The primary school completion rate worldwide was 88.2 percent in 2023. Between 1970 and 2023, the rate rose by 12.61 percentage points, though the increase followed an uneven trajectory rather than a consistent upward trend.

Out of the OECD countries, Luxembourg was the country that spent the most on educational institutions per full-time student in 2020. On average, 23,000 U.S dollars were spent on primary education, nearly 27,000 U.S dollars on secondary education, and around 53,000 U.S dollars on tertiary education. The United States followed behind, with Norway in third. Meanwhile, the lowest spending was in Mexico.

Abstract

The dashboard project collects new data in each country using three new instruments: a School Survey, a Policy Survey, and a Survey of Public Officials. Data collection involves school visits, classroom observations, legislative reviews, teacher and student assessments, and interviews with teachers, principals, and public officials. In addition, the project draws on some existing data sources to complement the new data it collects. A major objective of the GEPD project was to develop focused, cost-effective instruments and data-collection procedures, so that the dashboard can be inexpensive enough to be applied (and re-applied) in many countries. The team achieved this by streamlining and simplifying existing instruments, and thereby reducing the time required for data collection and training of enumerators.

Geographic coverage

National

Analysis unit

Schools, teachers, students, public officials

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

The aim of the Global Education Policy Dashboard school survey is to produce nationally representative estimates, which will be able to detect changes in the indicators over time at a minimum power of 80% and with a 0.05 significance level. We also wish to detect differences by urban/rural location. For our school survey, we will employ a two-stage random sample design, where in the first stage a sample of typically around 200 schools, based on local conditions, is drawn, chosen in advance by the Bank staff. In the second stage, a sample of teachers and students will be drawn to answer questions from our survey modules, chosen in the field. A total of 10 teachers will be sampled for absenteeism. Five teachers will be interviewed and given a content knowledge exam. Three 1st grade students will be assessed at random, and a classroom of 4th grade students will be assessed at random. Stratification will be based on the school’s urban/rural classification and based on region. When stratifying by region, we will work with our partners within the country to make sure we include all relevant geographical divisions. For our Survey of Public Officials, we will sample a total of 200 public officials. Roughly 60 officials are typically surveyed at the federal level, while 140 officials will be surveyed at the regional/district level. For selection of officials at the regional and district level, we will employ a cluster sampling strategy, where roughly 10 regional offices (or whatever the secondary administrative unit is called) are chosen at random from among the regions in which schools were sampled. Then among these 10 regions, we also typically select around 10 districts (tertiary administrative level units) from among the districts in which schools werer sampled. The result of this sampling approach is that for 10 clusters we will have links from the school to the district office to the regional office to the central office. Within the regions/districts, five or six officials will be sampled, including the head of organization, HR director, two division directors from finance and planning, and one or two randomly selected professional employees among the finance, planning, and one other service related department chosen at random. At the federal level, we will interview the HR director, finance director, planning director, and three randomly selected service focused departments. In addition to the directors of each of these departments, a sample of 9 professional employees will be chosen in each department at random on the day of the interview.

Sampling deviation

The sample for the Global Education Policy Dashboard in SLE was based in part on a previous sample of 260 schools which were part of an early EGRA study. Details from the sampling for that study are quoted below. An additional booster sample of 40 schools was chosen to be representative of smaller schools of less than 30 learners.

EGRA Details:

"The sampling frame began with the 2019 Annual School Census (ASC) list of primary schools as provided by UNICEF/MBSSE where the sample of 260 schools for this study were obtained from an initial list of 7,154 primary schools. Only schools that meet a pre-defined selection criteria were eligible for sampling.

To achieve the recommended sample size of 10 learners per grade, schools that had an enrolment of at least 30 learners in Grade 2 in 2019 were considered. To achieve a high level of confidence in the findings and generate enough data for analysis, the selection criteria only considered schools that: • had an enrolment of at least 30 learners in grade 1; and • had an active grade 4 in 2019 (enrolment not zero)

The sample was taken from a population of 4,597 primary schools that met the eligibility criteria above, representing 64.3% of all the 7,154 primary schools in Sierra Leone (as per the 2019 school census). Schools with higher numbers of learners were purposefully selected to ensure the sample size could be met in each site.

