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: 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 |
| 1 | Tokelau | 5 years | 2025 | up 25.0% | rising |
| 2 | Cook Islands | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 2 | Niue | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 4 | Anguilla | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 4 | Montserrat | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 4 | Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 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 | Republic of Moldova | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Palestine, State of | 5 years | 2025 | down 16.7% | falling |
| 5 | Russia | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Slovak Republic | 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 |
| 17 | Albania | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Andorra | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | United Arab Emirates | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 17 | American Samoa | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 17 | Australia | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 17 | Austria | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Benin | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Burkina Faso | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Belize | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Brazil | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Bhutan | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 17 | Central African Republic | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Côte d'Ivoire | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Cameroon | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Congo | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Colombia | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Comoros | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Curaçao | 4 years | 2025 | up 100.0% | rising |
| 17 | Czechia | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Djibouti | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Algeria | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Ethiopia | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 17 | Fiji | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | France | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Gabon | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Guinea | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 17 | Equatorial Guinea | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Croatia | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Hungary | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Jordan | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Kuwait | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Lao People's Democratic Republic | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 17 | Liechtenstein | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Sri Lanka | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 17 | Monaco | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Madagascar | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Maldives | 4 years | 2025 | up 33.3% | falling |
| 17 | North Macedonia | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Myanmar | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Montenegro | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Mongolia | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 17 | Mauritania | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 17 | Malawi | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 17 | New Caledonia | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Niger | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Naoero | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 17 | New Zealand | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Philippines | 4 years | 2025 | up 33.3% | rising |
| 17 | Papua New Guinea | 4 years | 2025 | up 100.0% | rising |
| 17 | Poland | 4 years | 2025 | up 33.3% | rising |
| 17 | French Polynesia | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Romania | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Senegal | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Somalia | 4 years | 2025 | up 100.0% | rising |
| 17 | Serbia | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Suriname | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Chad | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Togo | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Tonga | 4 years | 2025 | down 20.0% | rising |
| 17 | Türkiye | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 17 | Tuvalu | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Tanzania, United Republic of | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Uganda | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Viet Nam | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 17 | Vanuatu | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | French Guiana | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Guadeloupe | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Martinique | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Réunion | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Saint Pierre and Miquelon | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Afghanistan | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Angola | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 88 | Argentina | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Antigua and Barbuda | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Burundi | 3 years | 2025 | down 25.0% | falling |
| 88 | Bangladesh | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 88 | Bulgaria | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 88 | Bahrain | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Bahamas | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Bermuda | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Barbados | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Botswana | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 88 | Canada | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 88 | Switzerland | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | China (People’s Republic of) | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 88 | Cape Verde | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Costa Rica | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Cuba | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 88 | Cayman Islands | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Cyprus | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Dominica | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Denmark | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Dominican Republic | 3 years | 2025 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 88 | Ecuador | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Egypt | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Eritrea | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 88 | Spain | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 88 | Estonia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Finland | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | United Kingdom | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Georgia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 88 | Ghana | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 88 | Gibraltar | 3 years | 2025 | up 50.0% | falling |
| 88 | Gambia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 88 | Guinea-Bissau | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Greece | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Grenada | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Guatemala | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Guyana | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Hong Kong, China | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 88 | Honduras | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Haiti | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Indonesia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | India | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Ireland | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Iran, Islamic Republic of | 3 years | 2025 | up 50.0% | falling |
| 88 | Iraq | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Iceland | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Israel | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Italy | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Jamaica | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Japan | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Cambodia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Kiribati | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 88 | Korea | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Lebanon | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 88 | Liberia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Libya | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Saint Lucia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Lesotho | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Luxembourg | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Latvia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 88 | Macau, China | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Morocco | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 88 | Mexico | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Mali | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Malta | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 88 | Mozambique | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 88 | Mauritius | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Malaysia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Namibia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Nigeria | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 88 | Nicaragua | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Netherlands | 3 years | 2025 | down 25.0% | rising |
| 88 | Norway | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Nepal | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 88 | Pakistan | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Panama | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Peru | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 88 | Puerto Rico | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Democratic People’s Republic of Korea | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Portugal | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Paraguay | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Qatar | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Rwanda | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 88 | Saudi Arabia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Sudan | 3 years | 2025 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 88 | Solomon Islands | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Sierra Leone | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 88 | El Salvador | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | San Marino | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Sao Tome and Principe | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 88 | Slovenia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 88 | Sweden | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Eswatini | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Seychelles | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Syrian Arab Republic | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 88 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Thailand | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Timor-Leste | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Trinidad and Tobago | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Tunisia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Uruguay | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | United States | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 88 | Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | British Virgin Islands | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | United States Virgin Islands | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Yemen | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 88 | Western Sahara | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 199 | Aruba | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 199 | Belgium | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 199 | Bolivia, Plurinational State of | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 199 | Brunei Darussalam | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 199 | Chile | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 199 | Congo, Democratic Republic of the | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 199 | Micronesia, Federated States of | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 199 | Kenya | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 199 | Marshall Islands | 2 years | 2025 | down 50.0% | rising |
| 199 | Palau | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 199 | Singapore | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 199 | South Sudan | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 199 | Sint Maarten | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 199 | Samoa | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 199 | South Africa | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 199 | Zambia | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 199 | Zimbabwe | 2 years | 2025 | down 50.0% | rising |
About this data
February 2026 Data Release