Share of children who are not in pre-primary school by country
Children one year before the official primary entry age (typically age 5) not enrolled in pre-primary education, expressed as a percentage of all children in that age group.
Countries reporting
175
Highest
96.6%
Yemen
Lowest
0.0%
United Arab Emirates
Median
14.3%
Years covered
28
1998–2025
Data points
2,923
What the numbers show
Share of children who are not in pre-primary school is currently reported for 175 countries. The highest value is 96.6% in Yemen; the lowest is 0.0% in United Arab Emirates.
The median across all reporting countries is 14.3%, and the mean is 23.0%.
Over the past decade 74 countries rose and 98 fell. The largest increase was in Grenada (up 14,759.7%), and the largest decrease in United Arab Emirates (down 100.0%).
Share of children who are not in pre-primary school: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yemen | 96.6% | 2016 | up 0.2% | flat |
| 2 | Congo | 96.0% | 2023 | up 22.6% | rising |
| 3 | Tajikistan | 88.6% | 2017 | down 2.6% | flat |
| 4 | Myanmar | 87.9% | 2018 | down 5.7% | falling |
| 5 | Burkina Faso | 84.0% | 2024 | down 7.7% | flat |
| 6 | Iraq | 82.6% | 2007 | down 13.2% | falling |
| 7 | Chad | 81.7% | 2024 | down 11.3% | falling |
| 8 | Niger | 80.0% | 2024 | up 5.5% | falling |
| 9 | Cote d'Ivoire | 79.4% | 2024 | down 4.7% | rising |
| 10 | Niue | 75.0% | 2025 | up 119.2% | volatile |
| 11 | Senegal | 74.6% | 2024 | down 8.5% | falling |
| 12 | Burundi | 71.8% | 2025 | up 3.2% | falling |
| 13 | Mali | 71.0% | 2023 | up 19.3% | rising |
| 14 | Samoa | 70.2% | 2024 | down 2.4% | flat |
| 15 | Lesotho | 69.5% | 2020 | up 15.0% | rising |
| 16 | Armenia | 68.0% | 2024 | up 27.5% | rising |
| 17 | Equatorial Guinea | 66.4% | 2015 | down 30.1% | falling |
| 18 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 62.5% | 2023 | down 27.5% | falling |
| 19 | Eritrea | 62.2% | 2022 | up 11.6% | falling |
| 20 | Egypt | 62.2% | 2024 | down 4.4% | falling |
| 21 | Comoros | 59.3% | 2024 | up 29.1% | falling |
| 22 | Cameroon | 59.0% | 2024 | up 14.3% | flat |
| 23 | Bhutan | 58.5% | 2023 | down 12.5% | falling |
| 24 | Kuwait | 55.7% | 2021 | up 576.0% | volatile |
| 25 | Syria | 53.5% | 2024 | down 19.2% | rising |
| 26 | Tokelau | 53.3% | 2025 | up 151.4% | volatile |
| 27 | Guinea | 53.1% | 2020 | down 30.1% | falling |
| 28 | Bahamas | 52.8% | 2024 | down 8.6% | falling |
| 29 | Angola | 48.5% | 2023 | up 18.9% | rising |
| 30 | North Macedonia | 47.6% | 2023 | down 21.7% | volatile |
| 31 | Solomon Islands | 46.4% | 2024 | up 16.0% | rising |
| 32 | Micronesia (country) | 45.3% | 2024 | up 45.1% | rising |
| 33 | Sao Tome and Principe | 45.2% | 2015 | up 3.3% | falling |
| 34 | Botswana | 44.1% | 2022 | down 39.5% | falling |
| 35 | Zimbabwe | 43.5% | 2024 | down 27.3% | falling |
| 36 | East Timor | 41.1% | 2020 | down 8.1% | rising |
| 37 | Honduras | 40.9% | 2024 | up 72.1% | falling |
| 38 | Iran | 40.2% | 2020 | down 38.2% | falling |
| 39 | Ethiopia | 37.4% | 2024 | down 45.2% | falling |
| 40 | Gambia | 37.3% | 2025 | down 23.3% | falling |
| 41 | Sierra Leone | 37.2% | 2024 | down 44.9% | falling |
| 42 | Saudi Arabia | 35.6% | 2024 | down 47.9% | falling |
| 43 | Liberia | 34.8% | 2022 | up 206.1% | rising |
| 44 | Papua New Guinea | 34.7% | 2023 | up 8.6% | rising |
| 45 | British Virgin Islands | 34.3% | 2024 | up 1,058.5% | volatile |
| 46 | Madagascar | 34.1% | 2024 | down 49.0% | falling |
| 47 | Laos | 34.1% | 2025 | down 22.1% | falling |
| 48 | Sri Lanka | 34.1% | 2023 | down 33.8% | falling |
| 49 | Togo | 33.5% | 2024 | down 59.5% | volatile |
| 50 | Tanzania | 32.0% | 2024 | down 38.8% | falling |
