Argentina primary education: only 50% reach sixth grade with expected learning

A new report by the NGO Argentinos por la Educación, titled the 2025 School Results Index (IRE), reveals a significant gap between school attendance and actual learning in Argentina. While 94% of students who began first grade in 2020 reached sixth grade by 2025 without repeating or dropping out, only 50% achieved satisfactory or advanced levels of knowledge in both Language and Mathematics.

The study highlights that while educational trajectories have improved compared to a decade ago, academic performance remains a major challenge, particularly in Mathematics. In the national cohort, 76% of students reached satisfactory levels in Language, but this figure dropped to 55% for Mathematics.

There are also notable regional disparities. Provinces such as Tierra del Fuego, Neuquén, Río Negro, La Pampa, and Jujuy showed high rates of students completing primary school on time. Conversely, Corrientes, Misiones, and Entre Ríos recorded rates below 90%. In San Juan, despite a 10-point improvement in the IRE, the province remains six percentage points below the national average.