Completion rate, primary education, both sexes (modelled data) (%) in Lesotho
Lesotho: Completion rate, primary education, both sexes (modelled data) (%) was 79.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Completion rate, primary education, both sexes (modelled data) in Lesotho, 1981–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for completion rate, primary education, both sexes (modelled data) in Lesotho is 79.8%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.4% on the previous year and up 22.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, completion rate, primary education, both sexes (modelled data) in Lesotho peaked at 79.8% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 40.6%, in 1981.
Lesotho ranks 124th of 165 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
Completion rate, primary education, both sexes (modelled data) (%) in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 40.6% | — |
| 1982 | 41.0% | +1.0% |
| 1983 | 41.5% | +1.1% |
| 1984 | 41.8% | +0.9% |
| 1985 | 42.2% | +0.9% |
| 1986 | 42.3% | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 42.4% | +0.3% |
| 1988 | 42.6% | +0.5% |
| 1989 | 43.0% | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 43.5% | +1.1% |
| 1991 | 44.0% | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 44.8% | +1.7% |
| 1993 | 45.6% | +1.8% |
| 1994 | 46.3% | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 46.8% | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 47.1% | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 47.2% | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 47.2% | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 47.1% | -0.0% |
| 2000 | 47.3% | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 47.8% | +1.0% |
| 2002 | 48.5% | +1.7% |
| 2003 | 49.7% | +2.5% |
| 2004 | 51.4% | +3.3% |
| 2005 | 53.2% | +3.5% |
| 2006 | 55.0% | +3.4% |
| 2007 | 56.4% | +2.7% |
| 2008 | 57.6% | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 58.7% | +1.9% |
| 2010 | 59.7% | +1.7% |
| 2011 | 60.7% | +1.7% |
| 2012 | 61.7% | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 62.7% | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 63.9% | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 65.4% | +2.3% |
| 2016 | 67.1% | +2.6% |
| 2017 | 68.9% | +2.7% |
| 2018 | 70.6% | +2.5% |
| 2019 | 72.1% | +2.1% |
| 2020 | 73.5% | +1.9% |
| 2021 | 74.8% | +1.8% |
| 2022 | 76.2% | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 77.5% | +1.7% |
| 2024 | 78.7% | +1.5% |
| 2025 | 79.8% | +1.4% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 79.8% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 86.1%, 93% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 79.8% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 72.2%, 1.1× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 41.9% | 40.6% | 43.0% | 9 |
| 1990s | 46.0% | 43.5% | 47.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 52.6% | 47.3% | 58.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 65.3% | 59.7% | 72.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 76.7% | 73.5% | 79.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More education data for Lesotho
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 68.25 (2024)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 67.83 (2024)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 5,672 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 30,627 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 22,924 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 23,698 (2022)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 136,497 (2017)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 309,480 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.8093 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is completion rate, primary education, both sexes (modelled data) in Lesotho?
- Completion rate, primary education, both sexes (modelled data) in Lesotho was 79.8% in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest completion rate, primary education, both sexes (modelled data) recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 79.8% in 2025.
- What is the lowest completion rate, primary education, both sexes (modelled data) recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 40.6% in 1981.
- How does Lesotho rank for completion rate, primary education, both sexes (modelled data)?
- Lesotho ranks 124th out of 165 countries with data for 2025.
- Is completion rate, primary education, both sexes (modelled data) rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Completion rate, primary education, both sexes (modelled data) (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release