| 51 | Palestine | 31.4% | 2023 | down 34.1% | falling |
| 52 | Jordan | 30.6% | 2024 | down 27.9% | falling |
| 53 | Bahrain | 29.8% | 2024 | up 104.8% | falling |
| 54 | Cambodia | 27.8% | 2024 | down 52.7% | falling |
| 55 | Montserrat | 27.1% | 2023 | up 333.3% | volatile |
| 56 | Kazakhstan | 25.9% | 2025 | up 175.3% | rising |
| 57 | Kyrgyzstan | 25.1% | 2025 | down 20.7% | falling |
| 58 | Grenada | 25.0% | 2023 | up 14,759.7% | volatile |
| 59 | Paraguay | 25.0% | 2024 | up 73.0% | falling |
| 60 | Algeria | 24.1% | 2025 | up 8.2% | volatile |
| 61 | Belize | 23.5% | 2024 | up 218.9% | volatile |
| 62 | Benin | 23.5% | 2018 | down 69.8% | falling |
| 63 | Philippines | 23.5% | 2024 | up 4.9% | volatile |
| 64 | Ukraine | 23.3% | 2024 | down 24.5% | falling |
| 65 | Panama | 23.3% | 2024 | up 16.9% | falling |
| 66 | Brunei | 22.7% | 2024 | up 761.5% | volatile |
| 67 | Tonga | 22.3% | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 68 | Guyana | 22.0% | 2023 | up 387.0% | rising |
| 69 | Barbados | 21.8% | 2024 | up 183.3% | volatile |
| 70 | South Africa | 21.2% | 2023 | down 28.3% | falling |
| 71 | Bolivia | 20.3% | 2024 | up 16.8% | falling |
| 72 | Nepal | 20.0% | 2024 | up 59.7% | rising |
| 73 | Rwanda | 19.6% | 2024 | down 64.9% | falling |
| 74 | Vanuatu | 19.4% | 2024 | up 792.6% | volatile |
| 75 | Romania | 19.2% | 2023 | up 83.3% | volatile |
| 76 | Qatar | 18.9% | 2024 | up 44.0% | volatile |
| 77 | Maldives | 18.6% | 2024 | up 109.2% | volatile |
| 78 | Uzbekistan | 18.4% | 2024 | down 74.4% | falling |
| 79 | Cook Islands | 16.7% | 2024 | up 185.9% | volatile |
| 80 | Russia | 16.6% | 2023 | up 40.2% | falling |
| 81 | Azerbaijan | 16.5% | 2024 | down 77.4% | falling |
| 82 | Montenegro | 15.8% | 2023 | down 55.4% | volatile |
| 83 | Guatemala | 15.8% | 2024 | down 28.0% | falling |
| 84 | Cape Verde | 15.6% | 2022 | down 25.3% | falling |
| 85 | El Salvador | 15.4% | 2024 | up 24.1% | falling |
| 86 | Nicaragua | 14.9% | 2023 | down 2.8% | falling |
| 87 | Malaysia | 14.6% | 2024 | down 15.2% | falling |
| 88 | New Zealand | 14.3% | 2024 | up 75.9% | rising |
| 89 | Seychelles | 13.9% | 2024 | up 168.1% | volatile |
| 90 | United States | 13.5% | 2022 | up 39.6% | rising |
| 91 | Suriname | 13.5% | 2024 | down 2.3% | falling |
| 92 | Lebanon | 12.8% | 2024 | down 44.8% | flat |
| 93 | Gibraltar | 12.6% | 2024 | up 94.6% | volatile |
| 94 | Morocco | 12.5% | 2024 | down 62.0% | falling |
| 95 | Macao | 11.8% | 2024 | up 232.5% | volatile |
| 96 | Oman | 11.3% | 2024 | down 61.1% | falling |
| 97 | Chile | 11.1% | 2024 | up 68.4% | falling |
| 98 | Puerto Rico | 11.0% | 2024 | down 73.0% | volatile |
| 99 | Fiji | 10.5% | 2024 | down 77.5% | volatile |
| 100 | Thailand | 9.2% | 2025 | up 347.6% | volatile |
| 101 | Marshall Islands | 8.4% | 2024 | down 68.3% | volatile |
| 102 | Saint Lucia | 8.3% | 2023 | down 34.0% | volatile |
| 103 | Mauritius | 7.9% | 2024 | down 26.9% | falling |
| 104 | Kenya | 7.9% | 2023 | down 85.1% | falling |
| 105 | Estonia | 7.5% | 2024 | down 3.8% | falling |
| 106 | Namibia | 7.2% | 2024 | down 73.9% | volatile |
| 107 | Indonesia | 7.1% | 2025 | up 581.8% | volatile |
| 108 | Slovakia | 7.0% | 2024 | down 62.8% | falling |
| 109 | Brazil | 6.9% | 2024 | down 49.9% | falling |
| 110 | Canada | 6.7% | 2023 | up 110.4% | rising |
| 111 | Dominican Republic | 6.5% | 2024 | down 66.5% | falling |
| 113 | Czechia | 6.4% | 2023 | down 41.9% | volatile |
| 114 | Ecuador | 6.3% | 2022 | up 67.7% | volatile |
| 115 | Argentina | 6.0% | 2023 | up 212.8% | volatile |
| 116 | Nauru | 5.8% | 2025 | up 143.7% | volatile |
