Education > Duration of compulsory education: Countries Compared
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Author: Edria Murray, Staff editor
Education is one of the criteria for determining the United Nations <a href=/graph/eco_hum_dev_ind>HDI (Human Development Index)</a></p>
<p>For most contries the current number of years of compulsory education is higher than the <a href=/graph/edu_ave_yea_of_sch_of_adu&int=-1>average years of schooling for adults</a>. This is primarily due to increases in the duration of compulsory education.</p>
<p>This difference is most pronounced in developing nations where compulsory schooling has only recently been introduced, such as Mali, Sudan and Guinea-Bissau. Despite the move towards compulsory education, many developing nations still have a low proportion of primary school age children, especially <a href=/graph/edu_pri_sch_gir_out_of_sch>girls</a>, who are <a href=/graph/edu_sch_enr_pri_net&int=-1>enrolled</a> at any school.
<p>For most contries the current number of years of compulsory education is higher than the <a href=/graph/edu_ave_yea_of_sch_of_adu&int=-1>average years of schooling for adults</a>. This is primarily due to increases in the duration of compulsory education.</p>
<p>This difference is most pronounced in developing nations where compulsory schooling has only recently been introduced, such as Mali, Sudan and Guinea-Bissau. Despite the move towards compulsory education, many developing nations still have a low proportion of primary school age children, especially <a href=/graph/edu_pri_sch_gir_out_of_sch>girls</a>, who are <a href=/graph/edu_sch_enr_pri_net&int=-1>enrolled</a> at any school.
DEFINITION:
Duration of compulsory education is the number of grades (or years) that a child must legally be enrolled in school.
CONTENTS
# | COUNTRY | AMOUNT | DATE | GRAPH |
---|---|---|---|---|
=1 | Dominica | 13 years | 2000 | |
=1 | Netherlands | 13 years | 2000 | |
=1 | Saint Lucia | 13 years | 2000 | |
=1 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 13 years | 2000 | |
=1 | Belgium | 13 years | 2000 | |
=1 | Germany | 13 years | 2000 | |
=7 | Barbados | 12 years | 2000 | |
=7 | United Kingdom | 12 years | 2000 | |
=7 | The Bahamas | 12 years | 2000 | |
=7 | New Zealand | 12 years | 2000 | |
=7 | Bermuda | 12 years | 2000 | |
=7 | United States | 12 years | 2000 | |
=7 | Brunei | 12 years | 2000 | |
=7 | Grenada | 12 years | 2000 | |
=7 | Antigua and Barbuda | 12 years | 2000 | |
Group of 7 countries (G7) average (profile) | 11.14 years | 2000 | ||
=16 | Canada | 11 years | 2000 | |
=16 | France | 11 years | 2000 | |
=16 | Norway | 11 years | 2000 | |
=16 | Australia | 11 years | 2000 | |
=16 | Moldova | 11 years | 2000 | |
=16 | Guatemala | 11 years | 2000 | |
=16 | Spain | 11 years | 2000 | |
=16 | Gabon | 11 years | 2000 | |
=16 | Azerbaijan | 11 years | 2000 | |
=16 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 11 years | 2000 | |
=16 | Peru | 11 years | 2000 | |
=16 | Armenia | 11 years | 2000 | |
=16 | Bhutan | 11 years | 2000 | |
=16 | Malta | 11 years | 2000 | |
=16 | Iceland | 11 years | 2000 | |
=16 | Kazakhstan | 11 years | 2000 | |
=16 | Tunisia | 11 years | 2000 | |
=16 | Israel | 11 years | 1997 | |
High income OECD countries average (profile) | 10.34 years | 2000 | ||
Heavily indebted countries average (profile) | 10.13 years | 2000 | ||
Eurozone average (profile) | 10.11 years | 2000 | ||
=34 | Burkina Faso | 10 years | 2000 | |
=34 | Liberia | 10 years | 2000 | |
=34 | Monaco | 10 years | 2000 | |
=34 | Slovakia | 10 years | 2000 | |
=34 | Finland | 10 years | 2000 | |
=34 | Costa Rica | 10 years | 2000 | |
=34 | Luxembourg | 10 years | 2000 | |
=34 | Ireland | 10 years | 2000 | |
=34 | Ecuador | 10 years | 2000 | |
=34 | Netherlands Antilles | 10 years | 2000 | |
=34 | Denmark | 10 years | 2000 | |
=34 | Lebanon | 10 years | 2000 | |
=34 | Fiji | 10 years | 2000 | |
=34 | Jordan | 10 years | 2000 | |
=34 | Hungary | 10 years | 2000 | |
=34 | Mexico | 10 years | 2000 | |
=34 | Botswana | 10 years | 2000 | |
=34 | Samoa | 10 years | 2000 | |
=34 | Macau | 10 years | 2000 | |
=34 | Czech Republic | 10 years | 2000 | |
=34 | Cote d'Ivoire | 10 years | 2000 | |
=34 | Togo | 10 years | 2000 | |
=34 | Sweden | 10 years | 2000 | |
=34 | Russia | 10 years | 2000 | |
=34 | Japan | 10 years | 2000 | |
