Portugal: Pupil-teacher ratio, primary

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2017, Portugal's pupil-teacher ratio, primary fell 0.42 on 2016 (from 12.78 to 12.35).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1978 to 2016), the average change was −0.2 and a typical year strayed about 0.63 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.4 standard deviations below 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 1.12 in 2007 and the biggest yearly fall was 3.15 in 1975. 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 upward, about 0.25 a year. A straight line explains 61% 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, Portugal had the 35th highest value of the 50 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 Portugal in the 2017 ranking

• Spain — 31st of 50: 13.13
• Malta — 32nd of 50: 12.94
• Lebanon — 33rd of 50: 12.48
• Germany — 35th of 50: 12.3
• Sweden — 36th of 50: 12.23
• Cyprus — 37th of 50: 12.04

What this measures

Primary school pupil-teacher ratio is the average number of pupils per teacher in primary 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 38 values

Pupil-teacher ratio, primary in nearby economies

• Albania — 17.57 (2018)
• Andorra — 10.5 (2018)
• Armenia — 15.42 (2018)
• Austria — 10.02 (2017)
• Azerbaijan — 15.43 (2018)
• Belarus — 19.23 (2018)
• Belgium — 11.28 (2017)
• Bulgaria — 15.21 (2017)
• Croatia — 13.51 (2016)
• Cyprus — 12.04 (2017)
• Estonia — 11.31 (2017)
• Finland

More education data for Portugal

• Primary school starting age (years) — 6 (2025)
• Primary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
• Lower secondary school starting age (years) — 12 (2025)
• Secondary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
• Primary education, pupils — 598,661 (2023)
• School enrollment, primary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) — 0.99 (2020)
• School enrollment, preprimary (% gross) — 99.36% (2020)
• Secondary education, pupils — 741,752 (2023)
• Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP) — 4.55% (2022)
• School enrollment, preprimary, female (% gross)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Portugal's pupil-teacher ratio, primary?

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

How has it changed since 1973?

It is down 53.39% from 26.5 in 1973 (1.72% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 26.5 in 1973 and the lowest 10.53 in 2005.

How does Portugal rank?

35th highest of 50 economies with data for 2017.

Is the latest change in pupil-teacher ratio, primary unusual for Portugal?

In 2017, Portugal's pupil-teacher ratio, primary fell 0.42 on 2016 (from 12.78 to 12.35). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1978 to 2016), the average change was −0.2 and a typical year strayed about 0.63 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.4 standard deviations below 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.PRM.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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