As a result, a sample of 260 schools were drawn using proportional to size allocation with simple random sampling without replacement in each stratum. In the population, there were 16 districts and five school ownership categories (community, government, mission/religious, private and others). A total of 63 strata were made by forming combinations of the 16 districts and school ownership categories. In each stratum, a sample size was computed proportional to the total population and samples were drawn randomly without replacement. Drawing from other EGRA/EGMA studies conducted by Montrose in the past, a backup sample of up to 78 schools (30% of the sample population) with which enumerator teams can replace sample schools was also be drawn.

In the distribution of sampled schools by ownership, majority of the sampled schools are owned by mission/religious group (62.7%, n=163) followed by the government owned schools at 18.5% (n=48). Additionally, in school distribution by district, majority of the sampled schools (54%) were found in Bo, Kambia, Kenema, Kono, Port Loko and Kailahun districts. Refer to annex 9. for details on the population and sample distribution by district."

Because of the restriction that at least 30 learners were available in Grade 2, we chose to add an additional 40 schools to the sample from among smaller schools, with between 3 and 30 grade 2 students. The objective of this supplement was to make the sample more nationally representative, as the restriction reduced the sampling frame for the EGRA/EGMA sample by over 1,500 schools from 7,154 to 4,597.

The 40 schools were chosen in a manner consistent with the original set of EGRA/EGMA schools. The 16 districts formed the strata. In each stratum, the number of schools selected were proportional to the total population of the stratum, and within stratum schools were chosen with probability proportional to size.

Mode of data collection

Computer Assisted Personal Interview [capi]

Research instrument

The dashboard project collects new data in each country using three new instruments: a School Survey, a Policy Survey, and a Survey of Public Officials. Data collection involves school visits, classroom observations, legislative reviews, teacher and student assessments, and interviews with teachers, principals, and public officials. In addition, the project draws on some existing data sources to complement the new data it collects. A major objective of the GEPD project was to develop focused, cost-effective instruments and data-collection procedures, so that the dashboard can be inexpensive enough to be applied (and re-applied) in many countries. The team achieved this by streamlining and simplifying existing instruments, and thereby reducing the time required for data collection and training of enumerators.

More information pertaining to each of the three instruments can be found below: - School Survey: The School Survey collects data primarily on practices (the quality of service delivery in schools), but also on some de facto policy indicators. It consists of streamlined versions of existing instruments—including Service Delivery Surveys on teachers and inputs/infrastructure, Teach on pedagogical practice, Global Early Child Development Database (GECDD) on school readiness of young children, and the Development World Management Survey (DWMS) on management quality—together with new questions to fill gaps in those instruments. Though the number of modules is similar to the full version of the Service Delivery Indicators (SDI) Survey, the number of items and the complexity of the questions within each module is significantly lower. The School Survey includes 8 short modules: School Information, Teacher Presence, Teacher Survey, Classroom Observation, Teacher Assessment, Early Learner Direct Assessment, School Management Survey, and 4th-grade Student Assessment. For a team of two enumerators, it takes on average about 4 hours to collect all information in a given school. For more information, refer to the Frequently Asked Questions.

• Policy Survey: The Policy Survey collects information to feed into the policy de jure indicators. This survey is filled out by key informants in each country, drawing on their knowledge to identify key elements of the policy framework (as in the SABER approach to policy-data collection that the Bank has used over the past 7 years). The survey includes questions on policies related to teachers, school management, inputs and infrastructure, and learners. In total, there are 52 questions in the survey as of June 2020. The key informant is expected to spend 2-3 days gathering and analyzing the relavant information to answer the survey

The average for 2022 based on 126 countries was 94.03 percent. The highest value was in Finland: 144.85 percent and the lowest value was in Burkina Faso: 33.72 percent. The indicator is available from 1970 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

The number of pupils in secondary education worldwide increased almost constantly since 2000. While around 445 million children were enrolled in secondary school in 2000, the number reached about 641 million pupils in 2023. At the same time, the completion rate of lower secondary education also increased, reaching over 74 percent in 2023. Primary education Since the turn of the millennium, the number of pupils in primary education also increased significantly. About 655 million children were enrolled in primary education in 2000; a number which had grown to 771 million in 2023. However, a growing number of pupils complete primary education, reaching 88 percent in 2023. Out-of-school population Despite a growing number of students in primary and secondary schools, not all children are undertaking elementary education. 16 percent of girls were not in lower secondary schools in 2018, which was a slightly higher proportion than for boys. Furthermore, several pupils were hit by the COVID-19 pandemic which forced schools all around the world to close.

