Children out of school, male in Zambia
Zambia: Children out of school, male was 15.9% in 2017. ▼ Falling
Children out of school, male in Zambia, 1972–2017
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of male primary school age.
Analysis
In 2017, children out of school, male in Zambia stood at 15.9%.
That represents a change of up 150.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, children out of school, male in Zambia peaked at 31.0% in 2001 and was at its lowest, 6.3%, in 2007.
That places Zambia 36th out of 177 countries with data for 2017, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 29 years of available data.
Children out of school, male in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % of male primary school age | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 16.9% | — |
| 1976 | 16.0% | -5.6% |
| 1977 | 16.6% | +4.0% |
| 1978 | 18.3% | +10.3% |
| 1979 | 19.3% | +5.4% |
| 1980 | 19.5% | +1.1% |
| 1981 | 19.5% | -0.1% |
| 1982 | 19.4% | -0.4% |
| 1983 | 17.6% | -9.2% |
| 1984 | 16.3% | -7.6% |
| 1986 | 15.1% | -7.3% |
| 1988 | 16.7% | +10.9% |
| 1994 | 22.6% | +34.9% |
| 1995 | 24.8% | +10.0% |
| 1998 | 28.2% | +13.4% |
| 1999 | 29.5% | +4.9% |
| 2000 | 30.3% | +2.5% |
| 2001 | 31.0% | +2.2% |
| 2002 | 27.7% | -10.4% |
| 2004 | 15.4% | -44.6% |
| 2005 | 7.6% | -50.8% |
| 2006 | 10.0% | +32.3% |
| 2007 | 6.3% | -36.8% |
| 2009 | 9.3% | +47.1% |
| 2010 | 11.8% | +26.8% |
| 2011 | 7.7% | -34.5% |
| 2012 | 6.6% | -14.6% |
| 2013 | 9.3% | +40.4% |
| 2017 | 15.9% | +71.2% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 15.9% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 8.6%, 1.9× the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 15.9% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 19.2%, 83% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 17.4% | 16.0% | 19.3% | 5 |
| 1980s | 17.7% | 15.1% | 19.5% | 7 |
| 1990s | 26.3% | 22.6% | 29.5% | 4 |
| 2000s | 17.2% | 6.3% | 31.0% | 8 |
| 2010s | 10.3% | 6.6% | 15.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More education data for Zambia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 42,585 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 169,961 (2013)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.39 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.49 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.55 % change on previous year (2017)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.2106 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 4.49 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is children out of school, male in Zambia?
- Children out of school, male in Zambia was 15.9% in 2017, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest children out of school, male recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 31.0% in 2001.
- What is the lowest children out of school, male recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.3% in 2007.
- How does Zambia rank for children out of school, male?
- Zambia ranks 36th out of 177 countries with data for 2017.
- Is children out of school, male rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 150.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Children out of school, male (% of male primary school age). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
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.