Number of years of free primary and secondary education guaranteed in legal frameworks by country
Number of years of primary and secondary education to which children and young people are legally entitled that are free from tuition fees. Most countries have legislation specifying the ages and the level of education (typically pre-primary or primary education) at which children should start school. Such...
Countries reporting
181
Highest
13
Australia
Lowest
5
Viet Nam
Median
12
Years covered
23
1998–2020
Data points
3,698
What the numbers show
Number of years of free primary and secondary education guaranteed in legal frameworks is currently reported for 181 countries. The highest value is 13 in Australia; the lowest is 5 in Viet Nam.
The median across all reporting countries is 12, and the mean is 10.59.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 3.
Over the past decade 31 countries rose and 1 fell. The largest increase was in Sudan (up 83.3%), and the largest decrease in Belize (down 33.3%).
Number of years of free primary and secondary education guaranteed in: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Australia | 13 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Bermuda | 13 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Central African Republic | 13 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Congo | 13 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Czechia | 13 | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Germany | 13 | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 13 | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Sri Lanka | 13 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Luxembourg | 13 | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | North Macedonia | 13 | 2019 | up 44.4% | rising |
| 1 | Malta | 13 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Mauritania | 13 | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Mauritius | 13 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | New Zealand | 13 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Romania | 13 | 2020 | up 8.3% | rising |
| 1 | San Marino | 13 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Slovakia | 13 | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Slovenia | 13 | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 19 | Afghanistan | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Albania | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | United Arab Emirates | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Argentina | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Armenia | 12 | 2020 | up 20.0% | rising |
| 19 | Austria | 12 | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Belgium | 12 | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Bulgaria | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 19 | Bahrain | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Bahamas | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Bolivia, Plurinational State of | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Brazil | 12 | 2019 | up 33.3% | rising |
| 19 | Canada | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Chile | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 19 | Cuba | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Cayman Islands | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Cyprus | 12 | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Djibouti | 12 | 2020 | unchanged | falling |
| 19 | Dominica | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Dominican Republic | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Algeria | 12 | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Ecuador | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Egypt | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 19 | Estonia | 12 | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Finland | 12 | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | France | 12 | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Georgia | 12 | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 19 | Greece | 12 | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Grenada | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Guatemala | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Hong Kong, China | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 19 | Hungary | 12 | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Indonesia | 12 | 2019 | up 33.3% | rising |
| 19 | Iraq | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Israel | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 19 | Jordan | 12 | 2019 | up 20.0% | rising |
| 19 | Kenya | 12 | 2019 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 19 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Kuwait | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Libya | 12 | 2019 | up 33.3% | rising |
| 19 | Lithuania | 12 | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Latvia | 12 | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Macau, China | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Monaco | 12 | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Republic of Moldova | 12 | 2019 | up 9.1% | rising |
| 19 | Madagascar | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Mexico | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Marshall Islands | 12 | 2019 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 19 | Mali | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Mongolia | 12 | 2019 | up 9.1% | rising |
| 19 | Netherlands | 12 | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Naoero | 12 | 2019 | up 20.0% | rising |
| 19 | Oman | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Pakistan | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Panama | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Philippines | 12 | 2019 | up 20.0% | rising |
| 19 | Palau | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Poland | 12 | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Puerto Rico | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Portugal | 12 | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 19 | Paraguay | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Palestine, State of | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Saudi Arabia | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | El Salvador | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 19 | Serbia | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Sweden | 12 | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Syrian Arab Republic | 12 | 2019 | up 20.0% | rising |
| 19 | Thailand | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Turkmenistan | 12 | 2020 | up 20.0% | rising |
| 19 | Türkiye | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 19 | Uruguay | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 19 | United States of America | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Uzbekistan | 12 | 2020 | up 9.1% | rising |
