School attendance across the country has improved significantly since 1996, with more than 95% of children between the ages of 6 and 10 enrolled in school last year. In 1996 just 77% of children in the same age group attended school.

Although just around 5% of 6 to 10 year old kids were not in school last year, the percentage equates to around 200,000 people missing from the school system, according to Census 2022.

Out of the ages in this comparison, the 10-year-old category is the only one to remain at over 90% attendance since 1996.

The official school-going age was lowered from 6 to 5 years old in 2004 and this appears to have improved the overall attendance rate, with 92% of 5-year-olds enrolled in school in 2022, versus just 23% in 1996. From the age of 6 upwards enrolment rates are at least 95%.