The average for 2021 based on 158 countries was 4.48 percent. The highest value was in Kiribati: 14.2 percent and the lowest value was in Nigeria: 0.38 percent. The indicator is available from 1970 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Finland had the highest quality of primary education in the world in 2017, with an index score of ***. The index runs on a scale of one (low quality) to seven (very good). Switzerland, Singapore, the Netherlands, and Estonia rounded out the top five for countries with the highest quality of primary education. A solid foundation Primary school age children are generally between the ages of six and eleven years old. Primary school is the first stage of formal education and consists of general knowledge and fundamental skills in areas like mathematics, reading, writing, and science, with student enrollment rates being particularly high in advanced economies. This helps young students to form a solid base for further study as they get older. Primary education in the United States Primary schools in the United States, where they are called elementary schools, can be either private or public institutions, with enrollment in public schools generally higher than in private schools. Education from the age of five is mandatory in the U.S., whether that be through the state-funded public school system, private schooling, or through an approved home school program. Depending on state law, students can leave school between the ages of 16 and 18.

The average for 2022 based on 149 countries was 100.44 percent. The highest value was in Sierra Leone: 156.8 percent and the lowest value was in Liberia: 67.23 percent. The indicator is available from 1970 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Context

The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to countries of the world for capital projects. The World Bank's stated goal is the reduction of poverty. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Bank

Content

This dataset combines key education statistics from a variety of sources to provide a look at global literacy, spending, and access.

For more information, see the World Bank website.

Fork this kernel to get started with this dataset.

Acknowledgements

https://bigquery.cloud.google.com/dataset/bigquery-public-data:world_bank_health_population

http://data.worldbank.org/data-catalog/ed-stats

https://cloud.google.com/bigquery/public-data/world-bank-education

Citation: The World Bank: Education Statistics

Dataset Source: World Bank. This dataset is publicly available for anyone to use under the following terms provided by the Dataset Source - http://www.data.gov/privacy-policy#data_policy - and is provided "AS IS" without any warranty, express or implied, from Google. Google disclaims all liability for any damages, direct or indirect, resulting from the use of the dataset.

Banner Photo by @till_indeman from Unplash.

Inspiration

Of total government spending, what percentage is spent on education?

This dataset tracks annual distribution of students across grade levels in Baccalaureate School For Global Education

In 2021, Luxembourg was the OECD country that spent the highest amount on higher education per student, reaching roughly 35,000 U.S. dollars. This was even though it was the country that spent the lowest amount in terms of share of gross domestic product. The United States followed behind, with the United Kingdom in third. On the other hand, Mexico was the OECD country in which the lowest amount was spent per full-time student in higher education.

According to the Global Gender Gap Report 2020, 88 percent of females worldwide had primary education, compared to 91 percent of males. By comparison, more females than males had attained tertiary education. The Global Gender Index benchmarks national gender gaps on economic, political, education, and health-based criteria. In 2020, the leading country was Iceland with a score of 0.87.

Nearly 70 percent of the population in Czechia had upper secondary education as their highest education level in 2022, the highest of OECD member countries. Neighboring Slovakia had the second highest share at nearly two thirds of the population between 25 and 64 years. Meanwhile, the share was lowest in Costa Rica, where only 20 percent of the population had achieved an upper secondary education.

