Participation rate in formal and non-formal education and training in Ireland
Ireland: Participation rate in formal and non-formal education and training was 25.5% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Participation rate in formal and non-formal education and training in Ireland, 2002–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Ireland recorded 25.5% for participation rate in formal and non-formal education and training in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.6% on the previous year and up 47.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, participation rate in formal and non-formal education and training in Ireland peaked at 25.8% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 15.8%, in 2009.
Ireland ranks 11th of 110 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.
Participation rate in formal and non-formal education and training in Ireland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 18.8% | — |
| 2003 | 21.9% | +16.8% |
| 2004 | 19.0% | -13.3% |
| 2005 | 19.1% | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 19.3% | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 16.4% | -15.0% |
| 2008 | 16.1% | -2.1% |
| 2009 | 15.8% | -1.6% |
| 2010 | 16.5% | +4.3% |
| 2011 | 16.6% | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 17.0% | +2.1% |
| 2013 | 17.3% | +2.0% |
| 2014 | 17.0% | -1.7% |
| 2015 | 16.5% | -2.9% |
| 2016 | 16.4% | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 19.5% | +18.9% |
| 2018 | 23.0% | +18.2% |
| 2019 | 23.5% | +2.1% |
| 2020 | 22.2% | -5.5% |
| 2021 | 25.8% | +16.0% |
| 2022 | 24.2% | -6.1% |
| 2023 | 25.5% | +5.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 18.3% | 15.8% | 21.9% | 8 |
| 2010s | 18.3% | 16.4% | 23.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 24.4% | 22.2% | 25.8% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More education data for Ireland
- Theoretical duration of pre-primary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (pre-primary to post-secondary non) 0.0494 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of lower secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of secondary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), gaps filled 2,021 tertiary education (2022)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), annual growth 0.0495 % change on previous year (2022)
- 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 years (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is participation rate in formal and non-formal education and training in Ireland?
- Participation rate in formal and non-formal education and training in Ireland was 25.5% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest participation rate in formal and non-formal education and training recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 25.8% in 2021.
- What is the lowest participation rate in formal and non-formal education and training recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.8% in 2009.
- How does Ireland rank for participation rate in formal and non-formal education and training?
- Ireland ranks 11th out of 110 countries with data for 2023.
- Is participation rate in formal and non-formal education and training rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 47.5%. 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 – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Participation rate in formal and non-formal education and training. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Participation rate in formal and non-formal education and training, by sex (%).