Theoretical duration of lower secondary education (years) in New Zealand
New Zealand: Theoretical duration of lower secondary education (years) was 4 years in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
4 years
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
18th
of 221 countries
All-time high
4 years
in 1970
All-time low
4 years
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Theoretical duration of lower secondary education in New Zealand, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
New Zealand recorded 4 years for theoretical duration of lower secondary education in 2025. That is the highest value across all 56 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, theoretical duration of lower secondary education in New Zealand peaked at 4 years in 1970 and was at its lowest, 4 years, in 1970.
That places New Zealand 18th out of 221 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
Theoretical duration of lower secondary education (years) in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 4 years | — |
| 1971 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 4 years | +0.0% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 4 years is above the median for high income countries, which is 3 years, 1.3× the median. (79 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 4 years is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3 years, 1.3× the median. (35 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4 years | 4 years | 4 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 4 years | 4 years | 4 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 4 years | 4 years | 4 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 4 years | 4 years | 4 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 4 years | 4 years | 4 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 4 years | 4 years | 4 years | 6 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 18 Albania 4 years compare
- 18 Andorra 4 years compare
- 18 United Arab Emirates 4 years compare
- 18 American Samoa 4 years compare
- 18 Australia 4 years compare
- 18 Austria 4 years compare
- 18 Benin 4 years compare
- 18 Burkina Faso 4 years compare
- 18 Bosnia and Herzegovina 4 years compare
- 18 Belize 4 years compare
- 18 Brazil 4 years compare
- 18 Bhutan 4 years compare
- 18 Central African Republic 4 years compare
- 18 Cote d'Ivoire 4 years compare
- 18 Cameroon 4 years compare
- 18 Congo 4 years compare
- 18 Cook Islands 4 years compare
- 18 Colombia 4 years compare
- 18 Comoros 4 years compare
- 18 Curacao 4 years compare
- 18 Czechia 4 years compare
- 18 Djibouti 4 years compare
- 18 Algeria 4 years compare
- 18 Ethiopia 4 years compare
- 18 Fiji 4 years compare
- 18 France 4 years compare
- 18 Gabon 4 years compare
- 18 Guinea 4 years compare
- 18 Guadeloupe 4 years compare
- 18 Equatorial Guinea 4 years compare
- 18 French Guiana 4 years compare
- 18 Croatia 4 years compare
- 18 Hungary 4 years compare
- 18 Jordan 4 years compare
- 18 Kuwait 4 years compare
- 18 Laos 4 years compare
- 18 Liechtenstein 4 years compare
- 18 Sri Lanka 4 years compare
- 18 Monaco 4 years compare
- 18 Madagascar 4 years compare
- 18 Maldives 4 years compare
- 18 North Macedonia 4 years compare
- 18 Myanmar 4 years compare
- 18 Montenegro 4 years compare
- 18 Mongolia 4 years compare
- 18 Mauritania 4 years compare
- 18 Martinique 4 years compare
- 18 Malawi 4 years compare
- 18 New Caledonia 4 years compare
- 18 Niger 4 years compare
- 18 Niue 4 years compare
- 18 Nauru 4 years compare
- 18 Philippines 4 years compare
- 18 Papua New Guinea 4 years compare
- 18 Poland 4 years compare
- 18 French Polynesia 4 years compare
- 18 Reunion 4 years compare
- 18 Romania 4 years compare
- 18 Senegal 4 years compare
- 18 Somalia 4 years compare
- 18 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 4 years compare
- 18 Serbia 4 years compare
- 18 Suriname 4 years compare
- 18 Chad 4 years compare
- 18 Togo 4 years compare
- 18 Tonga 4 years compare
- 18 Turkey 4 years compare
- 18 Tuvalu 4 years compare
- 18 Tanzania 4 years compare
- 18 Uganda 4 years compare
- 18 Vietnam 4 years compare
- 18 Vanuatu 4 years compare
More education data for New Zealand
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 36,426 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 12,020 (1992)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 56,552 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 53,804 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 562,417 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 383,018 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.15 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0724 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is theoretical duration of lower secondary education in New Zealand?
- Theoretical duration of lower secondary education in New Zealand was 4 years in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest theoretical duration of lower secondary education recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 4 years in 1970.
- What is the lowest theoretical duration of lower secondary education recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 4 years in 1970.
- How does New Zealand rank for theoretical duration of lower secondary education?
- New Zealand ranks 18th out of 221 countries with data for 2025.
- Is theoretical duration of lower secondary education rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Theoretical duration of lower secondary education (years). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release