Completion rate, lower secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) in Ireland
Ireland: Completion rate, lower secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) was 98.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Completion rate, lower secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) in Ireland, 1981–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for completion rate, lower secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) in Ireland is 98.8%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 0.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, completion rate, lower secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) in Ireland peaked at 98.8% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 93.1%, in 1981.
That places Ireland 24th out of 164 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
Completion rate, lower secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) in Ireland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 93.1% | — |
| 1982 | 93.3% | +0.2% |
| 1983 | 93.5% | +0.2% |
| 1984 | 93.7% | +0.2% |
| 1985 | 93.8% | +0.2% |
| 1986 | 94.1% | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 94.3% | +0.3% |
| 1988 | 94.6% | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 94.9% | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 95.2% | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 95.5% | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 95.8% | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 96.0% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 96.2% | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 96.3% | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 96.5% | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 96.6% | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 96.6% | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 96.7% | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 96.8% | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 96.8% | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 96.9% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 97.0% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 97.1% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 97.2% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 97.3% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 97.4% | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 97.5% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 97.7% | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 97.8% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 98.0% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 98.0% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 98.1% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 98.1% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 98.2% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 98.2% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 98.3% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 98.4% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 98.5% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 98.5% | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 98.6% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 98.7% | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 98.7% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 98.8% | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 98.8% | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 93.9% | 93.1% | 94.9% | 9 |
| 1990s | 96.1% | 95.2% | 96.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 97.2% | 96.8% | 97.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 98.2% | 97.8% | 98.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 98.7% | 98.5% | 98.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More education data for Ireland
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 42,162 (2023)
- Duration of pre primary education, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Duration of pre primary education 2 (2025)
- Official entrance age to pre primary education 3 (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 65.7% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 18.1% (2025)
- Lower secondary school starting age 13 years (2025)
- Primary school starting age 5 years (2025)
- Primary secondary enrollment completion rates, gaps filled 96.48 (2022)
- School enrollment, primary 96.5% (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is completion rate, lower secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) in Ireland?
- Completion rate, lower secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) in Ireland was 98.8% in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest completion rate, lower secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 98.8% in 2025.
- What is the lowest completion rate, lower secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 93.1% in 1981.
- How does Ireland rank for completion rate, lower secondary education, both sexes (modelled data)?
- Ireland ranks 24th out of 164 countries with data for 2025.
- Is completion rate, lower secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Completion rate, lower secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release