Education

Background

Education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy. In addition, education may improve people’s lives in such areas as health, civic participation, political interest and happiness. Studies show that educated individuals live longer, participate more actively in politics and in the community where they live, commit fewer crimes and rely less on social assistance.

Educational Attainment

Most concretely, having a good education greatly improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money. Highly-educated individuals are less affected by unemployment trends, typically because educational attainment makes an individual more attractive in the workforce. Across OECD countries, 83% of people with university-level degrees have a job, compared with just below 56% of those with only a secondary school diploma. The employment rate is higher for men than women whatever their education level – 88% of men and 79% of women with university education have a job, while the rate is 69% for men and 49% for women with only lower secondary education. Lifetime earnings also increase with each level of education attained.

Furthermore, following a decline in manual labour over previous decades, employers now favour a more educated labour force. This shift in demand has made an upper secondary degree, or high-school degree, the minimum credential for finding a job in almost all OECD countries. High-school graduation rates therefore provide a good indication of whether a country is preparing its students to meet the minimum requirements of the job market.

On average, 74% of adults aged 25-64 within the OECD have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree. This is slightly truer of men than of women, as 75% of men have successfully completed high-school compared with 73% of women. In 30 OECD countries, and Russia, 60% or more of the population aged 25 to 64 has completed at least upper secondary education. In some countries, the opposite is true: in Mexico, Portugal, and Turkey, 60% or more of the population aged 25 to 64 have not completed upper secondary education.  However, among younger people in the OECD – a better indicator of a country’s future – 82% of 25-34 year-olds have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree and women tend to outperform men.

Women are now also more likely to complete a tertiary or upper-secondary degree than men in almost all OECD countries, a reversal of the historical pattern. On average across OECD countries, 41% of women aged 25-34 have at least an upper secondary degree compared with 33% of men from the same age group.

Years in education

In a fast-changing knowledge economy, education is about learning skills for life. But how many years of school, college, or training will future generations need to acquire those skills? The answer is that on average in the OECD, people can expect to go through 16.5 years of education, judging by the number of people between the ages of 5 and 39 currently in school or college. Results range from 14.9 years of education in Luxembourg and Mexico, to nearly 20 years in Finland.

Students’ skills

But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students near the end of their compulsory education (usually around age 15) have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies, particularly in reading, mathematics and science. 

In 2009, PISA tested students from 65 countries, including OECD countries, Brazil and the Russian Federation. The students were tested on their reading ability, their skills in maths and level in sciences. Research shows that these skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school or in post-formal education. The average student in the OECD area scored 497. Girls outperformed boys in all countries, except for Belgium, Chile, Denmark, Peru, the United Kingdom and the United States. On average in the OECD, girls scored 501 compared with 492 for boys. This gap is even greater in Finland, Slovenia and the Russian Federation. .

Finland and Korea are the highest-performing OECD countries, with average PISA scores of 543 and 541 points, respectively. Other top-performing OECD countries in students’ skills include Japan (529), Canada (527) and New Zealand (524). The lowest performing OECD country, Mexico, has an average score of 420. This means that the gap between the highest and lowest performing OECD countries is 123 points. The gap with Brazil is even larger, with 142 points separating the average performance of Brazil and Finland.

The best-performing school systems manage to provide high-quality education to all students. In Iceland, Estonia and Finland for example, students tend to perform well regardless of their social background. In Hungary, Germany, Luxembourg and France however, the gap between the bottom 20% and top 20% reaches more than 125 points, suggesting students’ socio-economic background tends to have an impact on their results. On average across OECD countries, there is a 99-point difference in PISA scores between the students with the highest and lowest socio-economic background.  

Top Ranking

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Indicators

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Education in Detail by Country

Australia

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Key Findings

A well-educated and well-trained population is essential for a country’s social and economic well-being. Education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy. Most concretely, having a good education greatly improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money. Across OECD countries, 83% of people with university-level degrees have a job, compared with just below 56% for those with only a secondary school diploma. Lifetime earnings also increase with each level of education.

Following a decline in manual labour over previous decades, employers now favour a more educated labour force. High-school graduation rates therefore provide a good indication of whether a country is preparing its students to meet the minimum requirements of the job market. In Australia, 73% of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, close to the OECD average of 74%. This is truer of men than women, as 76% of men have successfully completed high-school compared with 71% of women. This 5 percentage point difference is higher than the OECD average of 2 percentage points and suggests women’s participation in higher education could be strengthened. Among younger people – a better indicator of Australia’s future – 85% of 25-34 year-olds have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, higher than the OECD average of 82%.

Australians can expect to go through 18.5 years of education between the ages of 5 and 39, more than the OECD average of 16.5 years. This high level of education expectancy echoes Australia’s good performance in the educational attainment of its 25-34 year-old population.

But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies. In 2009, PISA focused on examining students’ reading ability, skills in maths and level in sciences, as research shows that these skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school.

Australia is a top-performing OECD country in reading literacy, maths and sciences with the average student scoring 519 out of 600. This score is higher than the OECD average of 497, making Australia one of the strongest OECD countries in students’ skills. On average in Australia, girls outperformed boys by 9 points, in line with the average OECD gap.

The best-performing school systems manage to provide high-quality education to all students. In Australia, the average difference in results, between the 20% with the highest socio-economic background and the 20% with the lowest socio-economic background is of 98 points, slightly lower than the OECD average of 99 points. Although Australia’s education system fares well internationally, children from disadvantaged groups generally participate less in the important early childhood programmes and have lower test scores. Students from low socio-economic backgrounds have much lower high school completion rates and are around three times less likely to go to university than those from higher socio-economic areas. 

Indicators

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Austria

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Key Findings

A well-educated and well-trained population is essential for a country’s social and economic well-being. Education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy.  Most concretely, having a good education greatly improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money. Across OECD countries, 83% of people with university-level degrees have a job, compared with just below 56% for those with only a secondary school diploma. Lifetime earnings also increase with each level of education.

Following a decline in manual labour over previous decades, employers now favour a more educated labour force. High-school graduation rates therefore provide a good indication of whether a country is preparing its students to meet the minimum requirements of the job market. In Austria, 82% of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, higher than the OECD average of 74%. This is truer of men than women, as 88% of men have successfully completed high-school compared with 78%% of women. This 10 percentage point difference is much higher than the OECD average of 2 percentage points and suggests women’s participation in higher education could be strengthened. Among younger people – a better indicator of Austria’s future – 88% of 25-34 year-olds have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, higher than the OECD average of 82%.

Austrians can expect to go through 16.9 years of education between the ages of 5 and 39, slightly above the OECD average of 16.5 years.

But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies.  In 2009, PISA focused on examining students’ reading ability, skills in maths and level in sciences, as research shows that these skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school.

The average student in Austria scored 487 in reading literacy, maths and sciences, slightly lower than the OECD average of 497. On average in Austria, girls outperformed boys by 5 points, lower than the average OECD gap of 9 points.

The best-performing school systems manage to provide high-quality education to all students. In Austria, the average difference in results, between the 20% with the highest socio-economic background and the 20% with the lowest socio-economic background, is 118 points, higher than the OECD average of 99 points. This suggests the school system in Austria tends to result in higher quality education for the better off.

Better Policies for Better Lives

Strengthen education policies for immigrant children

The Austrian education system has had a successful record in the post-war period. It has promoted mass education and delivered good vocational qualifications. Yet, it is now facing the daunting task of providing youth with new and more generic skills, in changing economic and social circumstances. In particular, university enrolment and graduation rates fall short of other high-income countries, especially in science and engineering. Additionally, the academic level of students falls short of Austria’s ambitions concerning the quality of its education system, given the amount of resources invested per student.

The OECD found that Austria is one of the member countries where students’ academic achievements are most affected by their families’ socioeconomic background. In particular, the education system does not cope well with immigrant children – a significant challenge considering that education is one of the primary avenues for social and economic integration in a society. Austria’s education system, from pre-school to university, should therefore be strengthened. Ambitious reforms, which have already been launched in some areas, should be considered a national priority.

Indicators

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Belgium

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Key Findings

A well-educated and well-trained population is essential for a country’s social and economic well-being. Education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy.  Most concretely, having a good education greatly improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money. Across OECD countries, 83% of people with university-level degrees have a job, compared with just below 56% for those with only a secondary school diploma. Lifetime earnings also increase with each level of education.

Following a decline in manual labour over previous decades, employers now favour a more educated labour force. High-school graduation rates therefore provide a good indication of whether a country is preparing its students to meet the minimum requirements of the job market. In Belgium, 70% of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, close to the OECD average of 74%. Across the OECD, slightly more men aged 25-64 have the equivalent of a high-school degree compared with women from that same age group. In Belgium however, 71% of women have successfully completed high-school compared with 70% of men.  Among younger people – a better indicator of Belgium’s future – 82% of 25-34 year-olds have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, in line with the OECD average.

Belgians can expect to go through 18.7 years of education between the ages of 5 and 39, more than the OECD average of 16.5 years. This high level of education expectancy echoes Belgium’s good performance in the educational attainment of its 25-34 year-old population.

But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies.  In 2009, PISA focused on examining students’ reading ability, skills in maths and level in sciences, as research shows that these skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school.

The average student in Belgium scored 509 in reading literacy, maths and sciences, higher than the OECD average of 497. Although girls outperformed boys in many OECD countries, in Belgium, boys and girls performed equally.   

