Ngokulandela amazinga abekwe ngabe-International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED), imfundo eyisisekelo iqukethe izigaba ezimbili, okuyimfundo yeprayimari kanye nemfundo yesikondari yebanga eliphansi. Imfundo eyisisekelo kwaxoxwa ngayo kakhulu kwidokhumende yonyaka ka 1997, ye-ISCED, kodwa ithemu lalingabandakanyiwe kwiglasari. Izwe nezwe litolika ithemu ngezindlela ezehlukile, kanti ukuya kunyaka ka 2011 lerivishini, kwaba nephepha lengxoxo elakhishwa ukuzama ukucacisa. Kumazwe amaningi, i-ISCED 1 ihambisana nemfundo kazwelonke yeprayimari, ebese kanti imfundo eyisisekelo yona ibandakanye i-ISCED 2 okuyimfundo yebanga eliphansi lesekondari (izinga elisezansi lesekondari). Kwamanye amazwe, lapho khona kungekho ukwehlukaniswa kweprayimari kanye nezinga elisezansi lesekondari, "imfundo eyisekelo" ibandakanya sonke isikhathi semfundo yesikole ephoqelelayo. Ngezizathu zamastatistiki, i-ISCED 1 ithathwa njengeminyaka yesithupha yokuqala yesikole. Universal basic education is regarded as a priority for developing countries and is the focus of the Education For All movement led by UNESCO. It is also included in the Millennium Development Goals as goal number 2: achieve universal primary education by 2015.