Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in Canada

Canada: Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education was 78.3% in 2018. ▬ Flat

Latest (2018)
78.3%
Change on year
down 4.2%
World rank
4th
of 46 countries
All-time high
83.0%
in 2012
All-time low
78.3%
in 2018
Years of data
7
2000–2018

Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in Canada, 2000–2018

0204060802000200920182000: 81.4 %2003: 82.8 %2006: 81.1 %2009: 83 %2012: 83 %2015: 81.7 %2018: 78.3 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in Canada is 78.3%, measured in 2018. That is the lowest value across all 7 years on record.

That represents a change of down 4.2% on the previous year and down 5.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in Canada peaked at 83.0% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 78.3%, in 2018.

Canada ranks 4th of 46 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in Canada, year by year

Annual values for Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in reading, very poor socioeconomic background, both sexes (%) in Canada, 2000 to 2018.
Year % Change
2000 81.4%
2003 82.8% +1.8%
2006 81.1% -2.1%
2009 83.0% +2.3%
2012 83.0% +0.1%
2015 81.7% -1.6%
2018 78.3% -4.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 82.1% 81.1% 83.0% 4
2010s 81.0% 78.3% 83.0% 3

Countries ranked near Canada

  1. 1 Hong Kong 82.0% compare
  2. 2 Ireland 79.4% compare
  3. 3 Finland 79.1% compare
  4. 5 Poland 76.0% compare
  5. 6 Republic of Korea 75.9% compare
  6. 7 Slovenia 73.8% compare

See the full ranking of 46 places →

More reference data data for Canada

All data for Canada →

Frequently asked questions

What is proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in Canada?
Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in Canada was 78.3% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education recorded in Canada?
The highest recorded value was 83.0% in 2012.
What is the lowest proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education recorded in Canada?
The lowest recorded value was 78.3% in 2018.
How does Canada rank for proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education?
Canada ranks 4th out of 46 countries with data for 2018.
Is proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education rising or falling in Canada?
Over the last ten years it is down 5.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Canada data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in reading, very poor socioeconomic background, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in Canada. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-students-at-the-end-of-lower-secondary-education-achieving-at-least-a-18/canada/

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About this data

Indicator
Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in reading, very poor socioeconomic background, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
46 places, 295 data points, 2000–2018
Last refreshed

Percentage of children at the end of lower secondary education reaching at least a minimum proficiency level in reading. A minimum proficiency level (MPL) is the benchmark of basic knowledge in a domain (mathematics, reading, etc.) measured through learning assessments. The indicator is calculated as the number of children and/or young people at the relevant stage of education n in a given year t achieving or exceeding the pre-defined proficiency level in a given subject s, expressed as a percentage of the total number of children and/or young people at stage of education n, in year t, in any proficiency level in subject s. The higher the value of the indicator, the higher the proportion of children or young adults who have acquired the minimum level of meaningful competencies. Data are calculated by the UNESCO Institute for Statistics from sources that include the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), Programme for International Student Assessment for Development (PISA-D), Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), El Laboratorio Latino americano de Evaluación de la Calidad de la Educación (LLECE), Programme d’analyse des systèmes éducatifs de la confemen (PASEC), Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Education Quality (SACMEQ), Pacific Islands Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (PILNA), national assessments data collected through the Catalogue of Learning Assessments (CLA) and/or available in national reports, and population-based assessments (Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) and Early Grade Mathematics Assessment (EGMA), UNICEF Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), People’s Action for Learning (PAL) NETWORK: e.g. Annual Status of Education Report (ASER), UWEZO, etc.)). For more information, consult the UNESCO Institute for Statistics: http://uis.unesco.org/