The best-performing school systems manage to provide high-quality education to all students. In Belgium, the average difference in results, between the 20% with the highest socio-economic background and the 20% with the lowest socio-economic background is 128 points, much higher than the OECD average of 99 points. This suggests the school system in Belgium tends to result in higher quality education for the better-off.  

Indicators

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Brazil

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Key Findings

A well-educated and well-trained population is essential for a country’s social and economic well-being. Education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy.  Most concretely, having a good education greatly improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money. Across OECD countries, 83% of people with university-level degrees have a job, compared with just below 56% for those with only a secondary school diploma. Lifetime earnings also increase with each level of education.

Following a decline in manual labour over previous decades, employers now favour a more educated labour force. High-school graduation rates therefore provide a good indication of whether a country is preparing its students to meet the minimum requirements of the job market. In Brazil, 41% of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, much less than the OECD average of 74%. Across the OECD, slightly more men aged 25-64 have the equivalent of a high-school degree compared with women from the same age group. In Brazil, however, 43% of women have successfully completed high-school compared with 39% of men. Among younger people – a better indicator of Brazil’s future – 53% of 25-34 year-olds have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, also less than the OECD average of 82% but showing progress.

Brazilians can expect to go through 16.3 years of education between the ages of 5 and 39, close to the OECD average of 16.5 years. This level of education expectancy could influence Brazil’s future performance in the educational attainment of its 25-34 year-old population.  

But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies.  In 2009, PISA focused on examining students’ reading ability, skills in maths and level in sciences, as research shows that these skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school.

The average student in Brazil scored 401 in reading literacy, maths and sciences, lower than the OECD average of 497. On average in Brazil, girls outperformed boys by 3 points, less than the average OECD gap of 9 points.

The best-performing school systems manage to provide high-quality education to all students. In Brazil, the average difference in results, between the 20% with the highest socio-economic background and the 20% with the lowest socio-economic background, is 91 points, lower than the OECD average of 99 points. This suggests the school system in Brazil provides relatively equal access to high-quality education.

Indicators

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Canada

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Key Findings

A well-educated and well-trained population is essential for a country’s social and economic well-being. Education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy.  Most concretely, having a good education greatly improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money. Across OECD countries, 83% of people with university-level degrees have a job, compared with just below 56% for those with only a secondary school diploma. Lifetime earnings also increase with each level of education.

Following a decline in manual labour over previous decades, employers now favour a more educated labour force. High-school graduation rates therefore provide a good indication of whether a country is preparing its students to meet the minimum requirements of the job market.  In Canada, 88% of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, higher than the OECD average of 74%. Across the OECD, slightly more men aged 25-64 have the equivalent of a high-school degree compared with women from the same age group. In Canada, however, 90% of women have successfully completed high-school compared with 87% of men. Among younger people – a better indicator of Canada’s future – 92% of 25-34 year-olds have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, higher than the OECD average of 82%.

Canadians can expect to go through 17.0 years of education between the ages of 5 and 39, slightly more than the OECD average of 16.5 years. This high level of education expectancy echoes Canada’s good performance in the educational attainment of its 25-34 year-old population.

But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies.  In 2009, PISA focused on examining students’ reading ability, skills in maths and level in sciences, as research shows that these skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school.

Canada is a top-performing OECD country in reading literacy, maths and sciences with the average student scoring 527. This score is higher than the OECD average of 497, making Canada one of the strongest OECD countries in students’ skills. On average in Canada, girls outperformed boys by 6 points, less than the average OECD gap of 9 points.  

The best-performing school systems manage to provide high-quality education to all students. In Canada, the average difference in results, between the 20% with the highest socio-economic background and the 20% with the lowest socio-economic background, is 75 points, much lower than the OECD average of 99 points. This suggests the school system in Canada provides relatively equal access to high-quality education.

Better Policies for Better Lives

Since 2000, Canada has become a world leader in its  professionally-driven reform of its education system. Not only do its students perform well, they perform well despite their socio-economic status, first language or whether they are native Canadians or recent immigrants. In particular, Ontario’s approach to educational reform adheres to important practices, including:

Commitment to education and to children

The strong cultural commitment to education seems to be an important underlying national value that helps explain Canada’s overall strong performance despite the absence of a national governmental role in education. The commitment to the welfare of children, as expressed in Canada’s strong social safety net, helps explain why Canada’s achievement gaps, while still worrisome, are nowhere near as profound as those in the United States.

Cultural support for universal high achievement

The extraordinary performance of Canada’s immigrant children is largely a reflection of the high expectations immigrant families have for their children, and of the high expectations also held by educators as well. Because Canada has historically seen its immigrants as crucial assets for the continuing development of the country, and because its immigration policies reflect those values, schools see it as their role to integrate children into the mainstream culture as rapidly as possible. If anything, the value placed on high achievement for immigrant children seems to have positive spill over effects for expectations for native-born children, rather than vice versa.

Teacher and principal quality

Teaching has historically been a respected profession in Canada, and continues to draw its candidates from the top third of secondary school graduates. Additionally, the province of Ontario has paid special attention to leadership development, especially for school principals. In 2008 the government initiated the Ontario Leadership Strategy that spells out the skills, knowledge and attributes of effective leaders. Among the elements of the strategy are a strong mentoring programme that has now reached over 4 500 principals and vice-principals.

Indicators

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Chile

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Key Findings

A well-educated and well-trained population is essential for a country’s social and economic well-being. Education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy.  Most concretely, having a good education greatly improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money. Across OECD countries, 83% of people with university-level degrees have a job, compared with just below 56% for those with only a secondary school diploma. Lifetime earnings also increase with each level of education.

Following a decline in manual labour over previous decades, employers now favour a more educated labour force. High-school graduation rates therefore provide a good indication of whether a country is preparing its students to meet the minimum requirements of the job market. In Chile, 71% of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, below the OECD average of 74%. There is little difference between men and women, as 72% of men have successfully completed high-school compared with 71% of women. This 1 percentage point difference is smaller than the OECD average difference of 2 percentage points. Among younger people – a better indicator of Chile’s future – 87% of 25-34 year-olds have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, higher than the OECD average of 82%.

Chileans can expect to go through 16.2 years of education between the ages of 5 and 39, slightly less than the OECD average of 16.5 years. This level of education expectancy echoes Chile’s good performance in the educational attainment of its 25-34 year-old population.  

But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies.  In 2009, PISA focused on examining students’ reading ability, skills in maths and level in sciences, as research shows that these skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school.

The average student in Chile scored 439, lower than the OECD average of 497. Although girls outperformed boys in many OECD countries, in Chile boys scored 3 points higher than girls on average. 

The best-performing school systems manage to provide high-quality education to all students. In Chile, the average difference in results, between the 20% with the highest socio-economic background and the 20% with the lowest socio-economic background, is 99 points, in line with the OECD average. This suggests the school system in Chile provides relatively equal access to high-quality education.

Indicators

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Czech Republic

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Key Findings

A well-educated and well-trained population is essential for a country’s social and economic well-being. Education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy.  Most concretely, having a good education greatly improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money. Across OECD countries, 83% of people with university-level degrees have a job, compared with just below 56% for those with only a secondary school diploma. Lifetime earnings also increase with each level of education.

Following a decline in manual labour over previous decades, employers now favour a more educated labour force. High-school graduation rates therefore provide a good indication of whether a country is preparing its students to meet the minimum requirements of the job market. In the Czech Republic, 92% of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, much higher than the OECD average of 74%. This is truer of men than women, as 95% of men have successfully completed high-school compared with 89% of women. This 6 percentage point difference is higher than the OECD average of 2 percentage points and suggests women’s participation in higher education could be strengthened. Among younger people – a better indicator of the Czech Republic’s future – 94% of 25-34 year-olds have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, also higher than the OECD average of 82%.

Czechs can expect to go through 17.8 years of education between the ages of 5 and 39, more than the OECD average of 16.5 years. This high level of education expectancy echoes the Czech Republic’s good performance in the educational attainment of its 25-34 year-old population.

But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies.  In 2009, PISA focused on examining students’ reading ability, skills in maths and level in sciences, as research shows that these skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school.

The average student in the Czech Republic scored 490 in reading literacy, maths and sciences close to the OECD average of 497. On average, girls outperformed boys by 16 points, more than the average OECD gap of 9 points.

The best-performing school systems manage to provide high-quality education to all students. In the Czech Republic, the average difference in results, between the 20% with the highest socio-economic background and the 20% with the lowest socio-economic background, is 96 points, slightly lower than the OECD average of 99 points. This suggests the school system in the Czech Republic provides relatively equal access to high-quality education.

Indicators

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Denmark

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Key Findings

A well-educated and well-trained population is essential for a country’s social and economic well-being. Education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy.  Most concretely, having a good education greatly improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money. Across OECD countries, 83% of people with university-level degrees have a job, compared with just below 56% for those with only a secondary school diploma. Lifetime earnings also increase with each level of education.

Following a decline in manual labour over previous decades, employers now favour a more educated labour force. High-school graduation rates therefore provide a good indication of whether a country is preparing its students to meet the minimum requirements of the job market. In Denmark, 76% of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, slightly higher than the OECD average of 74%. This is slightly truer of men than women, as 77% of men have successfully completed high-school compared with 75% of women. This 2 percentage point difference is in line with the OECD average. Among younger people – a better indicator of Denmark’s future – 80% of 25-34 year-olds have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, lower than the OECD average of 82%.

Danes can expect to go through 18.8 years of education between the ages of 5 and 39, more than the OECD average of 16.5 years.