| 117 | South Korea | 5.5% | 2024 | up 5.8% | falling |
| 118 | Bulgaria | 5.4% | 2024 | down 20.5% | volatile |
| 119 | Japan | 5.2% | 2023 | up 112.1% | flat |
| 120 | Andorra | 5.1% | 2024 | down 62.9% | volatile |
| 121 | Australia | 5.1% | 2024 | down 68.0% | volatile |
| 122 | Tuvalu | 5.1% | 2024 | up 9.8% | rising |
| 123 | Hungary | 5.0% | 2024 | down 29.7% | volatile |
| 125 | Antigua and Barbuda | 4.9% | 2018 | up 56.2% | volatile |
| 126 | Singapore | 4.8% | 2023 | — | volatile |
| 127 | Italy | 4.8% | 2023 | up 156.9% | volatile |
| 128 | Slovenia | 4.6% | 2023 | down 50.4% | volatile |
| 129 | Aruba | 3.9% | 2014 | down 16.8% | volatile |
| 130 | Cayman Islands | 3.8% | 2024 | up 30.3% | volatile |
| 131 | Finland | 3.8% | 2024 | up 67.9% | volatile |
| 132 | Trinidad and Tobago | 3.3% | 2024 | down 80.7% | volatile |
| 133 | Israel | 3.2% | 2024 | up 701.6% | volatile |
| 134 | Iceland | 3.1% | 2023 | down 29.4% | falling |
| 135 | Cuba | 2.9% | 2024 | up 306.0% | volatile |
| 136 | Denmark | 2.9% | 2024 | up 4.7% | volatile |
| 137 | Venezuela | 2.9% | 2024 | down 66.8% | volatile |
| 138 | Austria | 2.8% | 2024 | down 30.7% | falling |
| 139 | Norway | 2.5% | 2024 | up 1.5% | volatile |
| 140 | Anguilla | 2.4% | 2022 | down 60.6% | volatile |
| 141 | Belarus | 2.4% | 2024 | up 118.7% | volatile |
| 142 | San Marino | 2.3% | 2024 | down 68.3% | volatile |
| 143 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 2.2% | 2023 | down 95.8% | volatile |
| 144 | Latvia | 2.2% | 2024 | down 24.4% | rising |
| 145 | Uruguay | 2.2% | 2022 | up 314.1% | volatile |
| 146 | Turkey | 2.0% | 2023 | down 92.5% | volatile |
| 147 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 2.0% | 2024 | down 83.0% | volatile |
| 148 | Serbia | 1.9% | 2024 | up 26.9% | volatile |
| 149 | Switzerland | 1.8% | 2024 | up 1,814.1% | volatile |
| 150 | Albania | 1.7% | 2024 | down 86.7% | volatile |
| 151 | Belgium | 1.7% | 2023 | up 9.2% | volatile |
| 153 | Netherlands | 1.7% | 2023 | up 282.3% | rising |
| 154 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 1.6% | 2023 | down 80.3% | volatile |
| 155 | Germany | 1.6% | 2024 | down 16.6% | volatile |
| 156 | Mongolia | 1.6% | 2024 | down 78.6% | rising |
| 157 | Spain | 1.4% | 2024 | down 48.4% | falling |
| 158 | Moldova | 1.4% | 2022 | down 83.8% | volatile |
| 159 | Sweden | 1.4% | 2024 | down 34.9% | volatile |
| 160 | Vietnam | 1.2% | 2023 | down 88.9% | volatile |
| 161 | Ghana | 1.0% | 2024 | down 77.2% | volatile |
| 162 | Dominica | 0.9% | 2023 | down 96.8% | volatile |
| 163 | Colombia | 0.9% | 2022 | down 92.6% | volatile |
| 164 | Hong Kong | 0.8% | 2024 | up 78.7% | volatile |
| 165 | Croatia | 0.7% | 2023 | down 87.2% | volatile |
| 166 | Jamaica | 0.6% | 2024 | down 67.0% | volatile |
| 167 | India | 0.6% | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 169 | Greece | 0.5% | 2023 | down 88.8% | volatile |
| 170 | Lithuania | 0.4% | 2024 | down 86.1% | volatile |
| 171 | Mexico | 0.4% | 2024 | up 37.8% | volatile |
| 172 | Costa Rica | 0.3% | 2024 | down 97.0% | volatile |
| 173 | France | 0.2% | 2024 | down 40.2% | volatile |
| 174 | Peru | 0.2% | 2024 | up 63.2% | volatile |
| 175 | Poland | 0.1% | 2024 | down 96.7% | volatile |
| 176 | Cyprus | 0.1% | 2024 | down 98.2% | volatile |
| 177 | Portugal | 0.1% | 2023 | down 98.0% | volatile |
| 178 | United Kingdom | 0.0% | 2023 | down 98.8% | volatile |
| 179 | United Arab Emirates | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
About this data
Children one year before the official primary entry age (typically age 5) not enrolled in pre-primary education, expressed as a percentage of all children in that age group.