World map to show school leaving age
School leaving age 18 School leaving age 17 School leaving age 16 School leaving age 15 School leaving age 14 School leaving age 13 School leaving age 12 School leaving age 11 School leaving age 10 No data available The school leaving age (also known in North America as dropout age or minimum dropout age) states the minimum age which a person is legally allowed to leave compulsory education (usually of the secondary kind). The majority of countries have their school leaving age set the same as their minimum full-time 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 developing 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 comparison of how many countries have synchronised these ages.[1]
[edit] Leaving age by country
Some countries have different leaving or employment ages, dependent upon part-time or full-time learning or employment.
Legend
| Color legend | Ages legend |
| Both ages synchronised | ? denotes no information available |
| School leaving age higher | 0 denotes education is not compulsory |
| Employment age higher | 0 denotes no minimum employment age as children could be, in theory, employed from birth |
| No information / No age set | ? denotes the age set is unknown |
| # | Country | De jure | Education/
Employment gap | Notes |
| School leaving age | Employment age |
|  Bangladesh | 10 | 0 | -10 | |
|  Bahrain | 0 | 15 | 15 | |
|  Brunei | 0 | 14 | 14 | Compulsory Education in Brunei from Primary Education to Secondary Education. Tertiary Education is encouraged. |
|  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. |
|  India | 15 | 18 | 3 | The Government of India has made a law of compulsory education up to 17 years. Any person who wishes to continue his education can continue his work. |
|  Iran | 16 | 15 | -1 | |
|  Iraq | ? | 15 | | |
|  Israel | 18 | 14 | -4 | The age of employment has been lowered and the school leaving age has raised. |
|  Japan | 15 | 0 | |
|  Jordan | 17 | 16 | -1 | |
|  North Korea | 15 | 0 | |
|  South Korea | 15 | 0 | |
|  Kuwait | 14 | 0 | |
|  Malaysia | 18 | 16 | -2 | |
|  Maldives | 0 | 16 | 16 | |
|  Pakistan | 10 | 14 | 4 | Although the minimum age for leaving school is 10 years or primary in Pakistan which mean a 7 year education, but the minimum age of employment is considered to be 14.The 14 years old can do only light work and not hazardous employment |
|  Philippines | 16 | 18 | 2 | |
|  Saudi Arabia | 15 | 18 | 3 | In Saudi Arabia a student may leave school after the age of 15 when permission of his legal custodians (parents) is given, if not the student must complete school until the age of 18. The employment age in a part time job or during school holidays is 15. |
|  Singapore | 16 | 15 | -1 | Primary school is compulsory, followed by secondary school. 16 is the school leaving age; one can only leave only after the release of Singaporean GCE 'O' Level results for admission to polytechnics, junior colleges, Institute of Technical Education, or work. 15 is the minimum employment age. Underaged people are not allowed to be employed or risk fines by the Ministry of Manpower. |
|  Sri Lanka | 14 | 10 | -4 | |
|  Syria | 12 | 0 | |
|  Taiwan | 15 | 0 | |
|  United Arab Emirates | 11 | 15 | 4 | |
|  Vietnam | 16 | 0 | Junior High schools are now compulsory, but in some mountainous regions, many children leave schools earlier to help their parents. Government's trying to reduce this amount. Children must be at least 16 to be legally employed. |
| # | Country | De jure | Education/
Employment gap | Notes |
| School leaving age | Employment age |
|  Andorra | 16 | 0 | |
|  Austria | 15 | 0 | |
|  Belarus | ? | 14 | | |
|  Belgium | 18 | 0 | 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. |
|  Bulgaria | 15 | 0 | |
|  Cyprus | 15 | 0 | |
|  Czech Republic | 15 | 0 | |
|  Denmark | 16 | 15 | -1 | |
|  Estonia | 15 | 18 | 3 | |
|  Finland | varys | 14 | | Finnish citizens must complete comprehensive school. The age of finishing it varys depending on the age of starting school (mostly 7) and years held back. Most graduate from compehensive school at the age of 16. If the pupil hasn't finished comprehensive school by the age of 17 (which is marginal) he/she can quit school. Secondary education is voluntary. |
|  France | 16 | 0 | 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.[2] |
|  Germany | 18 | 15 | -3 | In Germany, the statutory minimum school leaving age is essentially set at 18.[3] The federal Jugendarbeitsschutzgesetz (Youth Employment Protection Act) regulates the minimum employment age, which is set at 15.[4] However, it should be noted that from the person's 15th to their 18th birthday, they are obliged by state law to pursue at least part-time vocational secondary education, usually within the German dual education system. |
|  Greece | 16 | 0 | |
|  Hungary | 16 | 0 | |
|  Iceland | 15 | 0 | |
|  Ireland | 16 | 15 | -1 | 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, part time year-round at age 15, and be employed full time at age 18. Persons under the age of 18 are subject to restrictions on their work. People under 16 must have written parental approval before they take a job. |
|  Italy | 18 | 15 | -3 | |
|  Latvia | 15 | 0 | |
|  Liechtenstein | 15 | 0 | |
|  Lithuania | 16 | 0 | |
|  Luxembourg | 15 | 0 | |
|  Macedonia | 18 | 15 | -3 | Compulsory secondary education starts year 2008 (Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia No. 49 from 18.04.2007) |
|  Malta | 16 | 0 | Although the compulsory education ends at 16, an increasing number of children opt to further their studies while taking up part-time employment. |
|  Monaco | 16 | 0 | |
|  Netherlands | 18 | 16 | -2 | |
|  Netherlands Antilles | 15 | 12 | -3 | |
|  Norway | 16 | 15 | -1 | |
|  Poland | 18 | 15 | -3 | |
|  Portugal | 16 | 0 | |
|  Romania | 16 | 0 | |
|  Russia | 15 | 14 | -1 | |
|  San Marino | 16 | 0 | |
|  Scotland | 16 | 13 | -3 | Restrictions apply to working hours of 13 to 16 year olds (i.e. max. hours, work permits, type of work) this is to allow 13-16 year olds to hold a job and study full time. |
|  Slovakia | 16 | 14 | -2 | 14 to 17 years only part-time jobs allowed. 18 years and more unlimited. |
|  Slovenia | 15 | 0 | |
|  Spain | 16 | 0 | |
|  Sweden | 16 | 0 | |
|  Switzerland | 15 | 0 | |
|  Turkey | 14 | 12 | -2 | |
|  Ukraine | 17 | 16 | -1 | |
|  United Kingdom | 16 | 14 | -2 | Full-Time work is legal from the last Friday in June of Year Eleven or when the child turns 16 (whichever is latest)[5], 14 part time, part time with exceptions at 13. |
| # | Country | De jure | Education/
Employment gap | Notes |
| School leaving age | Employment age |
|  Argentina | 15 | 14 | -1 | |
|  Bolivia | 15 | ? | | |
|  Brazil | 15 | 16 | 1 | Schooling is mandatory in Brazil for children aged 6-14 (years 1-9 in the new Brazilian school system). After that, there is no legal obligation to stay in school. Students who want to qualify for university admission must however complete three additional years (years 10-12) of secondary school (ensino médio), thus normally leaving school at age 17 or 18, depending on one's birthday date. Minimum age for legal work is 16; at 14 one is allowed to have an apprenticeship contract. |
|  Chile | 16 | 17 | 1 | |
|  Colombia | 15 | 14 | -1 | |
|  Paraguay | 15 | 0 | -15 | 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 | 16 | 12 | -4 | 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. |
|  Suriname | 0 | 14 | 14 | |
|  Venezuela | 14 | 0 | |
[edit] See also
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