schools. In many education systems, students are assigned to their schools based on where they live, with some flexibility for parents to choose among other schools. In 27 out of 33 OECD countries, residential proximity is the primary criterion for school assignment at both primary and lower secondary levels. In 23 countries, parents can still choose another public school if a place is available (OECD, 2010[20]). School assignment based on geographical location is traditionally considered effective for ensuring access to nearby public schools. However, this approach can perpetuate residential segregation patterns, mirroring the socio-economic and demographic divides within neighbourhoods. In a few countries, parents have unrestricted autonomy to choose a school from a range of public institutions. Students in Belgium, Chile, Italy and the Netherlands are not assigned to public schools based on their geographical location (Musset, 2012[19]).

Countries also employ some mechanisms to govern parents’ choice of school to ensure equity, which may limit their choices (Musset, 2012[19]). These mechanisms aim to reduce segregation and provide equal opportunities for disadvantaged students. For example, in Nijmegen in the Netherlands, a central subscription system aims to ensure 30% of students in each school are from disadvantaged backgrounds. In Chile, private providers must ensure at least 15% of their students come from disadvantaged backgrounds if they are to receive public funding (OECD, 2017[21]).

The cost of private schooling is another significant factor influencing parental choice. Some countries extend school choice through financial mechanisms offer incentives for disadvantaged students to enrol in private schools. Voucher systems are a common tool in this area. In Chile, the Flemish Community of Belgium and the Netherlands, schools receive funding based on their students’ socio-economic status and educational needs. In Sweden, public funding for independent schools is also provided through a voucher system determined by municipalities, although it is not dependent on student characteristics (OECD, 2017[21]).

Grade repetition in primary and lower secondary level

Grade repetition, the practice of retaining students in the same grade to give more time to master grade-appropriate content, is intended to help struggling students before they move on to the next grade. Yet, the effectiveness of grade repetition is disputed and may depend on the level of education being repeated (see Chapter B3). Research indicates that, below upper secondary level, grade repetition mostly results in negative student outcomes. For instance, students who repeat a grade in their current level of education tend to perform worse academically, have more negative attitudes towards school at age 15, and are more likely to drop out of high school, even when accounting for socio-economic background and individual characteristics (Ikeda and García, 2014[22]; OECD, 2023[23]).

The share of repeaters varies widely by country and by educational level. Grade repetition is relatively uncommon before upper secondary education (see Chapter B3). On average across OECD countries, 1.5% of students in primary education and 2.2% of students in lower secondary education repeated their current grade in 2022. In Austria, Hungary, the Slovak Republic and Türkiye, the pattern is reversed, and the share of repeaters is higher in primary education than in lower secondary education. In all school systems, boys are more likely to repeat a grade than girls in both primary and lower secondary level (Table B2.2).

In primary education, Colombia, South Africa and Türkiye have notably high shares of repeaters, with more than 4% of students repeating a grade. Although the share of repeaters has remained stable at primary level across the OECD, Colombia and Türkiye have experienced an increase of 2.3 or more percentage points since 2015. This rise can be partly attributed to post-pandemic outcomes. Due to distance learning, an increased number of parents whose children could not reach the desired proficiency level, particularly in the first year of primary education, have requested grade repetition (Figure B2.5).

In lower secondary education, grade repetition is more widespread across OECD and partner and accession countries. Colombia, Luxembourg, South Africa and Spain record the highest share of repeaters at this level, of around 8% or more (Figure B2.5). Since 2015, there has been a declining trend in the share of students repeating grades at lower secondary level. Some countries, such as Argentina, Costa Rica and South Africa, have experienced drops in the share of repeaters by at least 8 percentage points between 2015 and 2022 (Table B2.2Table B2.2. ).

In some countries, the concept of repeating a grade does not exist. For instance, school systems in Iceland, Japan, Norway and the United Kingdom allow all students progress automatically to the next grade at the end of the school year at both primary and lower secondary levels (OECD, 2023[23]). Among those which do use grade repetition, 17 countries with available information have restrictions on the practice. These restrictions may apply only in certain grades, specific types of programmes or schools, or limit the number of times a student can repeat a grade in their current level of education (see Table B3.4.2 in (OECD, 2023[24])).

Who is involved in decisions about grade repetition also varies greatly across countries. In a majority of countries with available information, the decision is made by school leaders and classroom teachers, sometimes in consultation with parents, within guidelines or regulations coming from national or other levels of government in lower secondary level. In some countries, other teachers in the school and/or the school head may also be involved, and in one-third of countries parents or legal guardians can also be a part of the decision to repeat. In Denmark, Slovenia and Sweden, students are involved in the decision process if this is in their interest (see Table B3.4.2 in (OECD, 2023[24])).

