Completion rate, lower secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) in Malaysia
Malaysia: Completion rate, lower secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) was 98.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Completion rate, lower secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) in Malaysia, 1981–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, completion rate, lower secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) in Malaysia stood at 98.7%. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.2% on the previous year and up 3.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, completion rate, lower secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) in Malaysia peaked at 98.7% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 44.4%, in 1981.
Malaysia ranks 30th of 164 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
Completion rate, lower secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 44.4% | — |
| 1982 | 45.9% | +3.3% |
| 1983 | 47.4% | +3.2% |
| 1984 | 48.7% | +2.9% |
| 1985 | 49.7% | +2.1% |
| 1986 | 50.7% | +1.9% |
| 1987 | 51.5% | +1.7% |
| 1988 | 52.4% | +1.8% |
| 1989 | 53.2% | +1.5% |
| 1990 | 54.1% | +1.7% |
| 1991 | 55.1% | +1.7% |
| 1992 | 56.2% | +2.1% |
| 1993 | 57.6% | +2.4% |
| 1994 | 59.4% | +3.2% |
| 1995 | 61.6% | +3.7% |
| 1996 | 64.1% | +4.1% |
| 1997 | 67.1% | +4.6% |
| 1998 | 70.5% | +5.2% |
| 1999 | 74.2% | +5.2% |
| 2000 | 77.7% | +4.7% |
| 2001 | 80.6% | +3.7% |
| 2002 | 82.8% | +2.7% |
| 2003 | 84.7% | +2.2% |
| 2004 | 86.2% | +1.8% |
| 2005 | 87.5% | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 88.6% | +1.3% |
| 2007 | 89.7% | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 90.8% | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 91.7% | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 92.5% | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 93.3% | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 94.0% | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 94.5% | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 95.0% | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 95.5% | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 96.0% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 96.4% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 96.9% | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 97.2% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 97.5% | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 97.8% | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 98.1% | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 98.3% | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 98.5% | +0.2% |
| 2025 | 98.7% | +0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 49.3% | 44.4% | 53.2% | 9 |
| 1990s | 62.0% | 54.1% | 74.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 86.0% | 77.7% | 91.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 95.1% | 92.5% | 97.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 98.1% | 97.5% | 98.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
- 27 Croatia 98.8% compare
- 28 Georgia 98.7% compare
- 28 Israel 98.7% compare
- 31 Kyrgyzstan 98.7% compare
- 32 Bosnia and Herzegovina 98.7% compare
- 33 Uzbekistan 98.6% compare
More education data for Malaysia
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 273,792 (2024)
- Duration of pre primary education, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Duration of pre primary education 2 (2025)
- Official entrance age to pre primary education 4 (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 70.7% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 21.3% (2025)
- Lower secondary school starting age 12 years (2025)
- Primary school starting age 6 years (2025)
- Primary secondary enrollment completion rates, gaps filled 90.36 (2024)
- School enrollment, primary 90.4% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is completion rate, lower secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) in Malaysia?
- Completion rate, lower secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) in Malaysia was 98.7% in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest completion rate, lower secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 98.7% in 2025.
- What is the lowest completion rate, lower secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 44.4% in 1981.
- How does Malaysia rank for completion rate, lower secondary education, both sexes (modelled data)?
- Malaysia ranks 30th out of 164 countries with data for 2025.
- Is completion rate, lower secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malaysia data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Completion rate, lower secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release