| 19 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | British Virgin Islands | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | South Africa | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 95 | Aruba | 11 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 95 | Antigua and Barbuda | 11 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 95 | Azerbaijan | 11 | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 95 | Belarus | 11 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 95 | Barbados | 11 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 95 | Bhutan | 11 | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 95 | Colombia | 11 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 95 | Costa Rica | 11 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 95 | Honduras | 11 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 95 | Kazakhstan | 11 | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 95 | Kyrgyzstan | 11 | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 95 | Malaysia | 11 | 2019 | up 57.1% | rising |
| 95 | Peru | 11 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 95 | Korea, Democratic People's Republic of | 11 | 2019 | up 10.0% | rising |
| 95 | Russian Federation | 11 | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 95 | Sudan | 11 | 2019 | up 83.3% | rising |
| 95 | Senegal | 11 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 95 | Sint Maarten (Dutch part) | 11 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 95 | Seychelles | 11 | 2019 | up 10.0% | rising |
| 95 | Tajikistan | 11 | 2019 | up 22.2% | rising |
| 95 | Tunisia | 11 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 95 | Ukraine | 11 | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 95 | Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of | 11 | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 118 | Andorra | 10 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 118 | Burkina Faso | 10 | 2019 | up 11.1% | rising |
| 118 | Côte d'Ivoire | 10 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 118 | Denmark | 10 | 2020 | up 11.1% | rising |
| 118 | Spain | 10 | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 118 | Gabon | 10 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 118 | Gibraltar | 10 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 118 | Saint Lucia | 10 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 118 | Norway | 10 | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 118 | Nepal | 10 | 2019 | up 25.0% | rising |
| 118 | Chad | 10 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 129 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 9 | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 129 | Switzerland | 9 | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 129 | China | 9 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 129 | Ghana | 9 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 129 | Gambia | 9 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 129 | Iran, Islamic Republic of | 9 | 2019 | up 12.5% | rising |
| 129 | Japan | 9 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 129 | Cambodia | 9 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 129 | Kiribati | 9 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 129 | Republic of Korea | 9 | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 129 | Lao People's Democratic Republic | 9 | 2019 | up 80.0% | rising |
| 129 | Lebanon | 9 | 2019 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 129 | Morocco | 9 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 129 | Montenegro | 9 | 2019 | up 12.5% | rising |
| 129 | Nigeria | 9 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 129 | Nicaragua | 9 | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 129 | Qatar | 9 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 129 | Rwanda | 9 | 2019 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 129 | Sierra Leone | 9 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 129 | Timor-Leste | 9 | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 129 | Yemen | 9 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 150 | Belize | 8 | 2019 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 150 | Cape Verde | 8 | 2019 | up 33.3% | rising |
| 150 | Eritrea | 8 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 150 | Ethiopia | 8 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 150 | Micronesia, Federated States of | 8 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 150 | Croatia | 8 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 150 | India | 8 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 150 | Italy | 8 | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 150 | Malawi | 8 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 150 | South Sudan | 8 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 150 | Tonga | 8 | 2019 | up 33.3% | rising |
| 150 | Samoa | 8 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 162 | Lesotho | 7 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 162 | Namibia | 7 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 162 | Eswatini | 7 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 162 | Tanzania, United Republic of | 7 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 162 | Zambia | 7 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 167 | Angola | 6 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 167 | Benin | 6 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 167 | Cameroon | 6 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 167 | Congo, Democratic Republic of the | 6 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 167 | Comoros | 6 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 167 | Guinea | 6 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 167 | Equatorial Guinea | 6 | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 167 | Guyana | 6 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 167 | Haiti | 6 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 167 | Liberia | 6 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 167 | Sao Tome and Principe | 6 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 167 | Suriname | 6 | 2015 | unchanged | flat |
| 179 | Myanmar | 5 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 179 | Togo | 5 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 179 | Viet Nam | 5 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
About this data
Number of years of primary and secondary education to which children and young people are legally entitled that are free from tuition fees. Most countries have legislation specifying the ages and the level of education (typically pre-primary or primary education) at which children should start school. Such legislation usually also specifies either the number of years of education that are guaranteed or the age at which young people may leave education or, in some cases, both. The number of years of primary and secondary education to which children are legally entitled should ideally be the number of grades of primary and secondary education which young people are expected to have completed before being legally eligible to leave school. Years of pre-primary education covered by the legal entitlement should be excluded from this indicator. For more information, consult the UNESCO Institute of Statistics website: http://www.uis.unesco.org/Education/