School attendance is compulsory in Colombia for children in the age bracket 6 to 12 years. There is provision for free elementary education to all. More than 80% Colombian children attend school.

According to official records, the net enrolment in primary schools in year 2001 was 86.7% and the children who had successfully attended school were 89.5%. In Colombia particularly in the capital Bogotá, academic session starts in February and lasts in November. In many other cities school years extends from August to June.

The Secondary school education offered in Colombia for children of 11 years age. No vocational training is provided as part of Secondary school curriculum. Students who successfully complete Secondary school are awarded Diploma or High School Diploma.

The Government expenditures on education in 1999 were totaling 19.7 percent of total government spending. The ratio of pupils to teachers in 2001 in primary school was 26:1 and in secondary school, 19:2.

Colombia has several public universities. In most educational institutions the language of teaching is English. Colombia has hundreds of non-profit agencies that are working closely to educate masses and to lessen gap between educated and non-educated Colombian population.

Let’s see what UNESCO- An Apex Body on education says about Education In Colombia

• Pre-primary enrolment
• Primary enrolment
• Secondary enrolment
• Tertiary enrolment
• Progression and completion in education
• Literacy rates

Pre-primary enrolment

Pre-primary		1991	1999	2002	2004	2004 Regional average
GER(%)	MF	13	36	37	38	(3)	61
	M	...	36	37	37	(3)	61
	F	...	37	38	38	(3)	62

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Primary enrolment

Primary		1991	1999		2002		2004	2004 Regional average
GER(%)	MF	103		113		110	111	(3)	118
	M	102		113		111	112	(3)	120
	F	104		112		110	111	(3)	116
NER (%)	MF	69		88		87	83	(3)	95
	M	...	(3)	88	(3)	88	83	(3)	96
	F	...	(3)	89	(3)	87	84	(3)	94

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Secondary enrolment

Secondary		1991		1999		2002		2004		2004 Regional average
GER(%)	MF		50		71		71		75	(3)	86
	M		46		67		67		71	(3)	82
	F		55		75		74		78	(3)	89
NER(%)	MF		34		54	(3)	55	(3)	55	(3)	67
	M		...	(3)	52	(3)	53	(3)	52	(3)	65
	F		...	(3)	57	(3)	58	(3)	58	(3)	69

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Tertiary enrolment

Tertiary		1991	1999	2002	2004	2004 Regional average
GER(%)	MF	14	22	24	27	(3)	28
	M	14	21	23	26	(3)	26
	F	14	23	25	28	(3)	30

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Progression and completion in education

Pupil / teacher ratio (primary)	28
Public expenditure on education :
as % of GDP	4.9
as % of total government expenditure	11.7
Distribution of public expenditure per level(%) :
pre-primary	2
primary	40
secondary	29
tertiary	13
unknown	16

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Literacy rates

Literacy rates		1990	2000-2004	2000-2004 Regional average
Adult(15+)%	MF	88.4	92.8	90.2
	M	88.8	92.9	91.0
	F	88.1	92.7	89.5
Youth(15-24)%	MF	94.9	98.0	96.6
	M	94.3	97.6	96.2
	F	95.5	98.4	97.0