But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies. In 2009, PISA focused on examining students’ reading ability, skills in maths and level in sciences, as research shows that these skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school.

The average student in Denmark scored 499 in reading literacy, maths and sciences close to the OECD average of 497. Although girls outperformed boys in many OECD countries, in Denmark, boys and girls performed equally.

The best-performing school systems manage to provide high-quality education to all students . In Denmark, the average difference in results, between the 20% with the highest socio-economic background and the 20% with the lowest socio-economic background, is of 93 points, lower than the OECD average of 99 points. This suggests the school system in Denmark provides relatively equal access to high-quality education.

Indicators

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Estonia

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Key Findings

A well-educated and well-trained population is essential for a country’s social and economic well-being. Education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy. Most concretely, having a good education greatly improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money. Across OECD countries, 83% of people with university-level degrees have a job, compared with just below 56% for those with only a secondary school diploma. Lifetime earnings also increase with each level of education.

Following a decline in manual labour over previous decades, employers now favour a more educated labour force. High-school graduation rates therefore provide a good indication of whether a country is preparing its students to meet the minimum requirements of the job market.

In Estonia, 89% of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, much higher than the OECD average of 74%. Across the OECD, slightly more men aged 25-64 have the equivalent of a high-school degree compared with women from the same age group. In Estonia, however, the opposite is true as 92% of women have successfully completed high-school compared with 86% of men. Among younger people – a better indicator of Estonia’s future – 86% of 25-34 year-olds have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, also higher than the OECD average of 82%.

Estonians can expect to go through 17.4 years of education between the ages of 5 and 39, more than the OECD average of 16.5 years. This high level of education expectancy echoes Estonia’s good performance in the educational attainment of its 25-34 year-old population.  

But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies.  In 2009, PISA focused on examining students’ reading ability, skills in maths and level in sciences, as research shows that these skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school.

The average student in Estonia scored 514 in reading literacy, maths and sciences, higher than the OECD average of 497. On average in Estonia, girls outperformed boys by 12 points, more than the average OECD gap of 9 points,

The best-performing school systems manage to provide high-quality education to all students. In Estonia, the average difference in results, between the 20% with the highest socio-economic background and the 20% with the lowest socio-economic background, is 64 points, much lower than the OECD average of 99 points and one of the lowest gaps amongst OECD countries. This suggests the school system in Estonia provides relatively equal access to high-quality education.

Indicators

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Finland

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Key Findings

A well-educated and well-trained population is essential for a country’s social and economic well-being. Education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy. Most concretely, having a good education greatly improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money. Across OECD countries, 83% of people with university-level degrees have a job, compared with just below 56% for those with only a secondary school diploma. Lifetime earnings also increase with each level of education.

Following a decline in manual labour over previous decades, employers now favour a more educated labour force. High-school graduation rates therefore provide a good indication of whether a country is preparing its students to meet the minimum requirements of the job market.

In Finland, 83% of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, higher than the OECD average of 74%. Across the OECD, slightly more men aged 25-64 have the equivalent of a high-school degree compared with women from the same age group. In Finland, however 85% of women have successfully completed high-school compared with 81% of men. Among younger people – a better indicator of Finland’s future – 91% of 25-34 year-olds have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, also higher than the OECD average of 82%.

Finns can expect to go through close to 19.6 years of education between the ages of 5 and 39, more than the OECD average of 16.5 years and the highest level across OECD countries. This high level of education expectancy echoes Finland’s good performance in the educational attainment of its 25-34 year-old population.  

But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies.  In 2009, PISA focused on examining students’ reading ability, skills in maths and level in sciences, as research shows that these skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school.

Finland is a top-performing OECD country in reading literacy, maths and sciences with the average student scoring 543. This score is higher than the OECD average of 497, making Finland the strongest OECD country in students’ skills. On average in Finland, girls outperformed boys by 23 points, much more than the OECD average of 9 points, with an overall score of 555 points compared with 532 points for boys.

The best-performing school systems manage to provide high-quality education to all students. In Finland, the average difference in results, between the 20% with the highest socio-economic background and the 20% with the lowest socio-economic background is 62 points, much lower than the OECD average of 99 points and the lowest gap amongst OECD countries. This suggests the school system in Finland provides relatively equal access to high-quality education.

Better Policies for Better Lives

Highly respected teachers

The trust that teachers enjoy in Finnish society is deserved and reflects the very high quality of their training. Finland has raised the social status of its teachers to a level where there are few occupations with higher status. University professors are among the most highly regarded of all professionals, and even the word for teacher is the same for school teachers as for university professors. In 2010, there were more than 10 applicants for each of the 660 available slots on university courses for training primary schoolteachers, making teaching one of the most sought-after professions.

As a result of this competitive climate, teaching is now a highly selective occupation in Finland, with highly skilled, well-trained teachers spread throughout the country. While teachers in Finland have always enjoyed respect in society, a combination of raising the bar for entry and granting teachers greater autonomy over their classrooms and working conditions than their peers enjoy elsewhere has helped to raise the status of the profession. Teachers have earned the trust of parents and the wider society by their demonstrated capacity to use professional discretion and judgment in the way they manage their classrooms and respond to the challenge of helping virtually all students become successful learners.

Since the 1980s, the Finnish system of accountability was redeveloped entirely from the bottom up. Teacher candidates are selected, in part, according to their capacity to convey their belief in the core mission of public education in Finland, which is deeply humanistic as well as civic and economic. The preparation they receive is designed to build a powerful sense of individual responsibility for the learning and well-being of all the students in their care. During their careers, they must combine the roles of researcher and practitioner. Teachers in Finland are not only expected to become familiar with the knowledge base in education and human development, but are also required to write a research-based thesis as the final requirement for the Masters degree.

Indicators

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France

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Key Findings

A well-educated and well-trained population is essential for a country’s social and economic well-being. Education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy. Most concretely, having a good education greatly improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money. Across OECD countries, 83% of people with university-level degrees have a job, compared with just below 56% for those with only a secondary school diploma. Lifetime earnings also increase with each level of education.

Following a decline in manual labour over previous decades, employers now favour a more educated labour force. High-school graduation rates therefore provide a good indication of whether a country is preparing its students to meet the minimum requirements of the job market. In France, 71% of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, close to the OECD average of 74%. This is slightly truer of men than women, as 72% of men have successfully completed high-school compared with 70% of women. This 2 percentage point difference is in line with the OECD average. Among younger people – a better indicator of France’s future – 84% of 25-34 year-olds have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, higher than the OECD average of 82%.

The French can expect to go through 16.4 years of education between the ages of 5 and 39, close to the OECD average of 16.5 years. This level of education expectancy echoes France’s good performance in the educational attainment of its 25-34 year-old population.  

But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies.  In 2009, PISA focused on examining students’ reading ability, skills in maths and level in sciences, as research shows that these skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school.

The average student in France scored 497 in reading literacy, maths and sciences, in line with the OECD average. On average, girls outperformed boys by 7 points, slightly less than the average OECD gap of 9 points.

The best-performing school systems manage to provide high-quality education to all students. In France, the average difference in results, between the 20% with the highest socio-economic background and the 20% with the lowest socio-economic background, is 124 points, much higher than the OECD average of 99 points and one of the largest gaps amongst OECD countries. This suggests the school system in France tends to provide higher quality education for the better off.

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Germany

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Key Findings

A well-educated and well-trained population is essential for a country’s social and economic well-being. Education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy. Most concretely, having a good education greatly improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money. Across OECD countries, 83% of people with university-level degrees have a job, compared with just below 56% for those with only a secondary school diploma. Lifetime earnings also increase with each level of education.

Following a decline in manual labour over previous decades, employers now favour a more educated labour force. High-school graduation rates therefore provide a good indication of whether a country is preparing its students to meet the minimum requirements of the job market. In Germany, 86% of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, higher than the OECD average of 74%. This is truer of men than women, as 88% of men have successfully completed high-school compared with 83% of women. This 5 percentage point difference is higher than the OECD average of 2 percentage points. Among younger people – a better indicator of Germany’s future – 86% of 25-34 year-olds have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, also higher than the OECD average of 82%.

Germans can expect to go through 17.9 years of education between the ages of 5 and 39, more than the OECD average of 16.5 years. This high level of education expectancy echoes Germany’s good performance in the educational attainment of its 25-34 year-old population.  

But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies.  In 2009, PISA focused on examining students’ reading ability, skills in maths and level in sciences, as research shows that these skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school.

The average student in Germany scored 510 in reading literacy, maths and sciences, higher than the OECD average of 497. On average, girls outperformed boys by 6 points, less than the average OECD gap of 9 points.

The best-performing school systems manage to provide high-quality education to all students. In Germany, the average difference in results, between the 20% with the highest socio-economic background and the 20% with the lowest socio-economic background is 125 points, much higher than the OECD average of 99 points and one of the largest gaps amongst OECD countries. This suggests the school system in Germany tends to provide higher quality education for the better off.

Indicators

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Greece

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Key Findings

A well-educated and well-trained population is essential for a country’s social and economic well-being. Education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy. Most concretely, having a good education greatly improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money. Across OECD countries, 83% of people with university-level degrees have a job, compared with just below 56% for those with only a secondary school diploma. Lifetime earnings also increase with each level of education.

