Proportion of children/young people at the age of lower secondary in Ireland
Ireland: Proportion of children/young people at the age of lower secondary was 84.2% in 2022. ▬ Flat
Latest (2022)
84.2%
World rank
1st
of 47 countries
All-time high
85.9%
in 2015
All-time low
74.9%
in 2009
Years of data
8
2000–2022
Proportion of children/young people at the age of lower secondary in Ireland, 2000–2022
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2022, proportion of children/young people at the age of lower secondary in Ireland stood at 84.2%.
The figure is down 1.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of children/young people at the age of lower secondary in Ireland peaked at 85.9% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 74.9%, in 2009.
That places Ireland 1st out of 47 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top 10%.
Proportion of children/young people at the age of lower secondary in Ireland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 83.3% | — |
| 2003 | 82.7% | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 80.8% | -2.2% |
| 2009 | 74.9% | -7.3% |
| 2012 | 85.1% | +13.6% |
| 2015 | 85.9% | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 83.4% | -3.0% |
| 2022 | 84.2% | +1.0% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 84.2% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 66.4%, 1.3× the median. (30 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 84.2% is above the median for high income countries, which is 66.6%, 1.3× the median. (36 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 80.4% | 74.9% | 83.3% | 4 |
| 2010s | 84.8% | 83.4% | 85.9% | 3 |
| 2020s | 84.2% | 84.2% | 84.2% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More education data for Ireland
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 32,531 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 1,942 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 52,745 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 49,975 (2022)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 456,625 (2022)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 548,873 (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.49 % change on previous year (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1053 units per person (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of children/young people at the age of lower secondary in Ireland?
- Proportion of children/young people at the age of lower secondary in Ireland was 84.2% 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 Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 85.9% in 2015.
- What is the lowest proportion of children/young people at the age of lower secondary recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 74.9% in 2009.
- How does Ireland rank for proportion of children/young people at the age of lower secondary?
- Ireland ranks 1st out of 47 countries with data for 2022.
- Is proportion of children/young people at the age of lower secondary rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Ireland 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, male (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 8 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release