Children out of school in Zambia
Zambia: Children out of school was 3.5% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Children out of school in Zambia, 1972–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of primary school age.
Analysis
Zambia recorded 3.5% for children out of school in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 31 years on record.
That represents a change of down 62.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, children out of school in Zambia peaked at 32.2% in 2001 and was at its lowest, 3.5%, in 2024.
Zambia ranks 103rd of 196 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 31 years of available data.
Children out of school in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % of primary school age | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 22.9% | — |
| 1976 | 20.8% | -9.5% |
| 1977 | 21.0% | +0.9% |
| 1978 | 22.2% | +5.6% |
| 1979 | 22.6% | +2.1% |
| 1980 | 22.6% | -0.1% |
| 1981 | 22.4% | -0.9% |
| 1982 | 22.3% | -0.5% |
| 1983 | 20.6% | -7.6% |
| 1984 | 19.4% | -5.7% |
| 1986 | 17.8% | -8.6% |
| 1988 | 18.9% | +6.3% |
| 1994 | 24.9% | +32.0% |
| 1995 | 27.1% | +8.6% |
| 1998 | 30.2% | +11.6% |
| 1999 | 31.7% | +4.9% |
| 2000 | 31.9% | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 32.2% | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 29.2% | -9.2% |
| 2004 | 16.3% | -44.2% |
| 2005 | 7.8% | -51.9% |
| 2006 | 9.7% | +23.7% |
| 2007 | 7.1% | -26.8% |
| 2008 | 6.4% | -10.1% |
| 2009 | 9.2% | +43.5% |
| 2010 | 11.7% | +27.3% |
| 2011 | 7.7% | -34.3% |
| 2012 | 6.2% | -19.5% |
| 2013 | 9.3% | +51.1% |
| 2017 | 14.8% | +58.7% |
| 2024 | 3.5% | -76.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 21.9% | 20.8% | 22.9% | 5 |
| 1980s | 20.6% | 17.8% | 22.6% | 7 |
| 1990s | 28.5% | 24.9% | 31.7% | 4 |
| 2000s | 16.7% | 6.4% | 32.2% | 9 |
| 2010s | 9.9% | 6.2% | 14.8% | 5 |
| 2020s | 3.5% | 3.5% | 3.5% | 1 |
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 in Zambia?
- Children out of school in Zambia was 3.5% in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest children out of school recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 32.2% in 2001.
- What is the lowest children out of school recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.5% in 2024.
- How does Zambia rank for children out of school?
- Zambia ranks 103rd out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is children out of school rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 62.4%. 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 (% 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.