Following a decline in manual labour over previous decades, employers now favour a more educated labour force. High-school graduation rates therefore provide a good indication of whether a country is preparing its students to meet the minimum requirements of the job market. In Greece, 65% of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, lower than the OECD average of 74%. Across the OECD, slightly more men aged 25-64 have the equivalent of a high-school degree compared with women from the same age group. In Greece, however, the educational attainment rates of men and women are similar.  Among younger people – a better indicator of Greece’s future – 79% of 25-34 year-olds have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, lower than the OECD average of 82% but showing progress.

Greeks can expect to go through 18.5 years of education between the ages of 5 and 39, more than the OECD average of 16.5 years of education. This high level of education expectancy could influence Greece’s future performance in the educational attainment of its 25-34 year-old population.  

But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies.  In 2009, PISA focused on examining students’ reading ability, skills in maths and level in sciences, as research shows that these skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school.

The average student in Greece scored 473 in reading literacy, maths and sciences, lower than the OECD average of 497. On average, girls outperformed boys by 14 points, more than the average OECD gap of 9 points.

The best-performing school systems manage to provide high-quality education to all students. In Greece, the average difference in results, between the 20% with the highest socio-economic background and the 20% with the lowest socio-economic background, is 96 points, slightly lower than the OECD average of 99 points. This suggests the school system in Greece provides relatively equal access to high-quality education.

Indicators

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Hungary

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Key Findings

A well-educated and well-trained population is essential for a country’s social and economic well-being. Education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy. Most concretely, having a good education greatly improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money. Across OECD countries, 83% of people with university-level degrees have a job, compared with just below 56% for those with only a secondary school diploma. Lifetime earnings also increase with each level of education.

Following a decline in manual labour over previous decades, employers now favour a more educated labour force. High-school graduation rates therefore provide a good indication of whether a country is preparing its students to meet the minimum requirements of the job market. In Hungary, 81% of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, higher than the OECD average of 74%. This is truer of men than women, as 84% of men have successfully completed high-school compared with 78% of women. This 6 percentage point difference is higher than the OECD average of 2 percentage points and suggests women’s participation in secondary education could be strengthened. Among younger people – a better indicator of Hungary’s future – 86% of 25-34 year-olds have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, also higher than the OECD average of 82%.

Hungarians can expect to go through 17.5 years of education between the ages of 5 and 39, more than the OECD average of 16.5 years. This level of education expectancy echoes Hungary’s good performance in the educational attainment of its 25-34 year-old population.  

But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies.  In 2009, PISA focused on examining students’ reading ability, skills in maths and level in sciences, as research shows that these skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school.

The average student in Hungary scored 496 in reading literacy, maths and sciences, close to the OECD average of 497. On average, girls outperformed boys by 9 points, in line with the average OECD gap.

The best-performing school systems manage to provide high-quality education to all students. In Hungary, the average difference in results, between the 20% with the highest socio-economic background and the 20% with the lowest socio-economic is 132 points, much higher than the OECD average of 99 points and the largest gap amongst OECD countries. This suggests the school system in Hungary tends to provide higher quality education for the better off.

Indicators

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Iceland

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Key Findings

A well-educated and well-trained population is essential for a country’s social and economic well-being. Education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy. Most concretely, having a good education greatly improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money. Across OECD countries, 83% of people with university-level degrees have a job, compared with just below 56% for those with only a secondary school diploma. Lifetime earnings also increase with each level of education.

Following a decline in manual labour over previous decades, employers now favour a more educated labour force. High-school graduation rates therefore provide a good indication of whether a country is preparing its students to meet the minimum requirements of the job market.  In Iceland, 67% of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, lower than the OECD average of 74%. Across the OECD, slightly more men aged 25-64 have the equivalent of a high-school degree compared with women from the same age group. In Iceland, there is little difference between men and women as 67% of men have successfully completed high-school compared with 66% of women. Among younger people – a better indicator of Iceland’s future – 72% of 25-34 year-olds have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, also lower than the OECD average of 82% but showing some progress.

Iceland can expect to go through 19.4 years of education between the ages of 5 and 39, much more than the OECD average of 16.5 years. This high level of education expectancy could influence Iceland’s future performance in educational attainment.  

But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies.  In 2009, PISA focused on examining students’ reading ability, skills in maths and level in sciences, as research shows that these skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school.

The average student in Iceland scored 501 in reading literacy, maths and sciences, slightly higher than the OECD average of 497. On average in Iceland, girls outperformed boys by 13 points, higher than the average OECD gap of 9 points. 

The best-performing school systems manage to provide high-quality education to all students. In Iceland, the average difference in results, between the 20% with the highest socio-economic background and the 20% with the lowest socio-economic background is 70 points, much lower than the OECD average of 99 points and one of the smallest gaps amongst OECD countries. This suggests the school system in Iceland provides relatively equal access to high-quality education.

Indicators

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Ireland

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Key Findings

A well-educated and well-trained population is essential for a country’s social and economic well-being. Education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy. Most concretely, having a good education greatly improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money. Across OECD countries, 83% of people with university-level degrees have a job, compared with just below 56% for those with only a secondary school diploma. Lifetime earnings also increase with each level of education.

Following a decline in manual labour over previous decades, employers now favour a more educated labour force. High-school graduation rates therefore provide a good indication of whether a country is preparing its students to meet the minimum requirements of the job market. In Ireland, 73% of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, slightly below the 74% OECD average. Across the OECD, slightly more men aged 25-64 have the equivalent of a high-school degree compared with women from the same age group. In Ireland, however, 76% of women have successfully completed high-school compared with 71% of men. This 5 percentage point difference in favour of women is higher than the OECD average difference of 2 percentage points in favour of men. Among younger people – a better indicator of Ireland’s future – 87% of 25-34 year-olds have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, higher than the OECD average of 82%.

The Irish can expect to go through 17.9 years of education between the ages of 5 and 39, more than the OECD average of 16.5 years. This high level of education expectancy echoes Ireland’s good performance in the educational attainment of its 25-34 year-old population.  

But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies.  In 2009, PISA focused on examining students’ reading ability, skills in maths and level in sciences, as research shows that these skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school.

The average student in Ireland scored 497 in reading literacy, maths and sciences, in line with the OECD average. On average, girls outperformed boys by 11 points, more than the average OECD gap of 9 points.

The best-performing school systems manage to provide high-quality education to all students. In Ireland, the average difference in results, between the 20% with the highest socio-economic background and the 20% with the lowest socio-economic background, is 89 points, lower than the OECD average of 99 points. This suggests the school system in Ireland provides relatively equal access to high-quality education.

Indicators

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Israel

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Key Findings

A well-educated and well-trained population is essential for a country’s social and economic well-being. Education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy. Most concretely, having a good education greatly improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money. Across OECD countries, 83% of people with university-level degrees have a job, compared with just below 56% for those with only a secondary school diploma. Lifetime earnings also increase with each level of education.

Following a decline in manual labour over previous decades, employers now favour a more educated labour force. High-school graduation rates therefore provide a good indication of whether a country is preparing its students to meet the minimum requirements of the job market.

In Israel, 82% of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, higher than the OECD average of 74%. Across the OECD, slightly more men aged 25-64 have the equivalent of a high-school degree compared with women from the same age group. In Israel, however, 83% of women have successfully completed high-school compared with 81% of men. Among younger people – a better indicator of Israel’s future – 88% of 25-34 year-olds have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, also higher than the OECD average of 82%.

Israelis can expect to go through 15.8 years of education between the ages of 5 and 39, less than the OECD average of 16.5 years.

But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies.  In 2009, PISA focused on examining students’ reading ability, skills in maths and level in sciences, as research shows that these skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school.

The average student in Israel scored 459 in reading literacy, maths and sciences, lower than the OECD average of 497. On average, girls outperformed boys by 12 points, more than the average OECD gap of 9 points.

The best-performing school systems manage to provide high-quality education to all students. In Israel, the average difference in results, between the 20% with the highest socio-economic background and the 20% with the lowest socio-economic background is 113 points, higher than the OECD average of 99 points. This suggests the school system in Israel tends to provide higher quality education for the better off.

Indicators

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Italy

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Key Findings

A well-educated and well-trained population is essential for a country’s social and economic well-being. Education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy. Most concretely, having a good education greatly improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money. Across OECD countries, 83% of people with university-level degrees have a job, compared with just below 56% for those with only a secondary school diploma. Lifetime earnings also increase with each level of education.

Following a decline in manual labour over previous decades, employers now favour a more educated labour force. High-school graduation rates therefore provide a good indication of whether a country is preparing its students to meet the minimum requirements of the job market. In Italy, 55% of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, much less than the OECD average of 74%. Across the OECD, slightly more men aged 25-64 have the equivalent of a high-school degree compared with women from the same age group. In Italy, however 56% of women have successfully completed high-school compared with 54% of men. Among younger people – a better indicator of Italy’s future – 71% of 25-34 year-olds have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, still lower than the OECD average of 82% but showing progress.

Italians can expect to go through 17.1 years of education between the ages of 5 and 39, more than the OECD average of 16.5 years. This high level of education expectancy could influence Italy’s future performance in the educational attainment of its 25-34 year-old population.  

But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies.  In 2009, PISA focused on examining students’ reading ability, skills in maths and level in sciences, as research shows that these skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school.

The average student in Italy scored 486 in reading literacy, maths and sciences, lower than the OECD average of 497. On average, girls outperformed boys by 11 points, more than the average OECD gap of 9 points.

The best-performing school systems manage to provide high-quality education to all students. In Italy, the average difference in results, between the 20% with the highest socio-economic background and the 20% with the lowest socio-economic background, is 87 points, lower than the OECD average of 99 points. This suggests the school system in Italy provides relatively equal access to high-quality education.

