Number of years of compulsory primary and secondary education in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Number of years of compulsory primary and secondary education was 12 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
12
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
3rd
of 73 countries
All-time high
12
in 2012
All-time low
6
in 1999
Years of data
27
1999–2025
Number of years of compulsory primary and secondary education in United Arab Emirates, 1999–2025
Source: UNICEF.
Analysis
United Arab Emirates recorded 12 for number of years of compulsory primary and secondary education in 2025. That is the highest value across all 27 years on record.
That represents a change of unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of years of compulsory primary and secondary education in United Arab Emirates peaked at 12 in 2012 and was at its lowest, 6, in 1999.
United Arab Emirates ranks 3rd of 73 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 27 years of available data.
Number of years of compulsory primary and secondary education in United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 6 | — |
| 2000 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 12 | +100.0% |
| 2013 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 12 | +0.0% |
United Arab Emirates compared with similar countries
- United Arab Emirates's 12 is above the median for high income countries, which is 10, 1.2× the median. (42 countries reporting)
- United Arab Emirates's 12 is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 9.5, 1.3× the median. (20 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 6 | 6 | 6 | 1 |
| 2000s | 6 | 6 | 6 | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.8 | 6 | 12 | 10 |
| 2020s | 12 | 12 | 12 | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
More education data for United Arab Emirates
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 106,178 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 305 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 119,159 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 125,307 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 894,302 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 586,477 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 5.74 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0534 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of years of compulsory primary and secondary education in United Arab Emirates?
- Number of years of compulsory primary and secondary education in United Arab Emirates was 12 in 2025, according to UNICEF.
- What is the highest number of years of compulsory primary and secondary education recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was 12 in 2012.
- What is the lowest number of years of compulsory primary and secondary education recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was 6 in 1999.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for number of years of compulsory primary and secondary education?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 3rd out of 73 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of years of compulsory primary and secondary education rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Arab Emirates data come from?
- The figures come from UNICEF, published as part of Number of years of compulsory primary and secondary education guaranteed in legal frameworks. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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