At lower secondary level, various factors can determine a student's progression to the next grade, including attendance records, behaviour assessments, overall academic achievements and performance in specific subjects. The criteria for grade repetition vary widely between countries. In about half of the countries and other participants with available information, overall academic achievement is the most common criterion for deciding grade repetition. About one-third of these countries also require students to have sufficient attendance in a minimum number of courses in order to progress. Behavioural issues can also be a factor in grade repetition, as seen in the Flemish Community of Belgium, Costa Rica, Italy, Indonesia and Romania (see Table B3.4.2 in (OECD, 2023[24])). For instance in Romania, legislation stipulates that students who receive an unsatisfactory final grade for behaviour cannot progress to the next grade, even if they pass all other subjects (Eurydice, 2011[25]).

Box B2.1. The impact of socio-economic status on literacy

In an equitable education system, students’ learning outcomes would be independent of factors such as their family’s socio-economic status, immigrant background or gender. Students’ backgrounds can create privileges or obstacles that impact their performance. They also shape students' aspirations, motivation and effort, all of which also play a significant role in determining their learning outcomes (OECD, 2023[27]).

The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) evaluates the reading comprehension and literacy skills of fourth-grade students at 9–10-year-olds. It finds that the socio-economic status (SES) of students’ households consistently affects their performance in literacy across countries and other participants, with students from higher SES backgrounds outperforming their peers from lower ones. The resulting disparities are more pronounced in Brazil, Bulgaria, Hungary and South Africa, where the gaps in performance are over 120 points. In contrast, the gaps are relatively modest in the Netherlands, Quebec (Canada), Saudi Arabia and Spain, where they are 62 points or less (Figure B2.6)

Household SES can affect primary students’ performance in literacy through various channels. First, at an individual level, children’s initial reading ability is correlated with the home literacy environment and parental involvement, which includes the resources and opportunities in families that support the development of children’s reading skills at home (Tarelli and Stubbe, 2019[29]; Dong et al., 2020[30]). There is a strong correlation between students’ achievement in literacy and the likelihood of their parents enjoying reading. As parents' interest in reading increases, students tend to achieve higher literacy scores. However, low-SES households are less likely to provide such a home literacy environment. Children from low-SES households are less likely to have experiences that encourage the development of fundamental reading acquisition skills, including phonological awareness, vocabulary and oral language (Buckingham, Wheldall and Beaman-Wheldall, 2013[31]; Li et al., 2022[32]).

Second, at the school level, characteristics such as practices, the learning environment and teacher quality are correlated with students’ achievement in literacy. Household SES can influence school choice, and differences in school conditions can in turn affect students’ literacy (Buckingham, Wheldall and Beaman-Wheldall, 2013[31]). School characteristics can also mediate and potentially reduce the differences in literacy performance across students from different SES groups (Tarelli and Stubbe, 2019[29]; Dong et al., 2020[30]). .

Definitions

Repeater refers to a student who is not promoted to the next grade or does not complete an educational programme and who remains in the same grade the following school year.

Private institutions are those controlled and managed by a non-governmental organisation (e.g. a church, a trade union or a business enterprise, foreign or international agency), or their governing board consists mostly of members not selected by a public agency. Private institutions are considered government-dependent if they receive more than 50% of their core funding from government agencies or if their teaching personnel are paid by a government agency. Independent private institutions receive less than 50% of their core funding from government agencies and their teaching personnel are not paid by a government agency.

Methodology

Enrolment rates

Net enrolment rates are calculated by dividing the number of children of a particular age / age group enrolled by the size of the population of that age / age group. While enrolment and population figures refer to the same period in most cases, mismatches may occur due to data availability and different sources used in some countries. Therefore, population data are adjusted in the calculation of enrolment rates by age. This adjustment method ensures that if the cumulative enrolment data across all ISCED levels exceed the population data for a particular age, the population data for that age are adjusted to match the total enrolment for the corresponding age.

Annual growth rate

Calculation of annual growth rate includes several steps as following:

• The value of variable of interest (i.e. population, the number of enrolled students) in the last reference year is divided by its value in the first reference year,

• This division is raised to an exponent of one divided by the number of years between two reference years,

• One is subtracted from the subsequent result,

• Lastly, final result is multiplied by 100 to convert it into a percentage.

Annual growth rate smoothens the impact of missing data or breaks within years, providing a more statistically reliable growth rate. It also allows the calculation of growth rates by countries on different year ranges instead of having a uniform year range.

