| Code | SE.SEC.CMPT.LO.ZS |
| Indicator Name | Lower secondary completion rate, total (% of relevant age group) |
| Short definition | Lower secondary education completion rate is measured as the gross intake ratio to the last grade of lower secondary education (general and pre-vocational). It is calculated as the number of new entrants in the last grade of lower secondary education, regardless of age, divided by the population at the entrance age for the last grade of lower secondary education. |
| Long definition | Lower secondary education completion rate is measured as the gross intake ratio to the last grade of lower secondary education (general and pre-vocational). It is calculated as the number of new entrants in the last grade of lower secondary education, regardless of age, divided by the population at the entrance age for the last grade of lower secondary education. |
| Source | Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), uri: https://databrowser.uis.unesco.org/resources, note: The data are obtained through the UIS API. Detailed documentation is available at: https://api.uis.unesco.org/api/public/documentation/, publisher: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), date accessed: 2025-09-22, date published: 2025-09 |
| Topic | Education: Outcomes |
| Dataset | WDI |
| Unit of measure | % of relevant age group |
| Periodicity | Annual |
| Reference period | 1970-2023 |
| Aggregation method | Weighted average |
| Statistical concept and methodology | Methodology: Lower secondary completion rate is calculated as the number of new entrants (enrollment minus repeaters) in the last grade of lower secondary education, regardless of age, divided by the population at the entrance age for the last grade of lower secondary education.
Data on education are collected by the UNESCO Institute for Statistics from official responses to its annual education survey. All the data are mapped to the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) to ensure the comparability of education programs at the international level. The current version was formally adopted by UNESCO Member States in 2011. Population data are drawn from the United Nations Population Division. Using a single source for population data standardizes definitions, estimations, and interpolation methods, ensuring a consistent methodology across countries and minimizing potential enumeration problems in national censuses.
The reference years reflect the school year for which the data are presented. In some countries the school year spans two calendar years (for example, from September 2010 to June 2011); in these cases the reference year refers to the year in which the school year ended (2011 in the example).
Statistical concept(s): The indicator represents the influence of policies regarding entry and progress through the initial stages of primary or lower secondary education on the completion of the terminal grade at the respective level. The presumption is that students who enroll in the final grade for the first time will successfully finish that grade, thereby completing the designated level of education. |
| Development relevance | Lower secondary education serves as a critical platform for lifelong learning and human development, providing a foundation for further educational pursuits. In certain systems, it includes vocational education programs that equip individuals with skills pertinent to the workforce. SDG target 4.1 aims to ensure that all children complete free, equitable, and quality primary education. This indicator is particularly important for policymakers who are committed to improving children's access to and participation in education. It measures the ability of the education system to enroll and retain students from the designated starting age through to the completion of all levels of lower secondary education. |
| Limitations and exceptions | The data do not account for students who drop out during the final year of primary education. Therefore, this rate serves as a proxy and should be considered an upper estimate of the actual primary completion rate.
There are many reasons why the primary completion rate can exceed 100 percent. The numerator may include late entrants and overage children who have repeated one or more grades of primary education as well as children who entered school early, while the denominator is the number of children at the entrance age for the last grade of primary education. |
| License URL | https://datacatalog.worldbank.org/public-licenses#cc-by |
| License Type | CC BY-4.0 |
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