The system for lower-level education in Mongolia has been similar to the one used during communist times, though the government has begun reforms to expand it The original system included four years of compulsory schooling followed by a further four years of compulsory lower-secondary education. There were then two years of upper-secondary non-compulsory education that either have a vocational, technical, or general education focus. The expansion began in 2004 with the official school entry age dropping from age 8 to 7. A further expansion was set to take place in 2008 with the entry grade-level dropping one more year to age 6. The goal is to have a 12-year 6-4-2 system for primary and secondary education.
As of 2003 there were 688 primary and secondary schools with about 528,000 students and 20,725 teachers. There were 32 vocational and technical training centers with 20,000 students and over 800 teachers.