Share of children who are not in pre-primary school in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Share of children who are not in pre-primary school was 37.4% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Share of children who are not in pre-primary school in Ethiopia, 2010–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, share of children who are not in pre-primary school in Ethiopia stood at 37.4%.
That represents a change of up 2.6% on the previous year and down 45.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children who are not in pre-primary school in Ethiopia peaked at 95.2% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 36.5%, in 2022.
That places Ethiopia 39th out of 179 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
Share of children who are not in pre-primary school in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 95.2% | — |
| 2011 | 94.3% | -1.0% |
| 2012 | 77.1% | -18.3% |
| 2014 | 68.2% | -11.5% |
| 2015 | 65.6% | -3.8% |
| 2021 | 58.6% | -10.7% |
| 2022 | 36.5% | -37.8% |
| 2024 | 37.4% | +2.6% |
Ethiopia compared with similar countries
- Ethiopia's 37.4% is below the median for low income countries, which is 57.9%, 65% of the median. (14 countries reporting)
- Ethiopia's 37.4% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 43.8%, 85% of the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 80.1% | 65.6% | 95.2% | 5 |
| 2020s | 44.2% | 36.5% | 58.6% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
- 36 East Timor 41.1% compare
- 37 Honduras 40.9% compare
- 38 Iran 40.2% compare
- 40 Gambia 37.3% compare
- 41 Sierra Leone 37.2% compare
- 42 Saudi Arabia 35.6% compare
More education data for Ethiopia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 272,545 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 900,151 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.32 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 2.16 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 5.03 million (2015)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 15.93 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.45 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1206 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of children who are not in pre-primary school in Ethiopia?
- Share of children who are not in pre-primary school in Ethiopia was 37.4% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of children who are not in pre-primary school recorded in Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 95.2% in 2010.
- What is the lowest share of children who are not in pre-primary school recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.5% in 2022.
- How does Ethiopia rank for share of children who are not in pre-primary school?
- Ethiopia ranks 39th out of 179 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children who are not in pre-primary school rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 45.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ethiopia data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of children who are not in pre-primary school. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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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.