Educational attainment: at least some primary (ISCED 1), population in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Educational attainment: at least some primary (ISCED 1), population was 97.1% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Educational attainment: at least some primary (ISCED 1), population in Sri Lanka, 1971–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population in Sri Lanka is 97.1%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 20 years on record.
The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 1.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population in Sri Lanka peaked at 97.1% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 70.5%, in 1971.
Sri Lanka ranks 70th of 136 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 20 years of available data.
Educational attainment: at least some primary (ISCED 1), population in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 70.5% | — |
| 1981 | 83.7% | +18.8% |
| 2001 | 92.2% | +10.1% |
| 2006 | 95.0% | +3.1% |
| 2007 | 94.8% | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 94.8% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 94.6% | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 95.4% | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 95.9% | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 96.1% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 96.5% | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 96.5% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 96.4% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 96.6% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 96.6% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 96.5% | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 96.6% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 96.7% | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 96.8% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 97.1% | +0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 70.5% | 70.5% | 70.5% | 1 |
| 1980s | 83.7% | 83.7% | 83.7% | 1 |
| 2000s | 94.3% | 92.2% | 95.0% | 5 |
| 2010s | 96.3% | 95.4% | 96.6% | 8 |
| 2020s | 96.8% | 96.5% | 97.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 67 Costa Rica 97.1% compare
- 68 Cyprus 97.1% compare
- 69 Guyana 97.1% compare
- 71 Macau, China 96.7% compare
- 72 South Africa 96.7% compare
- 73 Viet Nam 96.6% compare
More education data for Sri Lanka
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 155,543 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 224,799 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 214,300 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.54 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.58 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -2.89 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0715 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population in Sri Lanka?
- Educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population in Sri Lanka was 97.1% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 97.1% in 2024.
- What is the lowest educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 70.5% in 1971.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population?
- Sri Lanka ranks 70th out of 136 countries with data for 2024.
- Is educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Educational attainment: at least some primary (ISCED 1), population 25+ years, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release