Indicators

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Japan

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Key Findings

A well-educated and well-trained population is essential for a country’s social and economic well-being. Education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy. Most concretely, having a good education greatly improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money. Across OECD countries, 83% of people with university-level degrees have a job, compared with just below 56% for those with only a secondary school diploma. Lifetime earnings also increase with each level of education.

Following a decline in manual labour over previous decades, employers now favour a more educated labour force. High-school graduation rates therefore provide a good indication of whether a country is preparing its students to meet the minimum requirements of the job market. In Japan, 92% of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, much higher than the OECD average of 74%. This is slightly truer of men than women, as 93% of men have successfully completed high-school compared with 91% of women. This 2 percentage point difference is in line with the OECD average.

But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies.  In 2009, PISA focused on examining students’ reading ability, skills in maths and level in sciences, as research shows that these skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school.

Japan is a top-performing OECD country in reading literacy, maths and sciences with the average student scoring 529. This score is higher than the OECD average of 497, making Japan one of the strongest OECD countries in students’ skills. On average in Japan, girls outperformed boys by 14 points, more than the average OECD gap of 9 points.

The best-performing school systems manage to provide high-quality education to all students. In Japan, the average difference in results, between the 20% with the highest socio-economic background and the 20% with the lowest socio-economic background, is 76 points, lower than the OECD average of 99 points and one of the smallest gaps amongst OECD countries. This suggests the school system in Japan provides relatively equal access to high-quality education.

Data for Educational Attainment in Japan rely on OECD estimates. These figures will be updated as official information becomes available.

Better Policies for Better Lives

Japan has been at or near the top of the international rankings on education. Its success can be attributed to a first rate teaching force, superb family support for students at home, the way resources are focused on instruction and the strong incentives for students to take tough courses and study hard in school. The Japanese education system is also grounded in a deep commitment to children that is both concrete and enduring.

A strong focus on equity

Japanese classes are heterogeneous and large (more than 35 students on average) and no student is held back or promoted on account of ability. Furthermore, all are expected to master the same demanding curriculum. This is a powerful formula for equity in terms of outcomes. What is particularly impressive about this approach is that the expected outcomes are not set at the lowest common denominator, but at the top of the range of possible outcomes worldwide.

There is a widely-shared belief in Japan that these policies achieve the greatest good for the greatest number and the results bear this out. The system is set up so that high-achieving students can help lower-achieving students within a group, within a classroom and within a school. The research literature shows that all students are helped by this approach, because the students who teach and tutor learn as much or nearly as much in the process of tutoring as the recipient of the tutoring. This approach is consistent with Japanese values and contributes greatly to the generally high level of Japanese achievement.

Additionally, Japanese teachers and principals are often reassigned to different schools by the prefectures. This is done, among other reasons, to make sure that the distribution of the most capable teachers among schools is fair and equitable.

Indicators

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Korea

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Key Findings

A well-educated and well-trained population is essential for a country’s social and economic well-being. Education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy. Most concretely, having a good education greatly improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money. Across OECD countries, 83% of people with university-level degrees have a job, compared with just below 56% for those with only a secondary school diploma. Lifetime earnings also increase with each level of education.

Following a decline in manual labour over previous decades, employers now favour a more educated labour force. High-school graduation rates therefore provide a good indication of whether a country is preparing its students to meet the minimum requirements of the job market. In Korea, 80% of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, higher than the OECD average of 74%. This is truer of men than women, as 85% of men have successfully completed high-school compared with 76% of women. This 9 percentage point difference is higher than the OECD average of 2 percentage points and suggests women’s participation in secondary education could be strengthened. Among younger people – a better indicator of Korea’s future – 98% of 25-34 year-olds have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, much higher than the OECD average of 82%.

Koreans can expect to go through 17.7 years of education between the ages of 5 and 39, more than the OECD average of 16.5 years. This high level of education expectancy echoes Korea’s good performance in the educational attainment of its 25-34 year-old population.  

But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies.  In 2009, PISA focused on examining students’ reading ability, skills in maths and level in sciences, as research shows that these skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school.

Korea is a top-performing OECD country in reading literacy, maths and sciences with the average student scoring 541. This score is higher than the OECD average of 497, making Korea one of the strongest OECD countries in students’ skills. On average in Korea, girls outperformed boys by 11 points, slightly more than the average OECD gap of 9 points, with an overall score of 547 points compared with 536 points for boys.

The best-performing school systems manage to provide high-quality education to all students. In Korea, the average difference in results, between the 20% with the highest socio-economic background and the 20% with the lowest socio-economic background, is 87 points, lower than the OECD average of 99 points. This suggests the school system in Korea provides relatively equal access to high-quality education.

Indicators

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Luxembourg

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Key Findings

A well-educated and well-trained population is essential for a country’s social and economic well-being. Education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy. Most concretely, having a good education greatly improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money. Across OECD countries, 83% of people with university-level degrees have a job, compared with just below 56% for those with only a secondary school diploma. Lifetime earnings also increase with each level of education.

Following a decline in manual labour over previous decades, employers now favour a more educated labour force. High-school graduation rates therefore provide a good indication of whether a country is preparing its students to meet the minimum requirements of the job market. In Luxembourg, 78% of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, higher than the OECD average of 74%. This is truer of men than women, as 81% of men have successfully completed high-school compared with 75% of women. This 6 percentage point difference is higher than the OECD average of 2 percentage points and suggests women’s participation in secondary education could be strengthened. Among younger people – a better indicator of Luxembourg’s future – 84% of 25-34 year-olds have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, also higher than the OECD average of 82%.

People in Luxembourg can expect to go through 14.9 years of education between the ages of 5 and 39, less than the OECD average of 16.5 years and one of the lowest in the OECD.

But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies.  In 2009, PISA focused on examining students’ reading ability, skills in maths and level in sciences, as research shows that these skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school.

The average student in Luxembourg scored 482 in reading literacy, maths and sciences, lower than the OECD average of 497. On average, girls outperformed boys by 4 points, less than the average OECD gap of 9 points.

The best-performing school systems manage to provide high-quality education to all students. In Luxembourg, the average difference in results, between the 20% with the highest socio-economic background and the 20% with the lowest socio-economic background is 125 points, much higher than the OECD average of 99 points and one of the largest gaps amongst OECD countries. This suggests the school system in Luxembourg tends to provide higher quality education for the better off.

Indicators

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Mexico

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Key Findings

A well-educated and well-trained population is essential for a country’s social and economic well-being. Education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy. Most concretely, having a good education greatly improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money. Across OECD countries, 83% of people with university-level degrees have a job, compared with just below 56% for those with only a secondary school diploma. Lifetime earnings also increase with each level of education.

Following a decline in manual labour over previous decades, employers now favour a more educated labour force. High-school graduation rates therefore provide a good indication of whether a country is preparing its students to meet the minimum requirements of the job market. In Mexico, 36% of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, much lower than the OECD average of 74%. This is slightly truer of men than women, as 38% of men have successfully completed high-school compared with 35% of women. This 3 percentage point difference is slightly higher than the OECD average of 2 percentage points. Among younger people – a better indicator of Mexico’s future – 44% of 25-34 year-olds have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, still lower than the OECD average of 82% but showing progress.

Mexicans can expect to go through 14.9 years of education between the ages of 5 and 39, less than the OECD average of 16.5 years and one of the lowest in the OECD.

The Mexican educational system has grown rapidly in the last fifty years, from three million students to more than 30 million. Today, nearly all children between the ages of 5 and 14 are in school. There has also been progress in ensuring that young people finish school, with rates increasing from 33% in 2000 to 42% in 2005. This progress has been achieved despite tight budgets and a rapidly growing school-age population, including 15% who live on less than 2 USD per day.

But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies. In 2009, PISA focused on examining students’ reading ability, as research shows that reading skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school.

The average student in Mexico scored 420 out of 600 in reading literacy, much lower than the OECD average of 497 and the lowest rate in the OECD. On average in Mexico, girls outperformed boys by 2 points, lower than the average OECD gap of 9 points.

The best-performing school systems manage to provide high-quality education to all students. In Mexico, the average difference in results, between the 20% with the highest socio-economic background and the 20% with the lowest socio-economic background, is 89 points, lower than the OECD average of 99 points. This suggests the school system in Mexico provides relatively equal access to high-quality education.

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Netherlands

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Key Findings

A well-educated and well-trained population is essential for a country’s social and economic well-being. Education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy. Most concretely, having a good education greatly improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money. Across OECD countries, 83% of people with university-level degrees have a job, compared with just below 56% for those with only a secondary school diploma. Lifetime earnings also increase with each level of education.

Following a decline in manual labour over previous decades, employers now favour a more educated labour force. High-school graduation rates therefore provide a good indication of whether a country is preparing its students to meet the minimum requirements of the job market. In the Netherlands, 73% of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, close to the OECD average of 74%. This is truer of men than women, as 75% of men have successfully completed high-school compared with 71% of women. This 4 percentage point difference is slightly larger than the OECD average gap of 2 percentage points. Among younger people – a better indicator of the Netherlands’ future – 83% of 25-34 year-olds have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, slightly more than the OECD average of 82%.

People in the Netherlands can expect to go through 17.8 years of education between the ages of 5 and 39, more than the OECD average of 16.5 years. This high level of education expectancy echoes the Netherlands’ good performance in the educational attainment of its 25-34 year-old population.