For more information see the OECD Handbook for Internationally Comparative Education Statistics (OECD, 2018[33]) and Education at a Glance 2024 Sources, Methodologies and Technical Notes (OECD, 2024[26])

Source

Data refer to the reference year 2022 (school year 2021/22) and are based on the UNESCO-UIS/OECD/Eurostat data collection on education statistics administered by the OECD in 2024 (for detailed information, see ( (OECD, 2024[26])) Education at a Glance 2024 Sources, Methodologies and Technical Notes (OECD, 2024[26]).

Data from Argentina, the People’s Republic of China, India, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and South Africa are from the UNESCO Institute of Statistics (UIS).

Data on subnational regions for selected indicators are available in the OECD Education and Skills-Subnational education and indicators (OECD, 2024[18]).

Data on achievements in literacy are available in PIRLS 2021 International Results in Readinghttps://pirls2021.org/results/context-home/socioeconomic-status/

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[16] Radinger, T. et al. (2018), OECD Reviews of School Resources: Colombia 2018, OECD Reviews of School Resources, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264303751-en.

[4] Raimondi, E. and L. Vergolini (2019), “Everyone in school: The effects of compulsory schooling age on drop-out and completion rates”, European Journal of Education, https://doi.org/10.1111/ejed.12356.

[29] Tarelli, I. and T. Stubbe (2019), “Home Literacy Environment and Reading Achievement: A Model for Determining the Relationship between Socio-Economic Status, Home Literacy Environment and Reading Achievement”, IEA.

[1] UNESCO (2024), SDG Indicators, https://www.education-progress.org/en/indicators (accessed on 16 May 2024).

[14] UNHCR (2024), Education of refugee children and youth from Ukraine: An analysis of major challenges and trends based on Multi-Sector Needs Assessment (MSNA) and other data, Regional Refugee Response for the Ukraine Situation, https://data.unhcr.org/fr/documents/details/109522.

Chapter B2 Tables

Tables Chapter B2. What are the main characteristics of primary and lower secondary education?

Table B2.1	Characteristics of free and compulsory education (2022)
Table B2.2	Enrolment rates of 6-14 year-olds and share of repeaters, by level of education (2013, 2015 and 2022)
Table B2.3	Distribution of students in primary and lower secondary education, by type of institution (2013 and 2022)

Statlink

Cut-off date for the data: 14 June 2024. Data and more breakdowns are available on the OECD Data Explorer (http://data-explorer.oecd.org/s/4s).

Table B2.1. Characteristics of free and compulsory education

 

Note: See under Chapter B2 Tables for StatLink and Box B2.2 for the notes related to this Table.

Table B2.2. Enrolment rates of 6-14 year-olds and share of repeaters, by level of education (2013, 2015 and 2022)

Note: See under Chapter B2 Tables for StatLink and Box B2.2 for the notes related to this Table.

Table B2.3. Distribution of students in primary and lower secondary education, by type of institution (2013 and 2022)

Note: See under Chapter B2 Tables for StatLink and Box B2.2 for the notes related to this Table.

Box B2.2. Notes for Chapter B2 Tables

Table B2.1 Characteristics of free and compulsory education (2022)

Note: ECE refers to Early Childhood Education. See Definitions and Methodology sections for more information.

1. Starting age, ending age, and duration of compulsory education may vary at sub-national level.

2. In 2015, the Basic Education Act was revised and the participation of 6-year-olds in pre-primary education became mandatory. However, this is not encompassed by the Compulsory Education Act, which stipulates that compulsory education usually begins in the year when children turn 7 years old.

3. An extension at the upper secondary level is set to increase the ending age from 16 to 18, with implementation scheduled for 2026.

4. An extension at pre-primary level is set to decrease the starting age from 5 to 3, with implementation scheduled for 2030.

Table B2.2 Enrolment rates of 6-14 year-olds and share of repeaters, by level of education (2013, 2015 and 2022)

Note: See Definitions and Methodology sections for more information.

1. Year of reference for repeaters differs from 2015: 2016 for Belgium and Colombia; and 2017 for the United States.

2. Early childhood education excludes early childhood educational development programmes (ISCED 01).

3. Year of reference for enrolment and repeaters differs from 2022: 2018 for Indonesia and 2021 for Argentina, India and South Africa.

4. Year of reference for enrolment differs from 2013: 2014 for Croatia and India.

Table B2.3 Distribution of students in primary and lower secondary education, by type of institution (2013 and 2022)

Note: See Definitions and Methodology sections for more information.

1. Year of reference differs from 2013: 2014 for Croatia and India; and 2015 for Netherlands.

2. Year of reference differs from 2022: 2018 for Indonesia; 2020 for India; and 2021 for Argentina and South Africa.

Data and more breakdowns are available on the OECD Data Explorer (http://data-explorer.oecd.org/s/4s).

Please refer to the Reader's Guide for information concerning symbols for missing data and abbreviations.