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

Australia: Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education was 75.6% in 2018. ▼ Falling

Latest (2018)
75.6%
Change on year
down 2.1%
World rank
12th
of 47 countries
All-time high
84.0%
in 2000
All-time low
75.6%
in 2018
Years of data
7
2000–2018

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

0204060802000200920182000: 84 %2003: 83.5 %2006: 81.6 %2009: 80.3 %2012: 81 %2015: 77.2 %2018: 75.6 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

Australia recorded 75.6% for proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in 2018. That is the lowest value across all 7 years on record.

That represents a change of down 2.1% on the previous year and down 5.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in Australia peaked at 84.0% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 75.6%, in 2018.

Australia ranks 12th of 47 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in Australia, 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, male (%) in Australia, 2000 to 2018.
Year % Change
2000 84.0%
2003 83.5% -0.6%
2006 81.6% -2.3%
2009 80.3% -1.6%
2012 81.0% +0.8%
2015 77.2% -4.6%
2018 75.6% -2.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 82.4% 80.3% 84.0% 4
2010s 78.0% 75.6% 81.0% 3

Countries ranked near Australia

  1. 9 United States 77.1% compare
  2. 10 Sweden 76.8% compare
  3. 11 New Zealand 76.5% compare
  4. 13 Germany 75.6% compare
  5. 14 Portugal 75.6% compare
  6. 15 Slovenia 75.4% compare

See the full ranking of 47 places →

More reference data data for Australia

All data for Australia →

Frequently asked questions

What is proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in Australia?
Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in Australia was 75.6% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education recorded in Australia?
The highest recorded value was 84.0% in 2000.
What is the lowest proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education recorded in Australia?
The lowest recorded value was 75.6% in 2018.
How does Australia rank for proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education?
Australia ranks 12th out of 47 countries with data for 2018.
Is proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education rising or falling in Australia?
Over the last ten years it is down 5.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Australia 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, male (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in Australia. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 30 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-students-at-the-end-of-lower-secondary-education-achieving-at-least-a-21/australia/

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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, male (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
47 places, 302 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/