But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies.  In 2009, PISA focused on examining students’ reading ability, skills in maths and level in sciences, as research shows that these skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school.

The average student in the Netherlands scored 519 in reading literacy, maths and sciences, higher than the OECD average of 497. On average in the Netherlands, girls outperformed boys but only by 1 point, much less than the average OECD gap of 9.

The best-performing school systems manage to provide high-quality education to all students. In the Netherlands, the average difference in results, between the 20% with the highest socio-economic background and the 20% with the lowest socio-economic background, is 97 points, slightly lower than the OECD average of 99 points. This suggests the school system in the Netherlands provides relatively equal access to high-quality education.

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New Zealand

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Key Findings

A well-educated and well-trained population is essential for a country’s social and economic well-being. Education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy. Most concretely, having a good education greatly improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money. Across OECD countries, 83% of people with university-level degrees have a job, compared with just below 56% for those with only a secondary school diploma. Lifetime earnings also increase with each level of education.

Following a decline in manual labour over previous decades, employers now favour a more educated labour force. High-school graduation rates therefore provide a good indication of whether a country is preparing its students to meet the minimum requirements of the job market. In New-Zealand, 73% of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, close to the OECD average of 74%. This is truer of men than women, as 74% of men have successfully completed high-school compared with 72% of women. This 2 percentage point difference is in line with the average OECD difference. Among younger people – a better indicator of New-Zealand’s future – 79% of 25-34 year-olds have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, also close to the OECD average of 82%.

People in New-Zealand can expect to go through 18.2 years of education between the ages of 5 and 39, more than the OECD average of 16.5 years.  

But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies.  In 2009, PISA focused on examining students’ reading ability, skills in maths and level in sciences, as research shows that these skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school.

New-Zealand is a top-performing OECD country in reading literacy, maths and sciences with the average student scoring 524. This score is higher than the OECD average of 497, making New-Zealand one of the strongest OECD countries in students’ skills. On average in New-Zealand, girls outperformed boys by 15 points, more than the average OECD gap of 9 points, with an overall score of 532 points compared with 517 points for boys.

The best-performing school systems manage to provide high-quality education to all students. In New-Zealand, the average difference in results, between the 20% with the highest socio-economic background and the 20% with the lowest socio-economic background, is 119 points, higher than the OECD average of 99 points. This suggests the school system in New-Zealand tends to provide higher quality education for the better off.

Indicators

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Norway

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Key Findings

A well-educated and well-trained population is essential for a country’s social and economic well-being. Education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy. Most concretely, having a good education greatly improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money. Across OECD countries, 83% of people with university-level degrees have a job, compared with just below 56% for those with only a secondary school diploma. Lifetime earnings also increase with each level of education.

Following a decline in manual labour over previous decades, employers now favour a more educated labour force. High-school graduation rates therefore provide a good indication of whether a country is preparing its students to meet the minimum requirements of the job market. In Norway, 81% of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, higher than the OECD average of 74%. Across the OECD, slightly more men aged 25-64 have the equivalent of a high-school degree compared with women from the same age group. In Norway, the educational attainment rates of men and women are similar at 81% for men and 80% for women. Among younger people – a better indicator of Norway’s future – 83% of 25-34 year-olds have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, slightly more than the OECD average of 82%.

Norwegians can expect to go through 17.9 years of education between the ages of 5 and 39, more than the OECD average of 16.5 years. This high level of education expectancy echoes Norway’s good performance in the educational attainment of its 25-34 year-old population.  

But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies.  In 2009, PISA focused on examining students’ reading ability, skills in maths and level in sciences, as research shows that these skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school.

The average student in Norway scored 500 in reading literacy, maths and sciences, higher than the OECD average of 497. On average, girls outperformed boys by 15 points, more than the average OECD gap of 9 points.

The best-performing school systems manage to provide high-quality education to all students. In Norway, the average difference in results, between the 20% with the highest socio-economic background and the 20% with the lowest socio-economic background is 77 points, lower than the OECD average of 99 points and one of the smallest gaps amongst OECD countries. This suggests the school system in Norway provides relatively equal access to high-quality education.

Better Policies for Better Lives

Establishing career incentives in Norway

In Norway, governments and unions have co-operated to enhance and recognize teachers’ competence. The Union of Education Norway (UEN) had long considered that there were too few career incentives for teachers. Existing career structures meant that teachers stopped teaching or taught less when they entered positions of educational leadership. In the 2008, the UEN suggested introducing a new and higher wage scale for teachers on the basis of competence. The suggestion was accepted, and procedures were agreed to promote and retain highly competent teachers, as identified by the school leader.

Additionally, the UEN formed a partnership with the Norwegian Ministry of Education and other organizations to introduce a system of ongoing education for teachers. Around 2 000 full-time study places in colleges and universities have been set aside for full- or part-time studies. Teachers who participate are granted leave of absence with full pay for 80% of normal study time. Costs for substitute teachers are shared between the central government and the local employer.

Indicators

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Poland

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Key Findings

A well-educated and well-trained population is essential for a country’s social and economic well-being. Education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy. Most concretely, having a good education greatly improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money. Across OECD countries, 83% of people with university-level degrees have a job, compared with just below 56% for those with only a secondary school diploma. Lifetime earnings also increase with each level of education.

Following a decline in manual labour over previous decades, employers now favour a more educated labour force. High-school graduation rates therefore provide a good indication of whether a country is preparing its students to meet the minimum requirements of the job market. In Poland, 89% of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, higher than the OECD average of 74%. Across the OECD, slightly more men aged 25-64 have the equivalent of a high-school degree compared with women from the same age group. In Poland, however, this is equally true of men and women. Among younger people – a better indicator of Poland’s  future – 94% of 25-34 year-olds have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, higher than the OECD average of 82%.

Poles can expect to go through 18.2 years of education between the ages of 5 and 39, more than the OECD average of 16.5 years. This high level of education expectancy echoes Poland’s good performance in the educational attainment of its 25-34 year-old population.  

But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies.  In 2009, PISA focused on examining students’ reading ability, skills in maths and level in sciences, as research shows that these skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school.

The average student in Poland scored 501 in reading literacy, maths and sciences, higher than the OECD average of 497. On average, girls outperformed boys by 18 points, double the average OECD gap of 9 points.

The best-performing school systems manage to provide high-quality education to all students. In Poland, the average difference in results, between the 20% with the highest socio-economic background and the 20% with the lowest socio-economic background, is 97 points, slightly lower than the OECD average of 99 points. This suggests the school system in Poland provides relatively equal access to high-quality education.

Indicators

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Portugal

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Key Findings

A well-educated and well-trained population is essential for a country’s social and economic well-being. Education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy. Most concretely, having a good education greatly improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money. Across OECD countries, 83% of people with university-level degrees have a job, compared with just below 56% for those with only a secondary school diploma. Lifetime earnings also increase with each level of education.

Following a decline in manual labour over previous decades, employers now favour a more educated labour force. High-school graduation rates therefore provide a good indication of whether a country is preparing its students to meet the minimum requirements of the job market. In Portugal, 32% of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, much lower than the OECD average of 74% and one of the lowest rates amongst OECD countries. Across the OECD, slightly more men aged 25-64 have the equivalent of a high-school degree compared with women from the same age group. In Portugal however, the opposite is true as 29% of men have successfully completed high-school compared with 35% of women. Among younger people – a better indicator of Portugal’s future – 52% of 25-34 year-olds have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, still lower than the OECD average of 82% but showing progress.

The Portuguese can expect to go through 18.0 years of education between the ages of 5 and 39, more than the OECD average of 16.5 years. This high level of education expectancy could influence Portugal’s future performance in the educational attainment of its 25-34 year-old population.

But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies.  In 2009, PISA focused on examining students’ reading ability, skills in maths and level in sciences, as research shows that these skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school.  

The average student in Portugal scored 490 in reading literacy, maths and sciences, lower than the OECD average of 497. On average, girls outperformed boys by 10 points, slightly more than the average OECD gap of 9 points.

The best-performing school systems manage to provide high-quality education to all students. In Portugal, the average difference in results, between the 20% with the highest socio-economic background and the 20% with the lowest socio-economic background is 105 points, higher than the OECD average of 99 points. This suggests the school system in Portugal tends to provide higher quality education for the better off.

Better Policies for Better Lives

Student learning outcomes in Portugal are around or slightly below the OECD average, depending on the skills assessed, and have shown some encouraging improvement in the last decade. However the high share of students leaving the education system too early with low skills remains a major problem. Portugal has introduced a number of measures to increase secondary and tertiary education attainment and improve quality in education. The Education Programme 2015, for instance, establishes targets for school education focusing on two main priority areas: improving the basic competencies of students, and ensuring that all young people remain in the education system. The programme sets targets for reducing the early school leaving rate for 14-16 year-olds, and reducing the number of students who repeat grades, with indicators to monitor progress. These targets are linked to wider European Union benchmarks for 2020.

There have also been a number of recent initiatives to use schools to provide a second opportunity to people who have left school early or are at risk of doing so, or adults who may not have completed compulsory education. Under the New Opportunities scheme these programmes are offered on school premises and using the school’s teachers. 

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Russian Federation

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Key Findings

A well-educated and well-trained population is essential for a country’s social and economic well-being. Education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy.  Most concretely, having a good education greatly improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money. Across OECD countries, 83% of people with university-level degrees have a job, compared with just below 56% for those with only a secondary school diploma. Lifetime earnings also increase with each level of education.

