Early childhood education is one of the most important ways of giving children an equal start in education. Most children aged 5 are enrolled in early education in almost all OECD countries, but enrolment rates vary strongly at younger ages. Some countries have universal enrolment for 3-year-olds, while in others only a minority of children that age are in early education and care programmes.
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A good understanding of who participates in education and how learners progress through the education system from early childhood education to adult education is essential to develop education policies that benefit all learners.
Key messages
The typical length of education varies widely between countries. On average across the OECD, more than 90% of students are enrolled for 14 years or more. However, in some countries this figure is as low as 9 years, with some children leaving school well before adulthood. While the length of schooling is just one aspect that determines learning outcomes, leaving school early significantly reduces the chances of successful participation in the labour market later in life.
Tertiary education is becoming more common. Only 27% of adults aged 25-34 had a tertiary qualification in 2000, but this increased to 47% by 2023. It is particularly high for women in this age group, 54% of whom have a tertiary qualification on average across the OECD. Despite this strong increase in tertiary attainment, the labour market returns to tertiary education remain high and there is no sign that employers’ demand for workers with advanced qualifications dimishes. On average, young adults with a tertiary qualification earn 39% more than those with upper secondary qualifications.
Context
Early childhood education remains high on the policy agenda
Policy-makers are increasingly aware of the key role that early childhood education and care (ECEC) plays in children's cognitive and emotional development, learning and well-being. Children who participate in high quality organised learning at an early age are more likely to have better educational outcomes as they grow up. This is particularly true for children from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds, who often have fewer opportunities to develop these skills in their home learning environments.
Compulsory education is expanding
Compulsory education covers primary and lower secondary education in all OECD countries. In many countries, some years of early childhood education or upper secondary education are also compulsory. While several countries have extended the duration of compulsory education in recent years, most students are enrolled well beyond the compulsory period. In almost all OECD countries, more than 90% of students are enrolled beyond the period of compulsory education.
