Bhutanese primary education consists of seven years of schooling, from pre-primary to grade six. Pre-primary is the first grade of primary school, and students must be 6 years old or older to enroll. Investing in primary education has a long-term influence on poverty and inequality reduction. The Royal Government of Bhutan recognizes this and places a high value on primary education.
After primary school, lower secondary education consists of two years of schooling. Approximately 85% of children who complete primary school progress to the lower secondary level.
After completing lower secondary education, students enter middle secondary education for two years. Students must take a national level examination administered by the Bhutan Council for School Examination and Assessment at the completion of middle secondary education (which is also the end of free basic education).
Following the completion of secondary education, higher secondary education consists of two years of schooling. Selection of students for government scholarships to pursue higher and tertiary education after completing middle secondary education, on the other hand, is purely based on merit and the availability of seats in accordance with the country’s human resource demands.