Following a decline in manual labour over previous decades, employers now favour a more educated labour force. High-school graduation rates therefore provide a good indication of whether a country is preparing its students to meet the minimum requirements of the job market. In the Russian Federation, 91% of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, higher than the OECD average of 74%.Across the OECD, slightly more men aged 25-64 have the equivalent of a high-school degree compared with women from the same age group. In Russia, however, the opposite is true as 90% of men have successfully completed high-school compared with 93% of women. Among younger people – a better indicator of Russia’s future – 91% of 25-34 year-olds have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, higher than the OECD average of 82%.

Russians can expect to go through 16.6 years of education between the ages of 5 and 39, close to the OECD average of 16.5 years. This high level of education expectancy echoes Russia’s good performance in the educational attainment of its 25-34 year-old population.  

But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies.  In 2009, PISA focused on examining students’ reading ability, skills in maths and level in sciences, as research shows that these skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school.

The average student in Russia scored 469 in reading literacy, maths and sciences, lower than the OECD average of 497. On average, girls outperformed boys by 15 points, more than the average OECD gap of 9 points.

The best-performing school systems manage to provide high-quality education to all students. In Russia, the average difference in results, between the 20% with the highest socio-economic background and the 20% with the lowest socio-economic background, is 85 points, lower than the OECD average of 99 points. This suggests the school system in Russia provides relatively equal access to high-quality education.

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Slovak Republic

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Key Findings

A well-educated and well-trained population is essential for a country’s social and economic well-being. Education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy. Most concretely, having a good education greatly improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money. Across OECD countries, 83% of people with university-level degrees have a job, compared with just below 56% for those with only a secondary school diploma. Lifetime earnings also increase with each level of education.

Following a decline in manual labour over previous decades, employers now favour a more educated labour force. High-school graduation rates therefore provide a good indication of whether a country is preparing its students to meet the minimum requirements of the job market. In the Slovak Republic, 91% of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, much higher than the OECD average of 74%. This is truer of men than women, as 93% of men have successfully completed high-school compared with 89% of women. This 4 percentage point difference is slightly higher than the OECD average of 2 percentage points. Among younger people – a better indicator of the Slovak republic’s future – 94% of 25-34 year-olds have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, also higher than the OECD average of 82%.

Slovaks can expect to go through 16.4 years of education between the ages of 5 and 39, close to the OECD average of 16.5 years. This level of education expectancy echoes Slovakia’s good performance in the educational attainment of its 25-34 year-old population.   

But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies.  In 2009, PISA focused on examining students’ reading ability, skills in maths and level in sciences, as research shows that these skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school.

The average student in the Slovak Republic scored 488 in reading literacy, maths and sciences, lower than the OECD average of 497. On average, girls outperformed boys by 16 points, more than the average OECD gap of 9 points.

The best-performing school systems manage to provide high-quality education to all students. In the Slovak Republic, the average difference in results, between the 20% with the highest socio-economic background and the 20% with the lowest socio-economic background is 108 points, more than the OECD average of 99 points. This suggests the school system in the Slovak Republic tends to provide higher quality education for the better off.

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Slovenia

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Key Findings

A well-educated and well-trained population is essential for a country’s social and economic well-being. Education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy. Most concretely, having a good education greatly improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money. Across OECD countries, 83% of people with university-level degrees have a job, compared with just below 56% for those with only a secondary school diploma. Lifetime earnings also increase with each level of education.

Following a decline in manual labour over previous decades, employers now favour a more educated labour force. High-school graduation rates therefore provide a good indication of whether a country is preparing its students to meet the minimum requirements of the job market. In Slovenia, 83% of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, higher than the OECD average of 74%. This is truer of men than women, as 85% of men have successfully completed high-school compared with 81% of women. This 4 percentage point difference is slightly higher than the OECD average of 2 percentage points. Among younger people – a better indicator of Slovenia’s future – 93% of 25-34 year-olds have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, also higher than the OECD average of 82%.

Slovenians can expect to go through 18.4 years of education between the ages of 5 and 39, more than the OECD average of 16.5 years. This high level of education expectancy echoes Slovenia’s good performance in the educational attainment of its 25-34 year-old population. 

But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies.  In 2009, PISA focused on examining students’ reading ability, skills in maths and level in sciences, as research shows that these skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school.

The average student in Slovenia scored 499 in reading literacy, maths and sciences, slightly higher than the OECD average of 497. On average, girls outperformed boys by 22 points, much more than the average OECD gap of 9 points.

The best-performing school systems manage to provide high-quality education to all students. In Slovenia, the average difference in results, between the 20% with the highest socio-economic background and the 20% with the lowest socio-economic background is 98 points, slightly lower than the OECD average of 99 points. This suggests the school system in Slovenia provides relatively equal access to high-quality education.

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Spain

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Key Findings

A well-educated and well-trained population is essential for a country’s social and economic well-being. Education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy. Most concretely, having a good education greatly improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money. Across OECD countries, 83% of people with university-level degrees have a job, compared with just below 56% for those with only a secondary school diploma. Lifetime earnings also increase with each level of education.

Following a decline in manual labour over previous decades, employers now favour a more educated labour force. High-school graduation rates therefore provide a good indication of whether a country is preparing its students to meet the minimum requirements of the job market. In Spain, 53% of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, much lower than the OECD average of 74%. Across the OECD, slightly more men aged 25-64 have the equivalent of a high-school degree compared with women from that same age group. In Spain however, 52% of men have successfully completed high-school compared with 54% of women. Among younger people – a better indicator of Spain’s future – 65% of 25-34 year-olds have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, also lower than the OECD average of 82% but showing progress.

The Spanish can expect to go through 17.3 years of education between the ages of 5 and 39, more than the OECD average of 16.5 years. This high level of education expectancy could influence Spain’s future performance in the educational attainment of its 25-34 year-old population.  

But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies.  In 2009, PISA focused on examining students’ reading ability, skills in maths and level in sciences, as research shows that these skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school.

The average student in Spain scored 484 in reading literacy, maths and sciences, lower than the OECD average of 497. On average, girls and boys performed equally in Spain. Across the OECD, however, girls outperformed boys by 9 points, on average.

The best-performing school systems manage to provide high-quality education to all students. In Spain, the average difference in results, between the 20% with the highest socio-economic background and the 20% with the lowest socio-economic background, is 92 points, lower than the OECD average of 99 points. This suggests the school system in Spain provides relatively equal access to high-quality education.

Indicators

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Sweden

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Key Findings

A well-educated and well-trained population is essential for a country’s social and economic well-being. Education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy. Most concretely, having a good education greatly improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money. Across OECD countries, 83% of people with university-level degrees have a job, compared with just below 56% for those with only a secondary school diploma. Lifetime earnings also increase with each level of education.

Following a decline in manual labour over previous decades, employers now favour a more educated labour force. High-school graduation rates therefore provide a good indication of whether a country is preparing its students to meet the minimum requirements of the job market. In Sweden, 87% of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, higher than the OECD average of 74%. Across the OECD, slightly more men aged 25-64 have the equivalent of a high-school degree compared with women from that same age group. In Sweden however, 85% of men have successfully completed high-school compared with 88% of women. Among younger people – a better indicator of Sweden’s future – 91% of 25-34 year-olds have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, also higher than the OECD average of 82%.

Swedes can expect to go through 19.2 years of education between the ages of 5 and 39, more than the OECD average of 16.5 years. This high level of education expectancy echoes Sweden’s good performance in the educational attainment of its 25-34 year-old population.  

But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies.  In 2009, PISA focused on examining students’ reading ability, skills in maths and level in sciences, as research shows that these skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school.

The average student in Sweden scored 496 in reading literacy, maths and sciences, close to the OECD average of 497. On average, girls outperformed boys by 17 points, much more than the average OECD gap of 9 points.

The best-performing school systems manage to provide high-quality education to all students. In Sweden, the average difference in results, between the 20% with the highest socio-economic background and the 20% with the lowest socio-economic is 99 points, in line with the OECD average. This suggests the school system in Sweden provides relatively equal access to high-quality education.

Better Policies for Better Lives

Improving academic performances of immigrants

Sweden is far from homogeneous, with nearly 20% of elementary secondary school students speaking a language other than Swedish, and over 100 languages spoken nationwide. More than 13% of all residents were born abroad.

To address this diversity, Sweden has made a strong national commitment to Swedish language education for both immigrant adults and school children. As a consequence, the academic performance of Sweden’s immigrant children is impressive.

For immigrant children, Sweden has implemented an intensive immersion programme similar to that in other countries that have successfully narrowed the achievement gap between immigrant and non-immigrant children, such as Australia, Canada, the Netherlands and Switzerland.

It is compulsory for newly-arrived school-age children to study Swedish at school as a second language (SSL) as part of a core programme of study. The goal is to provide students with the language skills necessary to understand and express complex ideas through speech and writing. Recent student immigrants remain in the SSL programmes on average between 6 and 12 months. They then transfer into the mainstream school programme, but through the “Study Guidance in Mother Tongue” programme they are provided with support teachers to help in the transition. These teachers often work with small groups of immigrant students within the mainstream classroom.

Sweden does not just prioritise language education for immigrant school children, it is also important for their parents and other adults. As mentioned above, Sweden guarantees adults 240 hours of free language instruction through its Swedish for Immigrants (SFI) programme. This is focused on preparing immigrants for the workplace.

