Which has higher lower secondary school starting age, Congo or South Korea?

Congo, at 12 years against 12 years in South Korea as of 2025.

How many years of comparable data are there for Congo and South Korea?

56 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 2025.

Where does this data come from?

Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as Lower secondary school starting age (years). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Congo vs South Korea: Lower secondary school starting age

Congo

12 years

in 2025

South Korea

12 years

in 2025

Congo rank

30th

South Korea rank

30th

Lower secondary school starting age over time

Congo
South Korea

How they compare

Congo currently reports 12 years against 12 years in South Korea, a difference of 0 years.

Across all 56 years both countries report, South Korea has been ahead every year.

Congo ranks 30th and South Korea ranks 30th of 209 countries.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Congo	South Korea	Ahead
1970s	12 years	12 years	—
1980s	12 years	12 years	—
1990s	12 years	12 years	—
2000s	12 years	12 years	—
2010s	12 years	12 years	—
2020s	12 years	12 years	—

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher lower secondary school starting age, Congo or South Korea?: Congo, at 12 years against 12 years in South Korea as of 2025.
What is the difference in lower secondary school starting age between Congo and South Korea?: 0 years, with Congo ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Congo and South Korea?: 56 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 2025.
How do Congo and South Korea rank globally for lower secondary school starting age?: Congo ranks 30th and South Korea ranks 30th of 209 countries.
Where does this data come from?: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as Lower secondary school starting age (years). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Individual pages

About this data

Indicator: Lower secondary school starting age (years)
Unit: years
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage: 209 places, 11,411 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed: 06 August 2026

Lower secondary school starting age is the age at which students would enter lower secondary education, assuming they had started at the official entrance age for the lowest level of education, had studied full-time throughout and had progressed through the system without repeating or skipping a grade.