Official compulsory-age, basic-stage and secondary-stage definitions.
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Education in Bahrain
DATA2024/25
Compulsory ages 6 to 15 · 9-year basic cycle · 3-year secondary stage
Bahrain's education law sets the compulsory schooling age from 6 until 15. The compulsory basic stage lasts at least nine academic years, followed by a three-year secondary stage. For 2024/25, the Education and Training Quality Authority reports national examinations involving 12,690 grade 12 students and 12,839 grade 9 students in the participating schools.
Compulsory ages
6 to 15
Basic education
9 years
Secondary education
3 years
Grade 12 exam participants
12,690*
Bahrain Education System
| Stage / measure | Structure | Current interpretation | Important note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early childhood | Before age 6 | Nursery and kindergarten | Not part of compulsory schooling |
| Basic education | At least 9 academic years | Begins at compulsory age 6 | Compulsory stage |
| Secondary education | 3 academic years | Follows basic education | Public-school secondary education is free |
| Higher education | Post-secondary | Public and private institutions | Separate from school compulsory cycle |
* Reference period is shown with the figure.
Compulsory education from age 6
Law No. 27 of 2005 defines compulsory schooling as beginning when a child reaches age six and ending at age fifteen. The same law states that the basic stage lasts at least nine academic years.
Three-year secondary stage
Secondary education begins after the basic stage and lasts three academic years. The law states that primary/basic and secondary education are free in the Kingdom's schools.
2024/25 national examination context
The Education and Training Quality Authority reports that 12,690 grade 12 students from 38 public schools and 16 participating private schools took part in the 2024/25 national examinations. It also reports 12,839 grade 9 students from 62 public schools.
Higher education is a separate dataset
Bahrain's open data portal publishes higher-education enrollment by sector, qualification level and sex. Those figures should be treated separately from school enrollment and compulsory-schooling data.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does compulsory education begin in Bahrain?
At age 6.
When does compulsory education end?
The legal compulsory age ends at 15.
How long is the compulsory basic stage?
At least nine academic years.
How long is secondary education?
Three academic years after basic education.
Is public secondary education free?
The education law states that primary/basic and secondary education are free in the Kingdom's schools.
How many grade 12 students took part in the 2024/25 national examinations?
BQA reports 12,690 students in the participating schools.
Sources and Methodology
Current national-examination participation figures and school review context.
Official 2024/25 higher-education enrollment dataset by sector, level and sex.