Average Education Level in Ireland

Average Education Level in Ireland

Young people in Ireland have among the very best levels of education within the world, consistent with a serious new international study.

The Paris-based Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report shows that 56 percent of 25-34-year-olds in Ireland had received higher or further education. the typical for the OECD is 44 percent.

Average Education Level in Ireland

This Irish score is the highest in Europe and therefore the fourth highest within the world followed only by Korea, Russia, and Canada.

The findings are contained within the OECD’s Education at Glance 2019 report which examines the performance of education systems in almost 50 developed countries across the world.

Salary premium

However, the report also ranks Ireland towards rock bottom of the developed world for investment in second-level education as a percentage of GDP.

Ireland invested 3.5 percent of GDP in primary, second and third-level education in 2016 compared to the OECD average of 5 percent.

Irish class sizes also are larger than in most developed countries. There are 25 students per class on average in Ireland at the primary level, compared to 21 students across OECD countries.

Degree-holders in Ireland, meanwhile, earn a big wage premium compared to other countries.

For example, those with a bachelor’s degree in Ireland earn on the average 81 percent quite those that completed lyceum only. This compares to a salary premium of about 44 percent across the OECD.

Those who have completed a minimum of a master’s program in Ireland can expect to earn twice the maximum amount as those with just second-level education.

Students in Ireland also are less likely to drop out of their degree courses compared to other countries.

Teachers’ salaries

The report also indicates that Ireland has above-average teachers’ statutory salaries.

Irish salaries start at about $36,600 (€33,134), consistent with the report.

This is 2 percent above the OECD average for teachers in upper education (senior cycle), 7 percent higher in lower secondary (junior cycle) and 11 per higher in primary, it says.

However, teachers in Ireland have longer teaching hours and instruction time compared to other countries.

Teaching hours at primary in Ireland are about 905 hours and at secondary are 726 hours, just above the OECD average.

Skills shortages

The Paris-based institute has warned that while demand for tertiary – or higher and further – education continues to rise, its further expansion will only be sustainable if it matches the availability of graduates with labor market and social needs.

“We must expand opportunities and build stronger bridges with future skills needs so that every student can find their place in society and achieve their full potential,” said OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría.

In response to the findings, teachers’ unions said the report laid bare the shortage of investment in education.

“The continuing refusal to take a position must be viewed as a sustained attack on the foremost vulnerable in our communities,” said Teachers’ Union of president Seamus Lahart.

The Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland said underinvestment means there have been fewer resources for more students.