Duration of pre-primary education in Zambia
Zambia: Duration of pre-primary education was 4 years in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
4 years
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
1st
of 223 countries
All-time high
4 years
in 1970
All-time low
4 years
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Duration of pre-primary education in Zambia, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
Zambia recorded 4 years for duration of pre-primary education in 2025. That is the highest value across all 56 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, duration of pre-primary education in Zambia peaked at 4 years in 1970 and was at its lowest, 4 years, in 1970.
Zambia ranks 1st of 223 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Duration of pre-primary education in Zambia, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 4 years | — |
| 1971 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 4 years | +0.0% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 4 years is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 3 years, 1.3× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 4 years is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3 years, 1.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4 years | 4 years | 4 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 4 years | 4 years | 4 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 4 years | 4 years | 4 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 4 years | 4 years | 4 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 4 years | 4 years | 4 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 4 years | 4 years | 4 years | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 1 Bulgaria 4 years compare
- 1 Croatia 4 years compare
- 1 Estonia 4 years compare
- 1 Finland 4 years compare
- 1 French Guiana 4 years compare
- 1 Gambia 4 years compare
- 1 Georgia 4 years compare
- 1 Guadeloupe 4 years compare
- 1 Hungary 4 years compare
- 1 Kyrgyzstan 4 years compare
- 1 Latvia 4 years compare
- 1 Lithuania 4 years compare
- 1 Martinique 4 years compare
- 1 Moldova 4 years compare
- 1 Mongolia 4 years compare
- 1 Papua New Guinea 4 years compare
- 1 Poland 4 years compare
- 1 Reunion 4 years compare
- 1 Russia 4 years compare
- 1 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 4 years compare
- 1 Serbia 4 years compare
- 1 South Africa 4 years compare
- 1 Sweden 4 years compare
- 1 Tajikistan 4 years compare
- 1 Uzbekistan 4 years compare
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 duration of pre-primary education in Zambia?
- Duration of pre-primary education in Zambia was 4 years in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest duration of pre-primary education recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 4 years in 1970.
- What is the lowest duration of pre-primary education recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 4 years in 1970.
- How does Zambia rank for duration of pre-primary education?
- Zambia ranks 1st out of 223 countries with data for 2025.
- Is duration of pre-primary education rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Duration of pre-primary education. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Average number of years that a child is expected to spend in pre-primary education, defined by country's official educational regulations or laws.