Estonia is the top European country when it comes to the quality of and access to education, ahead of Switzerland and Ireland, a new study has found.
The study, by online tutoring school TutorSpace, used the OECD’s PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) scores to compile an index of 17 factors relating to intelligence and development in 44 European countries, which it then grouped into four categories – education quality and access; higher education and research; literacy and digital literacy; and government investment.
Estonia leads the way
From this, each country was allocated a score out of 100, with Estonia topping the list, with a score of 91.86.
According to the findings, pupils in Estonia spend an average of 13.55 years in education, with government expenditure on education standing at 14.35%.
Switzerland ranks second with a score of 84.92, with its students spending 13.86 years in the school system on average, while Ireland is third, with a score of 84.78, and the highest student literacy rate of all countries included in the study.
Rounding out the top five is the UK, in fourth with a score of 81.90, and Finland, which places fifth with a score of 81.55. Finland boasts the shortest school hours of any country in the study, starting at 8am and finishing at 2pm every day.
Read More: What country is considered Europe’s ‘smartest’?
Improving education
“The data highlights key areas where each country can improve but also shows where a country is already doing well,” commented Patrick Nadler, CEO of TutorSpace and head of the German national tutoring association. “Technology and research are areas where many countries need to increase spending to find ways to adapt to our changing world.
“Education is another area where improvement can be made; by increasing budgets and using external tutors alongside state learning, more people will be able to improve their situations and share their skills and knowledge.”
Education Quality & Access by Country
| Rank | Country | Education Quality & Access score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Estonia | 91.86 |
| 2 | Switzerland | 84.92 |
| 3 | Ireland | 84.78 |
| 4 | United Kingdom | 81.9 |
| 5 | Finland | 81.55 |
| 6 | Germany | 79.74 |
| 7 | Denmark | 78.91 |
| 8 | Sweden | 76.7 |
| 9 | Belgium | 76.62 |
| 10 | Slovenia | 74.7 |
| 11 | Netherlands | 74.54 |
| 12 | Norway | 73.57 |
| 13 | Luxembourg | 72.58 |
| 14 | Iceland | 71.99 |
| 15 | Austria | 69.67 |
