School life expectancy, secondary, both sexes (years) (life both) in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: School life expectancy, secondary, both sexes (years) (life both) was 8.17 years in 2024. ◆ Volatile
School life expectancy, secondary, both sexes in United Arab Emirates, 1971–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
In 2024, school life expectancy, secondary, both sexes in United Arab Emirates stood at 8.17 years.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 48.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school life expectancy, secondary, both sexes in United Arab Emirates peaked at 8.21 years in 2021 and was at its lowest, 0.7655 years, in 1971.
United Arab Emirates ranks 14th of 214 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
School life expectancy, secondary, both sexes (years) (life both) in United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 0.7655 years | — |
| 1972 | 0.9022 years | +17.9% |
| 1973 | 0.9443 years | +4.7% |
| 1974 | 0.9004 years | -4.6% |
| 1975 | 1.15 years | +27.4% |
| 1976 | 1.78 years | +55.4% |
| 1977 | 1.9 years | +6.5% |
| 1978 | 1.94 years | +2.2% |
| 1979 | 2.31 years | +19.2% |
| 1980 | 2.61 years | +12.8% |
| 1981 | 3.06 years | +17.3% |
| 1982 | 3.3 years | +7.6% |
| 1983 | 3.47 years | +5.3% |
| 1984 | 3.68 years | +6.2% |
| 1985 | 3.83 years | +4.1% |
| 1986 | 3.95 years | +3.1% |
| 1987 | 3.35 years | -15.2% |
| 1988 | 3.16 years | -5.7% |
| 1989 | 3.16 years | +0.1% |
| 1990 | 3.29 years | +4.0% |
| 1991 | 3.52 years | +7.0% |
| 1992 | 3.74 years | +6.3% |
| 1993 | 4.02 years | +7.4% |
| 1994 | 4.37 years | +8.8% |
| 1995 | 4.66 years | +6.5% |
| 1997 | 4.06 years | -12.8% |
| 1998 | 3.77 years | -7.2% |
| 1999 | 3.72 years | -1.3% |
| 2000 | 7.02 years | +88.6% |
| 2001 | 7.34 years | +4.5% |
| 2003 | 7.83 years | +6.6% |
| 2004 | 7.41 years | -5.3% |
| 2005 | 7.03 years | -5.2% |
| 2006 | 6.84 years | -2.7% |
| 2011 | 5.32 years | -22.2% |
| 2012 | 5.28 years | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 5.33 years | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 5.5 years | +3.1% |
| 2017 | 5.6 years | +1.9% |
| 2018 | 7.06 years | +26.1% |
| 2019 | 7.04 years | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 7.92 years | +12.5% |
| 2021 | 8.21 years | +3.6% |
| 2022 | 8.19 years | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 8.07 years | -1.5% |
| 2024 | 8.17 years | +1.3% |
United Arab Emirates compared with similar countries
- United Arab Emirates's 8.17 years is above the median for high income countries, which is 6.57 years, 1.2× the median. (76 countries reporting)
- United Arab Emirates's 8.17 years is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 5.81 years, 1.4× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where School life expectancy, secondary, both sexes (years) (life both) in United Arab Emirates changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | +88.6% | 3.72 years | 7.02 years |
| 1976 | +55.4% | 1.15 years | 1.78 years |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.4 years | 0.7655 years | 2.31 years | 9 |
| 1980s | 3.36 years | 2.61 years | 3.95 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.91 years | 3.29 years | 4.66 years | 9 |
| 2000s | 7.24 years | 6.84 years | 7.83 years | 6 |
| 2010s | 5.88 years | 5.28 years | 7.06 years | 7 |
| 2020s | 8.11 years | 7.92 years | 8.21 years | 5 |
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 school life expectancy, secondary, both sexes in United Arab Emirates?
- School life expectancy, secondary, both sexes in United Arab Emirates was 8.17 years in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school life expectancy, secondary, both sexes recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was 8.21 years in 2021.
- What is the lowest school life expectancy, secondary, both sexes recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.7655 years in 1971.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for school life expectancy, secondary, both sexes?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 14th out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
- Is school life expectancy, secondary, both sexes rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is up 48.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Arab Emirates data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School life expectancy, secondary, both sexes (years). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 46 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release