Poland: Pupil-teacher ratio, secondary

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2017, Poland's pupil-teacher ratio, secondary fell 0.1 on 2016 (from 9.2 to 9.1).

Across the 11 yearly changes before that (2006 to 2016), the average change was −0.22 and a typical year strayed about 0.54 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.2 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 0.87 in 2013 and the biggest yearly fall was 1.49 in 2011. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2008 to 2017 the straight-line trend is downward, about 0.19 a year. A straight line explains 50% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2017, Poland had the 35th highest value of the 44 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Poland in the 2017 ranking

• Portugal — 32nd of 44: 9.52
• Austria — 33rd of 44: 9.33
• Estonia — 34th of 44: 9.18
• Belgium — 36th of 44: 8.99
• North Macedonia — 37th of 44: 8.74
• British Virgin Islands — 38th of 44: 8.71

What this measures

Secondary school pupil-teacher ratio is the average number of pupils per teacher in secondary school.

Limitations: The comparability of pupil-teacher ratios across countries is affected by the definition of teachers and by differences in class size by grade and in the number of hours taught, as well as the different practices countries employ such as part-time teachers, school shifts, and multi-grade classes. Moreover, the underlying enrollment levels are subject to a variety of reporting errors.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a weighted average.

All 15 values

Pupil-teacher ratio, secondary in nearby economies

• Albania — 11.2 (2018)
• Andorra — 8.02 (2018)
• Austria — 9.33 (2017)
• Belarus — 8.56 (2018)
• Belgium — 8.99 (2017)
• Bulgaria — 12.64 (2016)
• Croatia — 6.73 (2016)
• Cyprus — 8.31 (2017)
• Estonia — 9.18 (2017)
• Finland — 13.58 (2017)
• Georgia — 7.58 (2018)
• Germany

More education data for Poland

• Primary school starting age (years) — 7 (2025)
• Primary education, duration (years) — 4 (2025)
• Lower secondary school starting age (years) — 11 (2025)
• Secondary education, duration (years) — 8 (2025)
• Secondary education, pupils — 3.33 million (2024)
• Primary education, pupils — 1.6 million (2024)
• School enrollment, preprimary (% gross) — 93.87% (2020)
• Persistence to last grade of primary, total (% of cohort) — 99.79% (2023)
• Repeaters, primary, total (% of total enrollment) — 1.06% (2017)
• Secondary education, general pupils

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Poland's pupil-teacher ratio, secondary?

9.1 in 2017, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 2001?

It is down 31.09% from 13.2 in 2001 (2.3% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 14.11 in 2003 and the lowest 8.66 in 2012.

How does Poland rank?

35th highest of 44 economies with data for 2017.

Is the latest change in pupil-teacher ratio, secondary unusual for Poland?

In 2017, Poland's pupil-teacher ratio, secondary fell 0.1 on 2016 (from 9.2 to 9.1). Across the 11 yearly changes before that (2006 to 2016), the average change was −0.22 and a typical year strayed about 0.54 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.2 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SE.SEC.ENRL.TC.ZS, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), uri: https://uis.unesco.org/bdds, publisher: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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