=34 | Kiribati | 10 years | 2000 | |
=34 | Seychelles | 10 years | 2000 | |
=34 | Uruguay | 10 years | 2000 | |
=34 | Kyrgyzstan | 10 years | 2000 | |
=34 | Guyana | 10 years | 2000 | |
=34 | Namibia | 10 years | 2000 | |
=34 | French Polynesia | 10 years | 1997 | |
=34 | New Caledonia | 10 years | 1997 | |
=34 | Dominican Republic | 10 years | 1997 | |
=34 | Puerto Rico | 10 years | 1997 | |
Non-religious countries average (profile) | 9.92 years | 2000 | ||
NATO countries average (profile) | 9.89 years | 2000 | ||
European Union average (profile) | 9.86 years | 2000 | ||
Europe average (profile) | 9.81 years | 2000 | ||
Former Soviet republics average (profile) | 9.77 years | 2000 | ||
Latin America and Caribbean average (profile) | 9.53 years | 2000 | ||
=69 | Madagascar | 9 years | 2000 | |
=69 | Tajikistan | 9 years | 2000 | |
=69 | Turkey | 9 years | 2000 | |
=69 | Indonesia | 9 years | 2000 | |
=69 | Libya | 9 years | 2000 | |
=69 | Portugal | 9 years | 2000 | |
=69 | El Salvador | 9 years | 2000 | |
=69 | Thailand | 9 years | 2000 | |
=69 | Belize | 9 years | 2000 | |
=69 | Georgia | 9 years | 2000 | |
=69 | Morocco | 9 years | 2000 | |
=69 | Estonia | 9 years | 2000 | |
=69 | Italy | 9 years | 2000 | |
=69 | Papua New Guinea | 9 years | 2000 | |
=69 | Mauritania | 9 years | 2000 | |
=69 | Greece | 9 years | 2000 | |
=69 | Paraguay | 9 years | 2000 | |
=69 | Lithuania | 9 years | 2000 | |
=69 | Argentina | 9 years | 2000 | |
=69 | Cyprus | 9 years | 2000 | |
=69 | Cuba | 9 years | 2000 | |
=69 | China | 9 years | 2000 | |
=69 | Ukraine | 9 years | 2000 | |
=69 | Tonga | 9 years | 2000 | |
=69 | Mali | 9 years | 2000 | |
=69 | South Africa | 9 years | 2000 | |
=69 | Austria | 9 years | 2000 | |
=69 | Latvia | 9 years | 2000 | |
=69 | Belarus | 9 years | 2000 | |
=69 | Algeria | 9 years | 2000 | |
=69 | Marshall Islands | 9 years | 2000 | |
=69 | Chile | 9 years | 2000 | |
=69 | Switzerland | 9 years | 2000 | |
=69 | Poland | 9 years | 2000 | |
=69 | Sri Lanka | 9 years | 2000 | |
=69 | Malaysia | 9 years | 1997 | |
=69 | Bahrain | 9 years | 1997 | |
Catholic countries average (profile) | 8.82 years | 2000 | ||
Emerging markets average (profile) | 8.7 years | 2000 | ||
Former Spanish colonies average (profile) | 8.56 years | 2000 | ||
=106 | Malawi | 8 years | 2000 | |
=106 | Colombia | 8 years | 2000 | |
=106 | Sudan | 8 years | 2000 | |
=106 | Republic of Macedonia | 8 years | 2000 | |
=106 | Bolivia | 8 years | 2000 | |
=106 | Ghana | 8 years | 2000 | |
=106 | Albania | 8 years | 2000 | |
=106 | Kenya | 8 years | 2000 | |
=106 | Mongolia | 8 years | 2000 | |
=106 | Somalia | 8 years | 2000 | |
=106 | Bulgaria | 8 years | 2000 | |
=106 | Romania | 8 years | 2000 | |
=106 | Brazil | 8 years | 2000 | |
=106 | Croatia | 8 years | 2000 | |
=106 | Kuwait | 8 years | 2000 | |
=106 | Comoros | 8 years | 2000 | |
=106 | India | 8 years | 1997 | |
Former French colonies average (profile) | 7.86 years | 2000 | ||
Sub-Saharan Africa average (profile) | 7.45 years | 2000 | ||
=123 | Swaziland | 7 years | 2000 | |
=123 | Tanzania | 7 years | 2000 | |
=123 | Vanuatu | 7 years | 2000 | |
=123 | Philippines | 7 years | 2000 | |
=123 | Maldives | 7 years | 2000 | |
=123 | Venezuela | 7 years | 2000 | |
=123 | Zimbabwe | 7 years | 2000 | |
=123 | Trinidad and Tobago | 7 years | 2000 | |
=123 | Slovenia | 7 years | 2000 | |
=123 | Jamaica | 7 years | 2000 | |
=123 | United Arab Emirates | 7 years | 2000 | |
=123 | Lesotho | 7 years | 2000 | |
=123 | Eritrea | 7 years | 2000 | |
=123 | Mozambique | 7 years | 2000 | |
=123 | Zambia | 7 years | 2000 | |
OPEC countries average (profile) | 6.8 years | 2000 | ||
South Asia average (profile) | 6.75 years | 2000 | ||
=138 | Ethiopia | 6 years | 2000 | |
=138 | Cameroon | 6 years | 2000 | |
=138 | Afghanistan | 6 years | 2000 | |
=138 | Mauritius | 6 years | 2000 | |
=138 | Guinea | 6 years | 2000 | |
=138 | Panama | 6 years | 2000 | |
=138 | Nigeria | 6 years | 2000 | |
=138 | Rwanda | 6 years | 2000 | |
=138 | Qatar | 6 years | 2000 | |
=138 | Suriname | 6 years | 2000 | |
=138 | Senegal | 6 years | 2000 | |
=138 | Syria | 6 years | 2000 | |
=138 | Sao Tome and Principe | 6 years | 2000 | |
=138 | Saudi Arabia | 6 years | 2000 | |
=138 | Cape Verde | 6 years | 2000 | |
=138 | Benin | 6 years | 2000 | |
=138 | Chad | 6 years | 2000 | |
