School leaving age
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The school leaving age states the minimum age which a person is legally allowed to leave compulsory education. The majority of countries have their school leaving age set the same as their minimum employment age, thus allowing smooth transition from education into employment, whilst a few have it set just below the age at which a person is allowed to be employed.
In contrast, there are numerous countries which have several years between their school leaving age and their legal minimum employment age, thus in some cases preventing any such transition for several years. Countries which have their employment age set below the school leaving age (mostly 3rd world countries), risk giving children the opportunity to leave their education early to earn money for their families.
The table below states the school leaving ages in countries across the world and their respective minimum employment age, showing a comparion of how many countries have synchronised these ages.[1] The largest known gap between school leaving and employment age is in Peru, where a child by law must have an education up to the age of 18, yet can legally be employed at the age of just 12. There are however regulations in place to ensure that their work does not affect academic performance or school attendance, and employers are obliged to report regularly on the performance and attendance of students who they employ.[2]
| Country | De jure | Education/ Employment gap | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| School leaving age | Employment age | |||
| Algeria | 16 | ~ | ||
| Andorra | 16 | ~ | ||
| Argentina | 15 | 14 | -1 | |
| Australia | 16 | 14 | -1 | |
| Austria | 15 | ~ | ||
| Bahrain | nc | 15 | - | |
| Bangladesh | 10 | nm | - | |
| Barbados | 16 | ~ | ||
| Belarus | ? | 14 | - | |
| Belgium | 15 | ~ | Full-time education is compulsory from the age of 6 to 15. From the person's 16th to their 18th birthday, they are obliged to pursue at least part-time education, thus having a choice between full-time or part-time education. | |
| Belize | 14 | 12 | -2 | |
| Benin | ? | 14 | - | |
| Brunei | nc | 14 | - | |
| Bulgaria | 15 | ~ | ||
| Burkina Faso | 16 | nm | - | |
| Burundi | 12 | 16 | +4 | |
| Cameroon | nc | 14 | - | |
| Canada | 16 | |||
| Cape Verde | 16 | 14 | -2 | |
| Chad | 15 | nm | - | |
| Chile | 17 | 15 | -2 | |
| China | 15 | 16 | +1 | Compulsory education lasts 9 years. School leaving age is calculated under the assumption that pupils will enroll in school at age 6 or graduate high school at age 18. |
| Colombia | 15 | 14 | -1 | |
| Comoros | 14 | nm | - | |
| Cyprus | 15 | ~ | ||
| Czech Republic | 15 | ~ | ||
| Denmark | 16 | 15 | -1 | |
| Dominica | 16 | 12 | -4 | |
| Dominican Republic | 15 | ~ | ||
| Egypt | 14 | ~ | ||
| Eritrea | nc | 14 | - | |
| Estonia | 15 | 18 | +3 | |
| Ethiopia | nc | 14 | - | |
| Fiji | nc | 12 | - | |
| Finland | 16 | 14 | -2 | |
| France | (16) | (16) | ~ | The statutory minimum school leaving age in France is 16. There are however a few specific cases where young people may enter employment before the age of 16, such as employment in the parents’ company, sporadic work or young people who have left school early taking up an apprenticeship at 15, to name a few.[3] |
| Gabon | 16 | ~ | ||
| Germany | 15 | ~ | ||
| Ghana | 15 | nm | - | |
| Greece | 16 | ~ | ||
| Grenada | 14 | ~ | ||
| Guinea | 16 | nm | - | |
| Haiti | ni | 15 | - | |
| Honduras | 13 | 14 | +1 | |
| Hungary | 16 | ~ | ||
| Iceland | 15 | ~ | ||
| India | 14 | nm | - | |
| Iraq | ? | 15 | - | |
| Iran | 16 | 15 | -1 | |
