Proportion of children/young people at the age of lower secondary in Australia

Australia: Proportion of children/young people at the age of lower secondary was 77.7% in 2022. ▼ Falling

Latest (2022)
77.7%
World rank
10th
of 53 countries
All-time high
85.4%
in 2003
All-time low
77.7%
in 2022
Years of data
8
2000–2022

Proportion of children/young people at the age of lower secondary in Australia, 2000–2022

0204060802000201120222000: 84.4 %2003: 85.4 %2006: 84.2 %2009: 83.6 %2012: 83.9 %2015: 80.3 %2018: 79 %2022: 77.7 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2022, proportion of children/young people at the age of lower secondary in Australia stood at 77.7%. That is the lowest value across all 8 years on record.

The figure is down 7.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, proportion of children/young people at the age of lower secondary in Australia peaked at 85.4% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 77.7%, in 2022.

That places Australia 10th out of 53 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.

Proportion of children/young people at the age of lower secondary in Australia, year by year

Annual values for Proportion of children/young people at the age of lower secondary education prepared for the future in reading, both sexes (%) in Australia, 2000 to 2022.
Year % Change
2000 84.4%
2003 85.4% +1.2%
2006 84.2% -1.4%
2009 83.6% -0.7%
2012 83.9% +0.3%
2015 80.3% -4.2%
2018 79.0% -1.6%
2022 77.7% -1.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 84.4% 83.6% 85.4% 4
2010s 81.1% 79.0% 83.9% 3
2020s 77.7% 77.7% 77.7% 1

Countries ranked near Australia

  1. 7 United States of America 79.0% compare
  2. 8 Finland 78.3% compare
  3. 9 Italy 77.9% compare
  4. 11 Russian Federation 77.5% compare
  5. 12 Poland 76.7% compare
  6. 13 Croatia 76.3% compare

See the full ranking of 61 places →

More education data for Australia

All data for Australia →

Frequently asked questions

What is proportion of children/young people at the age of lower secondary in Australia?
Proportion of children/young people at the age of lower secondary in Australia was 77.7% in 2022, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest proportion of children/young people at the age of lower secondary recorded in Australia?
The highest recorded value was 85.4% in 2003.
What is the lowest proportion of children/young people at the age of lower secondary recorded in Australia?
The lowest recorded value was 77.7% in 2022.
How does Australia rank for proportion of children/young people at the age of lower secondary?
Australia ranks 10th out of 53 countries with data for 2022.
Is proportion of children/young people at the age of lower secondary rising or falling in Australia?
Over the last ten years it is down 7.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Australia data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Proportion of children/young people at the age of lower secondary education prepared for the future in reading, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Proportion of children/young people at the age of lower secondary in Australia. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 11 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-children-young-people-at-the-age-of-lower-secondary-education-prepared-for-2/australia/

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About this data

Indicator
Proportion of children/young people at the age of lower secondary education prepared for the future in reading, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
61 places, 539 data points, 2000–2022
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release