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Switzerland

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Key Findings

A well-educated and well-trained population is essential for a country’s social and economic well-being. Education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy. Most concretely, having a good education greatly improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money. Across OECD countries, 83% of people with university-level degrees have a job, compared with just below 56% for those with only a secondary school diploma. Lifetime earnings also increase with each level of education.

Following a decline in manual labour over previous decades, employers now favour a more educated labour force. High-school graduation rates therefore provide a good indication of whether a country is preparing its students to meet the minimum requirements of the job market. In Switzerland, 86% of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, higher than the OECD average of 74%. This is truer of men than women, as 89% of men have successfully completed high-school compared with 83% of women. This 6 percentage point difference is higher than the OECD average of 2 percentage points and suggests women’s participation in secondary education could be strengthened. Among younger people – a better indicator of Switzerland’s future – 90% of 25-34 year-olds have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, also higher than the OECD average of 82%.

The Swiss can expect to go through 17.2 years of education between the ages of 5 and 39, more than the OECD average of 16.5 years. This high level of education expectancy echoes Switzerland’s good performance in the educational attainment of its 25-34 year-old population.  

But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies.  In 2009, PISA focused on examining students’ reading ability, skills in maths and level in sciences, as research shows that these skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school.

Switzerland is a top-performing OECD country in reading literacy, maths and sciences with the average student scoring 517. This score is higher than the OECD average of 497, making Switzerland one of the strongest OECD countries in students’ skills. On average in Switzerland, girls outperformed boys by 4 points, less than the average OECD gap of 9 points

The best-performing school systems manage to provide high-quality education to all students. In Switzerland, the average difference in results, between the 20% with the highest socio-economic background and the 20% with the lowest socio-economic background is 108 points, higher than the OECD average of 99 points. This suggests the school system in Switzerland tends to provide higher quality education for the better off.

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Turkey

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Key Findings

A well-educated and well-trained population is essential for a country’s social and economic well-being. Education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy. Most concretely, having a good education greatly improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money. Across OECD countries, 83% of people with university-level degrees have a job, compared with just below 56% for those with only a secondary school diploma. Lifetime earnings also increase with each level of education.

Following a decline in manual labour over previous decades, employers now favour a more educated labour force. High-school graduation rates therefore provide a good indication of whether a country is preparing its students to meet the minimum requirements of the job market. In Turkey, 31% of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, much lower than the OECD average of 74% and the lowest rate across OECD countries. This is truer of men than women, as 36% of men have successfully completed high-school compared with 26% of women. This 10 percentage point difference is much higher than the OECD average of 2 percentage points and suggests women’s participation in secondary education could be strengthened. Among younger people – a better indicator of Turkey’s future – 42% of 25-34 year-olds have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, also lower than the OECD average of 82% but showing progress.

Turkish people can expect to go through 15.2 years of education between the ages of 5 and 39, less than the OECD average of 16.5 years.

But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies.  In 2009, PISA focused on examining students’ reading ability, skills in maths and level in sciences, as research shows that these skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school.

The average student in Turkey scored 455 in reading literacy, maths and sciences, lower than the OECD average of 497. On average, girls outperformed boys by 15 points, more than the average OECD gap of 9 points.

The best-performing school systems manage to provide high-quality education to all students. In Turkey, the average difference in results, between the 20% with the highest socio-economic background and the 20% with the lowest socio-economic background is 106 points, higher than the OECD average of 99 points. This suggests the school system in Turkey tends to provide higher quality education for the better off.

Indicators

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United Kingdom

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Key Findings

A well-educated and well-trained population is essential for a country’s social and economic well-being. Education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy. Most concretely, having a good education greatly improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money. Across OECD countries, 83% of people with university-level degrees have a job, compared with just below 56% for those with only a secondary school diploma. Lifetime earnings also increase with each level of education.

Following a decline in manual labour over previous decades, employers now favour a more educated labour force. High-school graduation rates therefore provide a good indication of whether a country is preparing its students to meet the minimum requirements of the job market. In the United Kingdom, 75% of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, slightly more than the OECD average of 74%. This is truer of men than women, as 78% of men have successfully completed high-school compared with 72% of women. This 6 percentage point difference is higher than the OECD average of 2 percentage points and suggests women’s participation in secondary education could be strengthened. Among younger people – a better indicator of the United Kingdom’s future – 83% of 25-34 year-olds have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, slightly more than the OECD average of 82%.

The British can expect to go through 16.6 years of education between the ages of 5 and 39, slightly more than the OECD average of 16.5 years. This level of education expectancy echoes the United Kingdom’s good performance in the educational attainment of its 25-34 year-old population.  

But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies.  In 2009, PISA focused on examining students’ reading ability, skills in maths and level in sciences, as research shows that these skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school.

The average student in the United Kingdom scored 500 in reading literacy, maths and sciences, higher than the OECD average of 497. Boys and girls performed equally.

The best-performing school systems manage to provide high-quality education to all students. In the United Kingdom, the average difference in results, between the 20% with the highest socio-economic background and the 20% with the lowest socio-economic background is 103 points, higher than the OECD average of 99 points. This suggests the school system in the United Kingdom tends to provide higher quality education for the better off.

Better Policies for Better Lives

Reversing teacher shortages in the United Kingdom

When it took office, the Blair administration faced one of the worst shortages of teachers in history. Five years later, there were eight applicants for every job opening. To some extent this had to do with raising compensation significantly, as well as with important changes in teachers’ work environment; but a sophisticated and powerful recruiting program played a very important part in the turnaround.

The recruitment campaign was launched with strong political and financial backing by the Training and Development Agency (TDA) in 2000. An extra GBP 150 million was allocated to employ leading international advertising and recruitment agencies to undertake extensive market research on the motivations and barriers to becoming a teacher and to develop award-winning marketing strategies. In addition, a new GBP 6000 education bursary was offered to all trainees as a one-off, tax-free payment to support them through their education. A “golden hello” of up to GBP 4000 was also introduced, with the full amount paid in shortage subjects such as math and physics.

By focusing on the idea of teaching “making a difference”, the new campaign aimed to improve the status of teaching as a profession. It also emphasized the flexibility and diversity of the skills teachers acquire, the variety of routes into teaching, and the possibility of doing it as a “first career” before moving on to other things. The advertising approach was direct, encouraging people to call a national information line, which also allowed the TDA to collect data on people who were considering teaching and to target those with skills in shortage subjects, such as math and physics.

Within three months of the launch of the advertising campaign, the number of people calling the national teaching recruitment helpline tripled. By 2003/2004 the vacancy-to-employment rate halved to less than 1% for all subjects, with major gains in shortage subjects, such as mathematics, where the number of new recruits had almost doubled by 2005.

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United States

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Key Findings

A well-educated and well-trained population is essential for a country’s social and economic well-being. Education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy. Most concretely, having a good education greatly improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money. Across OECD countries, 83% of people with university-level degrees have a job, compared with just below 56% for those with only a secondary school diploma. Lifetime earnings also increase with each level of education.

Following a decline in manual labour over previous decades, employers now favour a more educated labour force. High-school graduation rates therefore provide a good indication of whether a country is preparing its students to meet the minimum requirements of the job market. In the United States, 89% of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, higher than the OECD average of 74%. Across the OECD, slightly more men aged 25-64 have the equivalent of a high-school degree compared with women from that same age group. In the United States however, 88% of men have successfully completed high-school compared with 90% of women. Among younger people – a better indicator of the United States’ future – 88% of 25-34 year-olds have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, also higher than the OECD average of 82%.

Americans can expect to go through 17.1 years of education between the ages of 5 and 39, more than the OECD average of 16.5 years. This level of education expectancy echoes the United States’ good performance in the educational attainment of its 25-34 year-old population.  

But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies.  In 2009, PISA focused on examining students’ reading ability, skills in maths and level in sciences, as research shows that these skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school.

The average student in the United States scored 496 in reading literacy, maths and sciences, close to the OECD average of 497. Boys and girls performed equally.

The best-performing school systems manage to provide high-quality education to all students. In the United States, the average difference in results, between the 20% with the highest socio-economic background and the 20% with the lowest socio-economic background is 112 points, higher than the OECD average of 99 points. This suggests the school system in the United States tends to provide higher quality education for the better off.

Better Policies for Better Lives

Innovative teacher-preparation program in Boston

The Boston Teacher Residency (BTR), established in 2003, is a teacher-preparation program that recruits high-performing college graduates and professionals and prepares them to teach in Boston schools. The program focuses on mastering the skills that teachers will need to be effective in the public schools in which teachers will work, emphasizing clinical training and pairing residents with experienced classroom teachers.

Residents begin the program with a two-month summer institute, and then spend their first year in a classroom four days a week, spending the fifth day attending courses and seminars. This approach allows residents to simultaneously master both the theory and practice of teaching. After their first year, residents receive an initial teacher license and a master’s degree in education, and continue to receive support from BTR in the form of induction coaching, courses and seminars, and placement in collaborative clusters within schools.

A study of the program’s impact on student achievement is underway, but early indicators of success include a rigorous recruitment and selection process in which only 13% of applicants are admitted, three-year retention rates of 85% (far above the U.S. average for urban schools), growth of the program’s outputs to fill 60% of Boston’s annual need for math and science teachers, and highly favourable reviews from school principals, with 96% of principals saying they would recommend hiring a BTR graduate to another principal. BTR recently received a USD 5 million “development” grant under the U.S. Department of Education’s Investing in Innovation Fund, which seeks to identify and scale up promising and proven practices in teacher education and other priority areas.

Indicators

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