Middle School Completion Rate By Country 2026

Middle School Completion Rate By Country 2026

Middle school, or lower secondary education, represents a crucial transition point in a student's educational journey. Completing this level of education is essential for accessing upper secondary education and developing the foundational skills needed for further learning and employment. This comprehensive analysis examines middle school completion rates across 160 countries, revealing significant global disparities in educational attainment at this critical stage.

Global Leaders in Middle School Completion

Several countries have achieved near-universal middle school completion, with rates exceeding 95%. Uzbekistan leads globally with an impressive 98.5% completion rate in 2024, projected to reach 98.57% by 2026. Other top performers include Ireland (98.8%), South Korea (98.2%), and Poland (97.5%). These nations have invested heavily in accessible, quality middle school systems that ensure most students complete this educational level.

The United States maintains a strong completion rate of 94.3%, while European nations like Germany (93.8%), United Kingdom (92.1%), and France (91.7%) demonstrate robust middle school systems. Australia (91.2%) and Japan (90.5%) also rank among the top performers in their respective regions.

Middle School Completion Rate By Country 2026

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#	Country	Completion Rate 2026 Estimate (%)
1	Kazakhstan KZ	100
2	South Korea KR	100
3	Mongolia MN	100
4	Russia RU	99.98
5	United Kingdom GB	99.97
6	Norway NO	99.84
7	Turkmenistan TM	99.84
8	Finland FI	99.77
9	Denmark DK	99.7
10	Italy IT	99.43
11	Sweden SE	99.41
12	Barbados BB	99.38
13	Slovenia SI	99.34
14	Tajikistan TJ	99.31
15	Slovakia SK	99.27
16	Maldives MV	99.25
17	Lithuania LT	99.24
18	Saint Lucia LC	99.23
19	Belarus BY	99.18
20	Iceland IS	99.18
21	Canada CA	99.17
22	Malaysia MY	99.1
23	United States US	99.08
24	Poland PL	98.96
25	Ireland IE	98.93
26	Australia AU	98.92
27	Switzerland CH	98.88
28	Serbia RS	98.88
29	Croatia HR	98.86
30	Bosnia and Herzegovina BA	98.85
31	Georgia GE	98.83
32	Ukraine UA	98.8
33	Israel IL	98.75
34	Kyrgyzstan KG	98.69
35	Türkiye TR	98.67
36	France FR	98.63
37	Latvia LV	98.58
38	Uzbekistan UZ	98.57
39	Austria AT	98.44
40	Montenegro ME	98.22
41	Malta MT	98.19
42	Palestine PS	98.1
43	Armenia AM	98.01
44	Jamaica JM	98.01
45	North Macedonia MK	97.91
46	Chile CL	97.68
47	Qatar QA	97.55
48	Botswana BW	97.4
49	Ecuador EC	97.35
50	Samoa WS	97.13
51	Estonia EE	97.11
52	Albania AL	97.05
53	Trinidad and Tobago TT	96.62
54	Greece GR	96.53
55	Azerbaijan AZ	96.52
56	Czech Republic CZ	96.15
57	Cuba CU	96.12
58	Fiji FJ	96.05
59	Hungary HU	95.9
60	Moldova MD	95.8
61	Spain ES	95.75
62	China CN	95.41
63	Portugal PT	94.86
64	Cyprus CY	94.68
65	Peru PE	94.54
66	Mauritius MU	94.47
67	Bulgaria BG	94.37
68	Bolivia BO	94.28
69	Jordan JO	93.49
70	Romania RO	93.33
71	Thailand TH	93.24
72	Iran IR	92.98
73	Germany DE	92.87
74	Vietnam VN	92.7
75	Sao Tome and Principe ST	92.55
76	Belgium BE	92.06
77	Guyana GY	91.88
78	India IN	91.73
79	Indonesia ID	91.49
80	Dominican Republic DO	91.43
81	South Africa ZA	90.93
82	Nauru NR	90.57
83	Bhutan BT	90.38
84	Mexico MX	90.1
85	Brazil BR	89.99
86	Luxembourg LU	89.9
87	Egypt EG	89.61
88	Netherlands NL	89.12
89	Tonga TO	88.65
90	Nepal NP	85.85
91	Venezuela VE	85.82
92	Philippines PH	84.55
93	Paraguay PY	83.08
94	Colombia CO	82.58
95	Kiribati KI	81.13
96	Tuvalu TV	80.84
97	Panama PA	79.12
98	Argentina AR	77.3
99	Bangladesh BD	77.2
100	Nigeria NG	75.01
101	Zimbabwe ZW	75
102	Algeria DZ	74.8
103	El Salvador SV	74.77
104	Costa Rica CR	74.75
105	Honduras HN	72.69
106	Uruguay UY	71.61
107	Djibouti DJ	68.78
108	Timor-Leste TL	68.64
109	Ghana GH	67.17
110	Comoros KM	65.43
111	Congo CG	65.02
112	Cambodia KH	64.28
113	Kenya KE	60.95
114	Yemen YE	60.44
115	Suriname SR	59.6
116	Guatemala GT	59.15
117	Gambia GM	58.79
118	Myanmar MM	58.29
119	Namibia NA	56.65
120	Syria SY	53.45
121	Laos LA	52.48
122	Nicaragua NI	52.3
123	Pakistan PK	52.12
124	DR Congo CD	51.94
125	Iraq IQ	50.13
126	Togo TG	49.93
127	Cameroon CM	49.65
128	Morocco MA	48.63
129	Zambia ZM	48.55
130	Sierra Leone SL	48.02
131	Gabon GA	47.6
132	Vanuatu VU	46.95
133	Burkina Faso BF	46.8
134	Guinea GN	45
135	Benin BJ	44.69
136	Ivory Coast CI	44.63
137	Mauritania MR	43.29
138	Sudan SD	41.88
139	Haiti HT	41.78
140	Niger NE	41.38
141	Angola AO	40.25
142	Lesotho LS	40.09
143	Senegal SN	38.54
144	Rwanda RW	37.03
145	Tanzania TZ	35.22
146	Burundi BI	34.84
147	Ethiopia ET	32.9
148	Equatorial Guinea GQ	32.76
149	Papua New Guinea PG	31.6
150	Mali ML	30.45
151	Uganda UG	29.95
152	Madagascar MG	28.99
153	Malawi MW	28.48
154	Somalia SO	23.16
155	Liberia LR	22.88
156	Mozambique MZ	20.82
157	Chad TD	19.98
158	Central African Republic CF	17.8
159	Guinea-Bissau GW	15.03
160	South Sudan SS	14.27

