No country entirely forbids school, but some have extremely low attendance or ban specific groups, with Afghanistan being the most prominent example where girls are banned from secondary and higher education, affecting millions, while countries like Somalia, South Sudan, and Niger have the highest rates of children out of school due to poverty, conflict, and cultural factors, though education is not officially banned.
Compulsory school attendance or compulsory schooling means that parents are obliged to send their children to a state-approved school. All countries except Bhutan, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vatican City (which does not have any child citizens or child residents) have compulsory education laws.
Childhood and forced marriage is still a deeply entrenched barrier to education for girls in South Sudan. Women are more likely to die in childbirth than to complete their primary education. Girls are often viewed as collateral assets in South Sudan.
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School attendance in Australia. In Australia, school attendance is compulsory, typically from the age of 5–6 until age 17.
If a 14-year-old refuses school, it signals a serious underlying issue like anxiety, depression, bullying, or academic struggles, requiring parents to first talk openly and empathetically with the teen to find the cause, then collaborate with the school (counselors, teachers) to create support plans, and seek professional help (therapists, GPs) if needed, as legal action against parents is a rare last resort after exhausting all support, though parents have a legal duty to ensure education, says ReachOut Parents, Child Mind Institute, and Empowering Parents.
For this reason; attendance of 95% and above is considered as acceptable, attendance below 90% is a concern, and a child with an attendance rate below 85% is classed as a Persistent Absentee.
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South Sudan is widely considered the poorest country in the world in 2025-2026, consistently ranking first due to extremely low GDP per capita and a high percentage (over 80%) of its population living in extreme poverty, driven by prolonged civil conflict, displacement, and disruption of its agricultural economy. Other nations frequently cited as among the poorest include Burundi, the Central African Republic, and Yemen, also suffering from conflict and instability.
Australia ranks highly globally for education, particularly in higher education where its system is considered third strongest (after the US & UK), with many universities in top 100/50 subject rankings. For K-12, Australian students perform well in PISA tests, ranking in the top 10 for reading, science, and math in recent assessments, though system-wide proficiency varies, notes the ABC News. Overall, Australia is a top destination for international students and boasts a highly educated population, per the Australian Government DFAT and Secret Brisbane.
In South Sudan, men can legally marry multiple wives (polygamy), with the number often limited by wealth (bride price) and tradition, but it's common to see men with two, three, four, or even more wives, as it signifies status, wealth, and social security, though modern influences are shifting these norms.
Sudan. In 1983, sharia law was enacted in Sudan, and from 1989, women were forced to wear a hijab whenever they left their home. Since 2019 the hijab is no longer mandatory and there no longer is a modesty law as Sudan has become a secular state.
The biggest problems in education today are multifaceted, centering on ** teacher shortages & morale**, widening learning gaps** (especially in foundational skills like literacy and math), inadequate funding/resources**, mental health crises**, and the challenge of preparing students for rapid technological change (AI, automation), all leading to disengaged students** and a struggle to deliver relevant 21st-century skills**. These issues often interconnect, with underpaid, overworked teachers facing large class sizes and complex student needs, making it hard to address foundational learning deficits.
Women's education in Pakistan is a fundamental right of every female citizen, according to article thirty-seven of the Constitution of Pakistan, but gender discrepancies still exist in the educational sector.
No homework in Finland
Finland has a very different, but impressive school system. Here are some facts: Finnish students rarely do homework until their teens.
In Finland, children do not start formal academic learning until seven. Driven by a commitment to equality (on both moral and economic grounds), it outlaws school selection, formal examinations (until the age of 18) and streaming by ability.
But despite the economic uptick of recent years, Tasmania is still the poorest Australian state.
The richest country by GDP (PPP) per capita is often cited as Singapore, followed closely by Luxembourg, depending on the specific report and year, with Singapore leading in 2025 estimates with around $156,000-$157,000 per person, while Luxembourg is a strong contender just below that, highlighting small, finance-heavy economies as wealthiest per person.
Although India is expected to meet the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals on extreme poverty in due time, a very large share of its population lives on less than $3.2 a day, putting India's economy safely into the category of lower middle income economies.
United States. The United States of America is a North American nation that is the world's most dominant economic and military power.
RED = 91-94%
Your child's attendance has reached levels which puts him/her at significant risk of under-achievement. School will monitor his/her attendance for improvement and you may be invited into school to discuss a support plan. School will involve the Local Authority if necessary.