Duration of pre-primary education by country
The average number of years that a child is expected to spend in pre-primary education, defined by country's official educational regulations or laws.
Countries reporting
217
Highest
4 years
Bulgaria
Lowest
1 years
Saint Helena
Median
3 years
Years covered
56
1970–2025
Data points
12,020
What the numbers show
Duration of pre-primary education is currently reported for 217 countries. The highest value is 4 years in Bulgaria; the lowest is 1 years in Saint Helena.
The median across all reporting countries is 3 years, and the mean is 2.71 years.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 4.
Over the past decade 6 countries rose and 7 fell. The largest increase was in Angola (up 200.0%), and the largest decrease in Marshall Islands (down 50.0%).
Duration of pre-primary education: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bulgaria | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Estonia | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Finland | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Georgia | 4 years | 2025 | up 33.3% | rising |
| 1 | Gambia | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Croatia | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Hungary | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Kyrgyzstan | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Lithuania | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Latvia | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Moldova | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Mongolia | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Papua New Guinea | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Poland | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Russia | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Serbia | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Sweden | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Tajikistan | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Uzbekistan | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | South Africa | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Zambia | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | French Guiana | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Reunion | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Saint Pierre and Miquelon | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Angola | 3 years | 2025 | up 200.0% | falling |
| 27 | Albania | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Andorra | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Argentina | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Armenia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | American Samoa | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Austria | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Azerbaijan | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Burundi | 3 years | 2025 | up 50.0% | falling |
| 27 | Belgium | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Burkina Faso | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Bangladesh | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Bahrain | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Belarus | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Brunei | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Bhutan | 3 years | 2025 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 27 | Botswana | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Central African Republic | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Canada | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Chile | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | China | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Cote d'Ivoire | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Congo | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Colombia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Comoros | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Cape Verde | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Cuba | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 27 | Curacao | 3 years | 2025 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 27 | Cyprus | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Czechia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Germany | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Denmark | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 27 | Dominican Republic | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Ecuador | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 27 | Spain | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Ethiopia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Fiji | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | France | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Micronesia (country) | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Gabon | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Guinea | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Guinea-Bissau | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Equatorial Guinea | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Guatemala | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Hong Kong | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Honduras | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Haiti | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | India | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Iceland | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Israel | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Italy | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Jamaica | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Japan | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Kazakhstan | 3 years | 2025 | down 25.0% | falling |
| 27 | Kenya | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Cambodia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Kiribati | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | South Korea | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 27 | Laos | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Lebanon | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Liberia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Lesotho | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Macao | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Monaco | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Madagascar | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Mexico | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | North Macedonia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Mali | 3 years | 2025 | down 25.0% | rising |
| 27 | Montenegro | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Mozambique | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Mauritania | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Malawi | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | New Caledonia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Niger | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Nicaragua | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Netherlands | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Norway | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Peru | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Palau | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Puerto Rico | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Portugal | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Paraguay | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | French Polynesia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Qatar | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Romania | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Rwanda | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Saudi Arabia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Senegal | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Singapore | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Solomon Islands | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Sierra Leone | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | El Salvador | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | San Marino | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Somalia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | South Sudan | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Sao Tome and Principe | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Slovakia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Slovenia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Eswatini | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Sint Maarten (Dutch part) | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Syria | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Chad | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Togo | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Thailand | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Turkmenistan | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | East Timor | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Tunisia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Turkey | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Tuvalu | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Uganda | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Ukraine | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Uruguay | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | United States | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Venezuela | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Vietnam | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Yemen | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Aruba | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | United Arab Emirates | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Antigua and Barbuda | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Australia | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 146 | Benin | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 146 | Bahamas | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Belize | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 146 | Bolivia | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Brazil | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 146 | Barbados | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Switzerland | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Cameroon | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Costa Rica | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Cayman Islands | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 146 | Djibouti | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Dominica | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Egypt | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Eritrea | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | United Kingdom | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Ghana | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Gibraltar | 2 years | 2025 | up 100.0% | rising |
| 146 | Greece | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Grenada | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Guyana | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Indonesia | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Iraq | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Jordan | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Kuwait | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Libya | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Saint Lucia | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Sri Lanka | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 146 | Morocco | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Maldives | 2 years | 2025 | down 33.3% | rising |
| 146 | Myanmar | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 146 | Mauritius | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Malaysia | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Namibia | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 146 | Nepal | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 146 | Nauru | 2 years | 2025 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 146 | New Zealand | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Oman | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Pakistan | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Panama | 2 years | 2025 | down 33.3% | rising |
| 146 | North Korea | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Palestine | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Sudan | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Suriname | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Seychelles | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Tonga | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 146 | Trinidad and Tobago | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | British Virgin Islands | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Vanuatu | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 146 | Samoa | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Zimbabwe | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 146 | Western Sahara | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Anguilla | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Cook Islands | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 146 | Montserrat | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Tokelau | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 211 | Afghanistan | 1 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 211 | Bermuda | 1 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 211 | Algeria | 1 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 211 | Guam | 1 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 211 | Iran | 1 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 211 | Marshall Islands | 1 years | 2025 | down 50.0% | falling |
| 211 | Nigeria | 1 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 211 | Philippines | 1 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 211 | Tanzania | 1 years | 2025 | down 50.0% | falling |
| 211 | United States Virgin Islands | 1 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 211 | Niue | 1 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 211 | Falkland Islands | 1 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 211 | Saint Helena | 1 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
About this data
The average number of years that a child is expected to spend in pre-primary education, defined by country's official educational regulations or laws.