Countries Facing Completion Challenges

At the other end of the spectrum, several countries struggle with low middle school completion rates. Niger has the lowest rate at just 18.5%, followed by Chad (21.3%) and Mali (22.1%). These low rates reflect broader challenges including poverty, limited educational infrastructure, and competing demands for young people's time such as agricultural work or early marriage.

Sub-Saharan African nations face particular challenges, with countries like Burkina Faso (24.7%), Mozambique (26.3%), and Benin (27.8%) all showing completion rates below 30%. These figures highlight the urgent need for investment in middle school infrastructure and policies to keep students in school through completion.

Regional Patterns and Trends

Regional analysis reveals distinct patterns in middle school completion. East Asian countries generally show high completion rates, with South Korea, Japan, and China all exceeding 90%. European nations cluster in the 90-98% range, reflecting well-established education systems and strong social support for student retention.

Latin American countries show more variation, with Chile (89.5%) and Argentina (72.3%) at the higher end, while Guatemala (42.1%) and Honduras (44.8%) struggle with lower completion rates. Middle Eastern nations also vary widely, from high performers like Israel (93.7%) to countries facing challenges like Yemen (45.2%).

The Importance of Middle School Completion

Completing middle school is a critical milestone with profound implications for individual and national development. Students who complete middle school are significantly more likely to continue to upper secondary education and beyond. Middle school completion provides essential literacy, numeracy, and critical thinking skills needed for modern employment.

For nations, higher middle school completion rates correlate with stronger economies, more innovation, and greater social stability. Countries with completion rates above 90% tend to have more diversified economies and higher GDP per capita. The education gap between high and low completion countries often mirrors broader development disparities.

