Children out of school in Barbados

Barbados: Children out of school was 17.6% in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
17.6%
Change on year
up 21.5%
World rank
31st
of 196 countries
All-time high
17.6%
in 2024
All-time low
0.4%
in 2000
Years of data
37
1971–2024

Children out of school in Barbados, 1971–2024

051015201971199720241971: 12.1 % of primary school age1972: 11.2 % of primary school age1973: 12.7 % of primary school age1976: 11.6 % of primary school age1977: 8.2 % of primary school age1978: 4.7 % of primary school age1979: 3 % of primary school age1981: 1.5 % of primary school age1982: 0.477 % of primary school age1983: 2.2 % of primary school age1989: 1.9 % of primary school age1990: 4.4 % of primary school age1992: 9.8 % of primary school age1999: 0.65 % of primary school age2000: 0.427 % of primary school age2001: 0.53 % of primary school age2002: 1 % of primary school age2003: 0.991 % of primary school age2004: 0.614 % of primary school age2005: 2.6 % of primary school age2006: 1.9 % of primary school age2007: 2 % of primary school age2008: 1.9 % of primary school age2009: 3.4 % of primary school age2010: 1.8 % of primary school age2011: 2 % of primary school age2014: 5.3 % of primary school age2015: 4.7 % of primary school age2016: 3.9 % of primary school age2017: 6.8 % of primary school age2018: 6.4 % of primary school age2019: 6.3 % of primary school age2020: 7.7 % of primary school age2021: 9.3 % of primary school age2022: 12.1 % of primary school age2023: 14.5 % of primary school age2024: 17.6 % of primary school age

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

Analysis

Barbados recorded 17.6% for children out of school in 2024. That is the highest value across all 37 years on record.

The figure is up 21.5% on the previous year and up 232.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, children out of school in Barbados peaked at 17.6% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.4%, in 2000.

That places Barbados 31st out of 196 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.

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

Children out of school in Barbados, year by year

Annual values for Children out of school (% of primary school age) in Barbados, 1971 to 2024.
Year % of primary school age Change
1971 12.1%
1972 11.2% -7.3%
1973 12.7% +13.1%
1976 11.6% -8.7%
1977 8.2% -29.7%
1978 4.7% -42.0%
1979 3.0% -35.9%
1981 1.5% -49.6%
1982 0.5% -68.8%
1983 2.2% +353.7%
1989 1.9% -10.7%
1990 4.4% +127.5%
1992 9.8% +122.1%
1999 0.6% -93.4%
2000 0.4% -34.3%
2001 0.5% +24.1%
2002 1.0% +93.0%
2003 1.0% -3.2%
2004 0.6% -38.0%
2005 2.6% +330.7%
2006 1.9% -28.9%
2007 2.0% +5.5%
2008 1.9% -2.7%
2009 3.4% +76.1%
2010 1.8% -47.8%
2011 2.0% +13.8%
2014 5.3% +162.2%
2015 4.7% -12.0%
2016 3.9% -15.5%
2017 6.8% +72.8%
2018 6.4% -5.4%
2019 6.3% -1.5%
2020 7.7% +20.8%
2021 9.3% +21.7%
2022 12.1% +29.4%
2023 14.5% +19.8%
2024 17.6% +21.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 9.1% 3.0% 12.7% 7
1980s 1.5% 0.5% 2.2% 4
1990s 4.9% 0.6% 9.8% 3
2000s 1.5% 0.4% 3.4% 10
2010s 4.7% 1.8% 6.8% 8
2020s 12.2% 7.7% 17.6% 5

Countries ranked near Barbados

  1. 28 Syrian Arab Republic 21.8% compare
  2. 29 Comoros 20.6% compare
  3. 30 Guyana 18.0% compare
  4. 32 Congo 17.1% compare
  5. 33 Gambia 16.9% compare
  6. 34 Tanzania, United Republic of 16.4% compare

See the full ranking of 201 places →

More education data for Barbados

All data for Barbados →

Frequently asked questions

What is children out of school in Barbados?
Children out of school in Barbados was 17.6% in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest children out of school recorded in Barbados?
The highest recorded value was 17.6% in 2024.
What is the lowest children out of school recorded in Barbados?
The lowest recorded value was 0.4% in 2000.
How does Barbados rank for children out of school?
Barbados ranks 31st out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
Is children out of school rising or falling in Barbados?
Over the last ten years it is up 232.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Barbados data come from?
The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Children out of school (% of primary school age). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Children out of school in Barbados. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 11 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/children-out-of-school-percent-of-primary-school-age/barbados/

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About this data

Indicator
Children out of school (% of primary school age)
Unit
% of primary school age
Source
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
201 places, 4,722 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.