Education · Glossary
Primary education, duration (years)
SE.PRM.DURS
Definition
Primary duration refers to the number of grades (years) in primary school.
Methodology for Education indicators
Education indicators come from UNESCO's Institute for Statistics, national ministries, and school censuses. Enrollment rates can exceed 100% when over-age children are still in school (repeating grades), so "net enrollment" — which counts only age-appropriate students — is often the more interpretable metric. Literacy data is updated infrequently in many countries.
How to interpret
- Always check the unit and reporting year before comparing values across countries.
- NULL or "Not available" means the World Bank did not publish a value — we never estimate.
- Year-over-year changes can be driven by methodology updates, not just real economic shifts.
Related indicators in Education
- Secondary education, duration (years)
- School enrollment, primary (% gross)
- Preprimary education, duration (years)
- School enrollment, secondary (% gross)
- Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP)
- Compulsory education, duration (years)
- Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above)