Secondary education, general pupils in Ireland
Ireland: Secondary education, general pupils was 49.4% in 2017. ▼ Falling
Secondary education, general pupils in Ireland, 1971–2017
Source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % female.
Analysis
In 2017, secondary education, general pupils in Ireland stood at 49.4%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 1.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, secondary education, general pupils in Ireland peaked at 55.9% in 1973 and was at its lowest, 48.8%, in 2012.
That places Ireland 129th out of 204 countries with data for 2017, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 46 years of available data.
Secondary education, general pupils in Ireland, year by year
| Year | % female | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 55.3% | — |
| 1972 | 55.5% | +0.3% |
| 1973 | 55.9% | +0.8% |
| 1974 | 55.7% | -0.4% |
| 1975 | 50.1% | -10.1% |
| 1976 | 50.0% | -0.1% |
| 1977 | 50.1% | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 50.3% | +0.6% |
| 1979 | 50.6% | +0.5% |
| 1980 | 50.9% | +0.5% |
| 1981 | 50.7% | -0.3% |
| 1982 | 50.6% | -0.2% |
| 1983 | 50.5% | -0.3% |
| 1984 | 50.4% | -0.1% |
| 1985 | 50.3% | -0.2% |
| 1986 | 50.3% | -0.2% |
| 1987 | 50.2% | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 50.2% | -0.1% |
| 1989 | 50.2% | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 50.1% | -0.1% |
| 1991 | 50.0% | -0.3% |
| 1992 | 50.0% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 50.0% | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 50.0% | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 50.1% | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 50.1% | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 50.2% | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 50.2% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 50.2% | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 50.6% | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 50.8% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 51.0% | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 50.9% | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 49.9% | -1.9% |
| 2005 | 50.2% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 50.0% | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 49.9% | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 49.7% | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 49.3% | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 49.3% | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 49.2% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 48.8% | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 49.3% | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 49.5% | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 49.5% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 49.4% | -0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 52.6% | 50.0% | 55.9% | 9 |
| 1980s | 50.4% | 50.2% | 50.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 50.1% | 50.0% | 50.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 50.2% | 49.3% | 51.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 49.3% | 48.8% | 49.5% | 7 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
- 126 Luxembourg 49.5% compare
- 127 New Zealand 49.4% compare
- 128 Andorra 49.4% compare
- 130 Germany 49.3% compare
- 131 El Salvador 49.3% compare
- 132 Burkina Faso 49.3% compare
More education data for Ireland
- 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 (2025)
- Official entrance age to pre primary education 3 (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 65.7% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 18.1% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is secondary education, general pupils in Ireland?
- Secondary education, general pupils in Ireland was 49.4% in 2017, according to Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest secondary education, general pupils recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 55.9% in 1973.
- What is the lowest secondary education, general pupils recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.8% in 2012.
- How does Ireland rank for secondary education, general pupils?
- Ireland ranks 129th out of 204 countries with data for 2017.
- Is secondary education, general pupils rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Secondary education, general pupils (% female). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Secondary general pupils are the number of secondary students enrolled in general education programs, including teacher training.