A teacher interacts with students at their desks in a classroom.
A person starting primary school in Türkiye was expected to spend an average of 16.8 years in formal education in 2025, according to newly released official statistics by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK).
Expected years of schooling, also known as school life expectancy, measures the total period a person entering the education system is expected to spend in formal education before completing the highest level they are likely to reach. Rather than assuming uninterrupted schooling, the indicator is based on actual enrolment patterns and reflects current participation trends.
The 2025 figure represented a 2.4 percent decline from the previous year. Expected years of schooling stood at 17.2 years for women and 16.3 years for men, maintaining a gap in favor of women.
At the primary-to-higher education level, Türkiye’s latest figure was above the OECD average of 16.6 years, based on the OECD’s 2024 data. Greece recorded the highest figure among OECD countries at 20.9 years, while Colombia had the lowest at 14.3 years.
Significant differences were also recorded across Türkiye’s provinces. Bayburt and Karabük had the highest expected years of schooling, at 18.6 years, followed by Istanbul at 18.4 years and Tunceli at 18.3 years. Şanlıurfa recorded the lowest figure at 13.8 years, followed by Şırnak and Muş.
Gender differences varied by province. Tunceli had the highest expected years of schooling among women, while Bayburt ranked first for men. Şanlıurfa recorded the lowest figures for both groups.
The gender equality index for expected years of schooling, calculated by dividing the female figure by the male figure, reached 1.05 in 2025. The index has risen from 0.97 in 2018, indicating a continued shift in women’s favor.