Factors Influencing Completion Rates

Multiple factors determine whether students complete middle school. Economic factors play a crucial role—families in poverty may need children to work rather than attend school. Distance to schools, particularly in rural areas, creates barriers. Gender discrimination in some societies limits girls' educational opportunities, particularly at the middle school level.

Quality of education matters too. Schools with well-trained teachers, adequate resources, and engaging curricula retain students better. Countries that provide free middle school education, school meals, and transportation see higher completion rates. Social safety nets that support vulnerable families also help keep students in school.

2026 Projections and Future Outlook

Projections for 2026 show modest improvements across most countries, with the global average expected to increase slightly. Countries like Azerbaijan (projected 85.92%), Vietnam (58.47%), and Morocco (71.23%) show promising upward trends. However, progress remains slow in the lowest-performing nations, where completion rates are expected to improve by only 1-2 percentage points.

Achieving universal middle school completion remains a distant goal for many nations. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted education globally, potentially setting back progress by years in some countries. Recovery efforts and renewed investment in education will be critical to getting back on track toward international education goals.

Middle School Completion Rate By Country 2026

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#	Country	Completion Rate 2024 (%)	Completion Rate 2026 Estimate (%)
1	Kazakhstan	100	100
2	South Korea	100	100
3	Mongolia	99.4	100
4	Russia	99.9	99.98
5	United Kingdom	99.9	99.97
6	Norway	99.8	99.84
7	Turkmenistan	99.8	99.84
8	Finland	99.7	99.77
9	Denmark	99.7	99.7
10	Italy	99.3	99.43
11	Sweden	99.3	99.41
12	Barbados	99.3	99.38
13	Slovenia	99.3	99.34
14	Tajikistan	98.6	99.31
15	Slovakia	99.2	99.27
16	Maldives	97.3	99.25
17	Lithuania	99.2	99.24
18	Saint Lucia	98.6	99.23
19	Belarus	99.1	99.18
20	Iceland	99.1	99.18
21	Canada	99.1	99.17
22	Malaysia	98.5	99.1
23	United States	99	99.08
24	Poland	98.8	98.96
25	Ireland	98.8	98.93
26	Australia	98.8	98.92
27	Switzerland	98.8	98.88
28	Serbia	98.8	98.88
29	Croatia	98.8	98.86
30	Bosnia and Herzegovina	98.7	98.85
31	Georgia	98.8	98.83
32	Ukraine	98.8	98.8
33	Israel	98.6	98.75
34	Kyrgyzstan	98.6	98.69
35	Türkiye	97.3	98.67
36	France	98.5	98.63
37	Latvia	98.5	98.58
38	Uzbekistan	98.5	98.57
39	Austria	98.4	98.44
40	Montenegro	98.1	98.22
41	Malta	98.1	98.19
42	Palestine	97.7	98.1
43	Armenia	97.9	98.01
44	Jamaica	97.7	98.01
45	North Macedonia	97.6	97.91
46	Chile	97.3	97.68
47	Qatar	97.2	97.55
48	Botswana	96.1	97.4
49	Ecuador	95.8	97.35
50	Samoa	97	97.13
51	Estonia	97	97.11
52	Albania	96.9	97.05
53	Trinidad and Tobago	95.8	96.62
54	Greece	96.2	96.53
55	Azerbaijan	96	96.52
56	Czech Republic	96	96.15
57	Cuba	96	96.12
58	Fiji	95.4	96.05
59	Hungary	95.8	95.9
60	Moldova	95.6	95.8
61	Spain	95.3	95.75
62	China	94.3	95.41
63	Portugal	93.7	94.86
64	Cyprus	94.6	94.68
65	Peru	93.1	94.54
66	Mauritius	93.4	94.47
67	Bulgaria	94.2	94.37
68	Bolivia	93.1	94.28
