Children out of school, female in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Children out of school, female was 8.6% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
8.6%
Change on year
up 25.8%
World rank
65th
of 177 countries
All-time high
9.0%
in 2009
All-time low
3.0%
in 2001
Years of data
20
2001–2023

Children out of school, female in Sri Lanka, 2001–2023

24682001201220232001: 3 % of female primary school age2002: 4.2 % of female primary school age2003: 5.8 % of female primary school age2004: 4.9 % of female primary school age2005: 8.1 % of female primary school age2006: 8.1 % of female primary school age2007: 7.7 % of female primary school age2008: 7.6 % of female primary school age2009: 9 % of female primary school age2010: 7.1 % of female primary school age2011: 7.4 % of female primary school age2012: 7.7 % of female primary school age2013: 7.1 % of female primary school age2014: 6.6 % of female primary school age2015: 4.3 % of female primary school age2016: 4.2 % of female primary school age2017: 4.4 % of female primary school age2018: 4.8 % of female primary school age2022: 6.8 % of female primary school age2023: 8.6 % of female primary school age

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

Analysis

In 2023, children out of school, female in Sri Lanka stood at 8.6%.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 25.8% on the previous year and up 21.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, children out of school, female in Sri Lanka peaked at 9.0% in 2009 and was at its lowest, 3.0%, in 2001.

That places Sri Lanka 65th out of 177 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 20 years of available data.

Children out of school, female in Sri Lanka, year by year

Annual values for Children out of school, female (% of female primary school age) in Sri Lanka, 2001 to 2023.
Year % of female primary school age Change
2001 3.0%
2002 4.2% +41.5%
2003 5.8% +37.7%
2004 4.9% -15.1%
2005 8.1% +64.0%
2006 8.1% -0.0%
2007 7.7% -4.3%
2008 7.6% -1.4%
2009 9.0% +18.1%
2010 7.1% -20.9%
2011 7.4% +3.7%
2012 7.7% +4.3%
2013 7.1% -8.1%
2014 6.6% -5.9%
2015 4.3% -34.6%
2016 4.2% -2.3%
2017 4.4% +4.2%
2018 4.8% +7.9%
2022 6.8% +43.0%
2023 8.6% +25.8%

Sri Lanka compared with similar countries

  • Sri Lanka's 8.6% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5.9%, 1.5× the median. (50 countries reporting)
  • Sri Lanka's 8.6% is above the median for South Asia, which is 2.1%, 4.1× the median. (6 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 6.5% 3.0% 9.0% 9
2010s 6.0% 4.2% 7.7% 9
2020s 7.7% 6.8% 8.6% 2

Countries ranked near Sri Lanka

  1. 62 Indonesia 9.6% compare
  2. 63 Bolivia 9.3% compare
  3. 64 Kazakhstan 8.7% compare
  4. 66 Guatemala 8.4% compare
  5. 67 Mongolia 7.8% compare
  6. 68 New Caledonia 7.6%

See the full ranking of 182 places →

More education data for Sri Lanka

All data for Sri Lanka →

Frequently asked questions

What is children out of school, female in Sri Lanka?
Children out of school, female in Sri Lanka was 8.6% in 2023, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest children out of school, female recorded in Sri Lanka?
The highest recorded value was 9.0% in 2009.
What is the lowest children out of school, female recorded in Sri Lanka?
The lowest recorded value was 3.0% in 2001.
How does Sri Lanka rank for children out of school, female?
Sri Lanka ranks 65th out of 177 countries with data for 2023.
Is children out of school, female rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
Over the last ten years it is up 21.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Children out of school, female (% of female primary school age). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Children out of school, female in Sri Lanka. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 17 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/children-out-of-school-female-percent-of-female-primary-school-age/sri-lanka/

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About this data

Indicator
Children out of school, female (% of female primary school age)
Unit
% of female primary school age
Source
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
182 places, 3,665 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

Children out of school are the percentage of primary-school-age children who are not enrolled in primary or secondary school. Children in the official primary age group that are in preprimary education should be considered out of school.