Adolescents out of school in Jamaica

Jamaica: Adolescents out of school was 20.7% in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
20.7%
Change on year
up 6.8%
World rank
42nd
of 179 countries
All-time high
20.7%
in 2021
All-time low
0.6%
in 1977
Years of data
24
1976–2023

Adolescents out of school in Jamaica, 1976–2023

051015201976199920231976: 8.7 % of lower secondary school age1977: 0.597 % of lower secondary school age1981: 1.9 % of lower secondary school age1983: 1.8 % of lower secondary school age1984: 1.5 % of lower secondary school age1985: 0.855 % of lower secondary school age1986: 3.2 % of lower secondary school age1999: 12.2 % of lower secondary school age2000: 15.8 % of lower secondary school age2001: 16.3 % of lower secondary school age2002: 14.7 % of lower secondary school age2003: 14.3 % of lower secondary school age2004: 9.7 % of lower secondary school age2005: 11.6 % of lower secondary school age2013: 15.3 % of lower secondary school age2014: 13.1 % of lower secondary school age2015: 13.9 % of lower secondary school age2016: 13.1 % of lower secondary school age2017: 19.5 % of lower secondary school age2018: 17.7 % of lower secondary school age2019: 17.8 % of lower secondary school age2021: 20.7 % of lower secondary school age2022: 19.4 % of lower secondary school age2023: 20.7 % of lower secondary school age

Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of lower secondary school age.

Analysis

In 2023, adolescents out of school in Jamaica stood at 20.7%.

The figure is up 6.8% on the previous year and up 35.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, adolescents out of school in Jamaica peaked at 20.7% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 0.6%, in 1977.

That places Jamaica 42nd out of 179 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Adolescents out of school in Jamaica, year by year

Annual values for Adolescents out of school (% of lower secondary school age) in Jamaica, 1976 to 2023.
Year % of lower secondary school age Change
1976 8.7%
1977 0.6% -93.1%
1981 1.9% +222.0%
1983 1.8% -7.2%
1984 1.5% -18.2%
1985 0.9% -41.5%
1986 3.2% +269.7%
1999 12.2% +286.7%
2000 15.8% +29.3%
2001 16.3% +3.1%
2002 14.7% -9.7%
2003 14.3% -2.5%
2004 9.7% -32.7%
2005 11.6% +20.1%
2013 15.3% +31.9%
2014 13.1% -14.4%
2015 13.9% +6.2%
2016 13.1% -5.8%
2017 19.5% +48.9%
2018 17.7% -9.3%
2019 17.8% +0.6%
2021 20.7% +16.5%
2022 19.4% -6.5%
2023 20.7% +6.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 4.6% 0.6% 8.7% 2
1980s 1.8% 0.9% 3.2% 5
1990s 12.2% 12.2% 12.2% 1
2000s 13.7% 9.7% 16.3% 6
2010s 15.8% 13.1% 19.5% 7
2020s 20.2% 19.4% 20.7% 3

Countries ranked near Jamaica

  1. 39 Kuwait 22.9% compare
  2. 40 Micronesia, Federated States of 22.4% compare
  3. 41 Angola 21.9% compare
  4. 43 Panama 20.4% compare
  5. 44 Malaysia 18.0% compare
  6. 45 British Virgin Islands 17.9% compare

See the full ranking of 184 places →

More education data for Jamaica

All data for Jamaica →

Frequently asked questions

What is adolescents out of school in Jamaica?
Adolescents out of school in Jamaica was 20.7% in 2023, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest adolescents out of school recorded in Jamaica?
The highest recorded value was 20.7% in 2021.
What is the lowest adolescents out of school recorded in Jamaica?
The lowest recorded value was 0.6% in 1977.
How does Jamaica rank for adolescents out of school?
Jamaica ranks 42nd out of 179 countries with data for 2023.
Is adolescents out of school rising or falling in Jamaica?
Over the last ten years it is up 35.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Jamaica data come from?
The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Adolescents out of school (% of lower secondary school age). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Adolescents out of school in Jamaica. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/adolescents-out-of-school-percent-of-lower-secondary-school-age/jamaica/

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About this data

Indicator
Adolescents out of school (% of lower secondary school age)
Unit
% of lower secondary school age
Source
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
184 places, 3,292 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

Adolescents out of school are the percentage of lower secondary school age adolescents who are not enrolled in school.