School-Leaving Age

School-leaving age is the minimum age at which a person is legally permitted to stop attending compulsory secondary education. Policy in this area generally aims for a smooth transition from schooling into employment, and many countries try to align their school-leaving age with the minimum legal age for employment. That alignment varies widely: in some developing countries the minimum working age is lower than the school-leaving age, which can push students to leave school early for economic reasons, while in other jurisdictions the minimum working age is set higher than the school-leaving age, leaving a gap that pushes young people toward further education or training. Across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania, school-leaving ages typically range from 10 to 19, reflecting different cultural values, economic conditions, and educational philosophies. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/