JP: All Education Staff Compensation: Primary: % of Total Expenditure in Primary Public Institutions data was reported at 72.780 % in 2014. This records a decrease from the previous number of 74.701 % for 2013. JP: All Education Staff Compensation: Primary: % of Total Expenditure in Primary Public Institutions data is updated yearly, averaging 78.516 % from Dec 1998 (Median) to 2014, with 16 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 79.354 % in 2008 and a record low of 72.780 % in 2014. JP: All Education Staff Compensation: Primary: % of Total Expenditure in Primary Public Institutions data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Japan – Table JP.World Bank.WDI: Education Statistics. All staff (teacher and non-teachers) compensation is expressed as a percentage of direct expenditure in public educational institutions (instructional and non-instructional) of the specified level of education. Financial aid to students and other transfers are excluded from direct expenditure. Staff compensation includes salaries, contributions by employers for staff retirement programs, and other allowances and benefits.; ; United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Institute for Statistics.; Median;

CL: Current Education Expenditure: Total: % of Total Expenditure in Public Institutions data was reported at 94.539 % in 2021. This records a decrease from the previous number of 94.907 % for 2020. CL: Current Education Expenditure: Total: % of Total Expenditure in Public Institutions data is updated yearly, averaging 94.539 % from Dec 1999 (Median) to 2021, with 15 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 97.229 % in 2008 and a record low of 85.272 % in 2004. CL: Current Education Expenditure: Total: % of Total Expenditure in Public Institutions data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Chile – Table CL.World Bank.WDI: Social: Education Statistics. Current expenditure is expressed as a percentage of direct expenditure in public educational institutions (instructional and non-instructional) of the specified level of education. Financial aid to students and other transfers are excluded from direct expenditure. Current expenditure is consumed within the current year and would have to be renewed if needed in the following year. It includes staff compensation and current expenditure other than for staff compensation (ex. on teaching materials, ancillary services and administration).;UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). UIS.Stat Bulk Data Download Service. Accessed April 5, 2025. https://apiportal.uis.unesco.org/bdds.;Median;

The average for 2022 based on 119 countries was 55.47 percent. The highest value was in Greece: 166.67 percent and the lowest value was in Tanzania: 5.43 percent. The indicator is available from 1970 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

As of 2020, around 95 percent of boys and girls from more developed countries were enrolled in upper secondary education worldwide. That was a significantly larger proportion of pupils compared to less developed countries. For lower secondary education, the percentages of enrollment were even higher.

Saudi Arabia Current Education Expenditure: Tertiary: % of Total Expenditure in Tertiary Public Institutions data was reported at 100.000 % in 2021. Saudi Arabia Current Education Expenditure: Tertiary: % of Total Expenditure in Tertiary Public Institutions data is updated yearly, averaging 100.000 % from Dec 2021 (Median) to 2021, with 1 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 100.000 % in 2021 and a record low of 100.000 % in 2021. Saudi Arabia Current Education Expenditure: Tertiary: % of Total Expenditure in Tertiary Public Institutions data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Saudi Arabia – Table SA.World Bank.WDI: Social: Education Statistics. Current expenditure is expressed as a percentage of direct expenditure in public educational institutions (instructional and non-instructional) of the specified level of education. Financial aid to students and other transfers are excluded from direct expenditure. Current expenditure is consumed within the current year and would have to be renewed if needed in the following year. It includes staff compensation and current expenditure other than for staff compensation (ex. on teaching materials, ancillary services and administration).;UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). UIS.Stat Bulk Data Download Service. Accessed April 5, 2025. https://apiportal.uis.unesco.org/bdds.;Median;

The PIRLS 2016 International Database is available for individuals interested in the data collected and analyzed as part of PIRLS 2016. The aim is to support and promote the use of these data by researchers, analysts, and others interested in improving education. For the PIRLS 2016 assessment, the database includes student reading achievement data as well as the student, parent, teacher, school, and curricular background data for 50 countries and 11 benchmarking entities. The ePIRLS 2016 International Database includes data from the ePIRLS 2016 assessment, with the participation of 14 countries and 2 benchmarking entities. The student, parent, teacher, and school data files are in SAS and SPSS formats.

The entire database and its supporting documents are described in the PIRLS 2016 User Guide (Foy, 2018) and its three supplements. The data can be analyzed using the downloadable IEA IDB Analyzer (version 4.0), an application developed by IEA Hamburg to facilitate the analysis of the PIRLS data.

A public use version of the datasets is available for download using the links below. A restricted use version of the PIRLS 2016 International Database is available to users who require access to variables removed from the public use version (see Chapter 4 of the User Guide). Users who require access to the restricted use version of the International Database to conduct their analyses should contact the IEA (RandA@iea-hamburg.de).

This dataset tracks annual total students amount from 2005 to 2023 for Baccalaureate School For Global Education