Theoretical duration of lower secondary education (years) by country
February 2026 Data Release
Countries reporting
221
Highest
6 years
Germany
Lowest
2 years
Zimbabwe
Median
3 years
Years covered
56
1970–2025
Data points
11,823
What the numbers show
Theoretical duration of lower secondary education (years) is currently reported for 221 countries. The highest value is 6 years in Germany; the lowest is 2 years in Zimbabwe.
The median across all reporting countries is 3 years, and the mean is 3.43 years.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 3.
Over the past decade 12 countries rose and 6 fell. The largest increase was in Oman (up 100.0%), and the largest decrease in Marshall Islands (down 50.0%).
Theoretical duration of lower secondary education (years): full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Germany | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Lithuania | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Oman | 6 years | 2025 | up 100.0% | rising |
| 1 | Turkmenistan | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 5 | Armenia | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Azerbaijan | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Belarus | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 5 | Kazakhstan | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Kyrgyzstan | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Moldova | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Palestine | 5 years | 2025 | down 16.7% | falling |
| 5 | Russia | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Slovakia | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 5 | Tajikistan | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Ukraine | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Uzbekistan | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Tokelau | 5 years | 2025 | up 25.0% | rising |
| 18 | Albania | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Andorra | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | United Arab Emirates | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 18 | American Samoa | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 18 | Australia | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 18 | Austria | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Benin | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Burkina Faso | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Belize | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Brazil | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Bhutan | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 18 | Central African Republic | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Cote d'Ivoire | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Cameroon | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Congo | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Colombia | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Comoros | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Curacao | 4 years | 2025 | up 100.0% | rising |
| 18 | Czechia | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Djibouti | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Algeria | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Ethiopia | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 18 | Fiji | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | France | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Gabon | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Guinea | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 18 | Equatorial Guinea | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Croatia | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Hungary | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Jordan | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Kuwait | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Laos | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 18 | Liechtenstein | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Sri Lanka | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 18 | Monaco | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Madagascar | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Maldives | 4 years | 2025 | up 33.3% | falling |
| 18 | North Macedonia | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Myanmar | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Montenegro | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Mongolia | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 18 | Mauritania | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 18 | Malawi | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 18 | New Caledonia | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Niger | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Nauru | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 18 | New Zealand | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Philippines | 4 years | 2025 | up 33.3% | rising |
| 18 | Papua New Guinea | 4 years | 2025 | up 100.0% | rising |
| 18 | Poland | 4 years | 2025 | up 33.3% | rising |
| 18 | French Polynesia | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Romania | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Senegal | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Somalia | 4 years | 2025 | up 100.0% | rising |
| 18 | Serbia | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Suriname | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Chad | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Togo | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Tonga | 4 years | 2025 | down 20.0% | rising |
| 18 | Turkey | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 18 | Tuvalu | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Tanzania | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Uganda | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Vietnam | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 18 | Vanuatu | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | French Guiana | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Guadeloupe | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Martinique | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Reunion | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Cook Islands | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 18 | Niue | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Saint Pierre and Miquelon | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Afghanistan | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Angola | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 91 | Argentina | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Antigua and Barbuda | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Burundi | 3 years | 2025 | down 25.0% | falling |
| 91 | Bangladesh | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 91 | Bulgaria | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 91 | Bahrain | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Bahamas | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Bermuda | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Barbados | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Botswana | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 91 | Canada | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 91 | Switzerland | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | China | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 91 | Cape Verde | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Costa Rica | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Cuba | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 91 | Cayman Islands | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Cyprus | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Dominica | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Denmark | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Dominican Republic | 3 years | 2025 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 91 | Ecuador | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Egypt | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Eritrea | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 91 | Spain | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 91 | Estonia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Finland | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | United Kingdom | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Georgia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 91 | Ghana | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 91 | Gibraltar | 3 years | 2025 | up 50.0% | falling |
| 91 | Gambia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 91 | Guinea-Bissau | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Greece | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Grenada | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Guatemala | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Guyana | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Hong Kong | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 91 | Honduras | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Haiti | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Indonesia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | India | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Ireland | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Iran | 3 years | 2025 | up 50.0% | falling |
| 91 | Iraq | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Iceland | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Israel | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Italy | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Jamaica | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Japan | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Cambodia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Kiribati | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 91 | South Korea | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Lebanon | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 91 | Liberia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Libya | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Saint Lucia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Lesotho | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Luxembourg | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Latvia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 91 | Macao | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Morocco | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 91 | Mexico | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Mali | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Malta | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 91 | Mozambique | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 91 | Mauritius | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Malaysia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Namibia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Nigeria | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 91 | Nicaragua | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Netherlands | 3 years | 2025 | down 25.0% | rising |
| 91 | Norway | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Nepal | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 91 | Pakistan | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Panama | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Peru | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 91 | Puerto Rico | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | North Korea | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Portugal | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Paraguay | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Qatar | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Rwanda | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 91 | Saudi Arabia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Sudan | 3 years | 2025 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 91 | Solomon Islands | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Sierra Leone | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 91 | El Salvador | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | San Marino | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Sao Tome and Principe | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 91 | Slovenia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 91 | Sweden | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Eswatini | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Seychelles | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Syria | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 91 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Thailand | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | East Timor | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Trinidad and Tobago | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Tunisia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Uruguay | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | United States | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 91 | Venezuela | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | British Virgin Islands | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | United States Virgin Islands | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Yemen | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Western Sahara | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Anguilla | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Montserrat | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 91 | Saint Helena | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 205 | Aruba | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 205 | Belgium | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 205 | Bolivia | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 205 | Brunei | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 205 | Chile | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 205 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 205 | Micronesia (country) | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 205 | Kenya | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 205 | Marshall Islands | 2 years | 2025 | down 50.0% | rising |
| 205 | Palau | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 205 | Singapore | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 205 | South Sudan | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 205 | Sint Maarten (Dutch part) | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 205 | Samoa | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 205 | South Africa | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 205 | Zambia | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 205 | Zimbabwe | 2 years | 2025 | down 50.0% | rising |
About this data
February 2026 Data Release