| Ireland | 16 | 14 (part-time outside school term) 15 (part-time) 18 (full-time) | 16 is the minimum school leaving age, though students must complete three years of basic secondary education (ie. the Junior Certificate), regardless of age. Young people can be employed in a part time job during school holidays at age 14; can be employed in a part time job year-round at age 15, and be employed full time at age 18. However there are many restrictions to the work and conditions people under 18 are allowed to do, which can be found here. People under 16 must have written parental approval before they take a job. | |
| Israel | 15 | ~ | ||
| Italy | 16 | 15 | -1 | Length of schooling was raised from 8 years to 10 years in the 1999/2000 academic year. Children normally start school aged 6, so they would now normally leave aged 16, as opposed to 14 previously. |
| Jamaica | 14 | 12 | -2 | |
| Japan | 15 | ~ | ||
| Jordan | 17 | 16 | -1 | |
| Kenya | nc | nm | - | |
| Korea | 15 | ~ | ||
| Kuwait | 14 | ~ | ||
| Latvia | 15 | ~ | ||
| Libya | 15 | ~ | ||
| Liechtenstein | 15 | ~ | ||
| Luxembourg | 15 | ~ | ||
| Maldives | nc | 16 | - | |
| Marshall Islands | 14 | nm | - | |
| Mexico | 15 | nm | - | |
| Micronesia | 14 | nm | - | |
| Monaco | 16 | ~ | ||
| Morocco | 13 | 15 | +2 | |
| Netherlands | 16 | ~ | Children may leave full-time education on the year they turn 16, but are still obliged to attend part-time education for 1 year thereafter. | |
| Netherlands Antilles | 15 | 12 | -3 | |
| New Zealand | 16 | nm | - | |
| Niger | 16 | 14 | -2 | |
| Norway | 16 | 15 | -1 | |
| Pakistan | nc | 14 | - | |
| Palau | 17 | nm | - | |
| Paraguay | 12 (15) | nm | - | Since the initiation of the Education Reform in 1993, basic education is for a period of nine years, to the age of 15 years. According to the Constitution, compulsory education ends at age 12. |
| Peru | 18 | 12 | -6 | The largest known comparison between education and employment, where a child can legally be employed 6 years before leaving compulsory education. Employers are obliged to report regularly on the performance and attendance of students who they employ, to help ensuring their education doesn't suffer because of their employment. |
| Philippines | 18 | 17 | -1 | |
| Poland | 18 | 15 | -3 | |
| Portugal | 15 | ~ | ||
| Republic of Macedonia | 15 | ~ | ||
| Romania | 14 | 15 | +1 | |
| Russia | 15 | ~ | ||
| Rwanda | 12 | nm | - | |
| San Marino | 16 | ~ | ||
| Seychelles | 15 | ~ | ||
| Sierra Leone | 15 | nm | - | |
| Singapore | nc (11) | ? | - | Although Singapore currently does not practise compulsory education, primary education was made compulsory for 6 years with effect from January 2003, and education is almost universal for primary and secondary levels. |
| Slovakia | 16 | 14 | -2 | |
| Slovenia | 15 | ~ | ||
| Solomon Islands | nc | 12 | - | |
| South Africa | 15 | nm | - | |
| Spain | 16 | ~ | ||
| Sri Lanka | 14 | 10 | -4 | |
| St Kitts and Nevis | 16 | ~ | ||
| St Vincent and the Grenadines | nc | 14 | - | |
| Sudan | nc | 16 | - | |
| Suriname | nc | 14 | - | |
| Sweden | 16 | ~ | ||
| Switzerland | 15 | ~ | ||
| Syrian Arab Republic | 12 | ~ | ||
| Taiwan | 15 | 15 | 0 | |
| Togo | 15 | 14 | -1 | |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 12 | ~ | ||
| Tunisia | 16 | ~ | ||
| Turkey | 14 | 12 | -2 | |
| United Kingdom | 16 | 12 (part time only) | 3 | The school leaving age has been raised numerous times over the years in the UK, most recently in 1972. In 2013 the school leaving age will be raised to 18. |
| United Republic of Tanzania | 13 | nm | - | |
| United States | 18 | 16 | -2 | Parental consent needed for employment before the age of 16. |
| Ukraine | 17 | 16 | -1 | |
| United Arab Emirates | 11 | 15 | +4 | |
| Venezuela | 14 | ~ | ||
| Vietnam | 10 (14) | ? | - | Every child should receive an education up to the age of 14 years, although education is only compulsory up to the age of 10 years. |
| Zambia | nc | 14 | - | |
- ni denotes no information available
- nc denotes education is not compulsory
- nm denotes no minimum employment age
- ? denotes the age set is unknown
