An educational system refers to the comprehensive structure of institutions and opportunities for learning within a country, ranging from early childhood and family education through primary, secondary, and tertiary levels, including higher education and continuous professional development. These systems are typically regulated by national laws and designed to provide education for all sections of society, though they may also have unregulated aspects.
Research indicates that centralized educational systems, exemplified by South Korea, tend to achieve more favorable outcomes compared to decentralized systems, such as those in Brazil and South Africa. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), through its International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) system, recognizes nine distinct levels of education, from Level 0 (pre-primary) to Level 8 (doctoral), and maintains a global database of country-specific education structures.