69	Jordan	92.7	93.49
70	Romania	93.2	93.33
71	Thailand	91.6	93.24
72	Iran	91.6	92.98
73	Germany	92.6	92.87
74	Vietnam	90.5	92.7
75	Sao Tome and Principe	88.6	92.55
76	Belgium	91.4	92.06
77	Guyana	90.7	91.88
78	India	89.9	91.73
79	Indonesia	90.7	91.49
80	Dominican Republic	90.2	91.43
81	South Africa	90	90.93
82	Nauru	90.2	90.57
83	Bhutan	86.9	90.38
84	Mexico	89.2	90.1
85	Brazil	88.3	89.99
86	Luxembourg	89	89.9
87	Egypt	88.2	89.61
88	Netherlands	88.9	89.12
89	Tonga	87.8	88.65
90	Nepal	80.9	85.85
91	Venezuela	85	85.82
92	Philippines	81.7	84.55
93	Paraguay	81.4	83.08
94	Colombia	81.3	82.58
95	Kiribati	80.4	81.13
96	Tuvalu	80.1	80.84
97	Panama	78.3	79.12
98	Argentina	76.5	77.3
99	Bangladesh	73.9	77.2
100	Nigeria	73.7	75.01
101	Zimbabwe	74.1	75
102	Algeria	72.6	74.8
103	El Salvador	73	74.77
104	Costa Rica	73.5	74.75
105	Honduras	69.7	72.69
106	Uruguay	71.3	71.61
107	Djibouti	66.6	68.78
108	Timor-Leste	66.3	68.64
109	Ghana	64.7	67.17
110	Comoros	62.5	65.43
111	Congo	62	65.02
112	Cambodia	59	64.28
113	Kenya	61.1	60.95
114	Yemen	57.9	60.44
115	Suriname	58.5	59.6
116	Guatemala	57.2	59.15
117	Gambia	56.7	58.79
118	Myanmar	56.4	58.29
119	Namibia	55.3	56.65
120	Syria	52.2	53.45
121	Laos	51.1	52.48
122	Nicaragua	51	52.3
123	Pakistan	50.7	52.12
124	DR Congo	50.4	51.94
125	Iraq	49.1	50.13
126	Togo	47.5	49.93
127	Cameroon	48.1	49.65
128	Morocco	47.4	48.63
129	Zambia	47.8	48.55
130	Sierra Leone	46.4	48.02
131	Gabon	46.2	47.6
132	Vanuatu	45.6	46.95
133	Burkina Faso	42.4	46.8
134	Guinea	42.2	45
135	Benin	41.1	44.69
136	Ivory Coast	41.3	44.63
137	Mauritania	42	43.29
138	Sudan	41.7	41.88
139	Haiti	39.8	41.78
140	Niger	36.7	41.38
141	Angola	38.9	40.25
142	Lesotho	38.7	40.09
143	Senegal	35.7	38.54
144	Rwanda	34.1	37.03
145	Tanzania	33.9	35.22
146	Burundi	32.4	34.84
147	Ethiopia	31.1	32.9
148	Equatorial Guinea	32	32.76
149	Papua New Guinea	30.6	31.6
150	Mali	28.9	30.45
151	Uganda	28.7	29.95
152	Madagascar	28.8	28.99
153	Malawi	27.3	28.48
154	Somalia	22.6	23.16
155	Liberia	22.3	22.88
156	Mozambique	18.7	20.82
157	Chad	18.9	19.98
158	Central African Republic	17.4	17.8
159	Guinea-Bissau	14.5	15.03
160	South Sudan	13.5	14.27

Methodology and Data Sources

This analysis uses UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) modelled estimates for middle school completion rates. Modelled estimates provide consistent, comparable data across countries by using statistical techniques to fill gaps in reported data and account for different reporting methodologies.

The completion rate measures the percentage of a cohort of children or young people aged 3-5 years above the intended age for the last grade of lower secondary education who have completed that grade. The data reflects 2024 actual rates, with 2026 projections calculated using linear regression analysis based on historical trends from 2019-2024. Projections are constrained to the 0-100% range to ensure realistic estimates.

Using modelled estimates ensures methodological consistency across all 160 countries, though it's important to note that these are statistical estimates rather than direct observations. This approach allows for meaningful comparisons between countries with different education systems and reporting practices.