=138 | Niger | 6 years | 2000 | |
=138 | Haiti | 6 years | 2000 | |
=138 | Iraq | 6 years | 2000 | |
=138 | Guinea-Bissau | 6 years | 2000 | |
=138 | Djibouti | 6 years | 2000 | |
=138 | Burundi | 6 years | 2000 | |
=138 | Nicaragua | 6 years | 2000 | |
=138 | Central African Republic | 6 years | 1997 | |
=138 | Honduras | 6 years | 1997 | |
=138 | Cambodia | 6 years | 1997 | |
=165 | Bangladesh | 5 years | 2000 | |
=165 | Pakistan | 5 years | 2000 | |
=165 | Equatorial Guinea | 5 years | 2000 | |
=165 | Vietnam | 5 years | 2000 | |
=165 | Burma | 5 years | 2000 | |
=165 | Nepal | 5 years | 1997 | |
171 | Angola | 4 years | 2000 |
Citation
0
<p>For most contries the current number of years of compulsory education is higher than the <a href=/graph/edu_ave_yea_of_sch_of_adu&int=-1>average years of schooling for adults</a>. This is primarily due to increases in the duration of compulsory education.</p>
<p>This difference is most pronounced in developing nations where compulsory schooling has only recently been introduced, such as Mali, Sudan and Guinea-Bissau. Despite the move towards compulsory education, many developing nations still have a low proportion of primary school age children, especially <a href=/graph/edu_pri_sch_gir_out_of_sch>girls</a>, who are <a href=/graph/edu_sch_enr_pri_net&int=-1>enrolled</a> at any school.
Posted on 26 Mar 2005
Edria Murray, Staff editor
0
Posted on 08 Oct 2012
(^-^)
0
A major educational policy highly correlated to students withdrawing from school prior to graduation is the experience of having been "left back" due to academic failure.
Retention is simply punitive. It plants the seed of student disaffection with school. There is no educational advantage or benefit for repeating a grade, other than getting better report card grades for the second time around the same curricular instruction.
Research in the professional journals of school social work, education, and school psychology will attest to the most significant risk-factor associated with retention, i.e., leaving school before graduation.
Early identification followed by early intervention to address the student's learning difficulties is the proven alternative to retention.
When your child's teacher proposes retention, ask for the research that endorses retention as an legitimate educational intervention.
Whenever a certificated school professional asserts any opinion, observation, comment or judgment, ask for the research that supports those claims. The board of education hires professionals for these professional expertise, not their personal opinion, beliefs, etc. Accept only research-based claims by educators. You have a right to know what the educator knows which is based not on individual experience but what research has established as currently "the best practice".
Whenever an educator says, "...because it's the law!", again just ask for the legal citation.
The only person who has federally protected privileged communication is the school social worker when holding the State's highest clinical social work license, e.g., LCSW. Licensed clinical social workers in the capacity of a school social worker is authorized to provide mental health services to your child in school. Some States may refer to such services as psychotherapy or psychotherapeutic counseling.
For students under the age of 16, parental consent is required to provide mental health services. In such a case, you, the parent have the federally protected privileged communication which you may invoke as it relates to disclosures made by the LCSW to staff members who do not need to know nor have the right to access the clinical social worker's notes.
Nor must the social worker withhold information which would interfere with a colleague's need for clinical information to perform his/her job responsibilities. It is the ethical responsibility of the clinical social worker to make the determination as to what needs to be disclosed; it is considered ethical standard of practice to seek parental consent to share confidentially acquired information.
Unless there is "a duty to warn" involved, there may be no breach of privileged communication by the licensed clinical social worker.
Posted on 04 Mar 2011
Harry Kuhn, MA, MSW, LCSW, School Social
0
Posted on 18 Apr 2010
Audrius
0
Posted on 17 Mar 2010
Sara