Sri Lanka: Secondary education, duration (years)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2025, Sri Lanka's secondary education, duration (years) did not change 0 on 2024 (from 8 to 8).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was +0.03 and a typical year strayed about 0.18 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.2 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 in 1998. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2016 to 2025 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains less than 1% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

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

How it compares

In 2025, Sri Lanka had the 3rd highest value of the 209 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 Sri Lanka in the 2025 ranking

• San Marino — 18th of 209: 8
• Serbia — 19th of 209: 8
• Somalia, Fed. Rep. — 20th of 209: 8
• Türkiye — 22nd of 209: 8
• Turkmenistan — 23rd of 209: 8
• United Arab Emirates — 24th of 209: 8

What this measures

Secondary duration refers to the number of grades (years) in secondary school.

Limitations: The presence of national legislation does not guarantee that countries will implement it effectively, nor does it ensure that parents will take advantage of the provisions available for their children.

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

All 56 values

Secondary education, duration (years) in nearby economies

• Bangladesh — 7 (2025)
• Bhutan — 6 (2025)
• India — 7 (2025)
• Maldives — 6 (2025)
• Nepal — 7 (2025)

More education data for Sri Lanka

• Primary school starting age (years) — 5 (2025)
• Primary education, duration (years) — 5 (2025)
• Lower secondary school starting age (years) — 10 (2025)
• Primary education, pupils — 1.58 million (2023)
• School enrollment, primary (% gross) — 91.45% (2023)
• School enrollment, primary, female (% gross) — 92.09% (2023)
• School enrollment, primary, male (% gross) — 90.84% (2023)
• School enrollment, primary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) — 1 (2020)
• Secondary education, general pupils — 2.62 million (2018)
• Primary completion rate, total (% of relevant age group)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
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• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Sri Lanka's secondary education, duration (years)?

8 in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1970?

It is up 14.29% from 7 in 1970 (0.24% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 8 in 1998 and the lowest 7 in 1970.

How does Sri Lanka rank?

3rd highest of 209 economies with data for 2025.

Is the latest change in secondary education, duration (years) unusual for Sri Lanka?

In 2025, Sri Lanka's secondary education, duration (years) did not change 0 on 2024 (from 8 to 8). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was +0.03 and a typical year strayed about 0.18 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.2 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.SEC.DURS, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), uri: https://databrowser.uis.unesco.org/resources, note: The data are obtained through the UIS API. 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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