Children out of school in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Children out of school was 0.5% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Children out of school in Saudi Arabia, 1979–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of primary school age.
Analysis
In 2024, children out of school in Saudi Arabia stood at 0.5%. That is the lowest value across all 8 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 81.3% on the previous year and down 91.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, children out of school in Saudi Arabia peaked at 30.7% in 1979 and was at its lowest, 0.5%, in 2024.
That places Saudi Arabia 169th out of 196 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Children out of school in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | % of primary school age | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 30.7% | — |
| 2013 | 7.6% | -75.4% |
| 2014 | 6.0% | -21.0% |
| 2015 | 3.7% | -37.3% |
| 2016 | 2.9% | -23.2% |
| 2020 | 2.6% | -8.4% |
| 2021 | 2.8% | +6.9% |
| 2024 | 0.5% | -81.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 30.7% | 30.7% | 30.7% | 1 |
| 2010s | 5.0% | 2.9% | 7.6% | 4 |
| 2020s | 2.0% | 0.5% | 2.8% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More education data for Saudi Arabia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 242,375 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 26,900 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 215,559 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 214,840 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.36 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.45 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.53 % change on previous year (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0976 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is children out of school in Saudi Arabia?
- Children out of school in Saudi Arabia was 0.5% in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest children out of school recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 30.7% in 1979.
- What is the lowest children out of school recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.5% in 2024.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for children out of school?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 169th out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is children out of school rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 91.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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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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.