Educational attainment: at least some primary (ISCED 1), population in Zambia
Zambia: Educational attainment: at least some primary (ISCED 1), population was 90.7% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Educational attainment: at least some primary (ISCED 1), population in Zambia, 1980–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population in Zambia stood at 90.7%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.4% on the previous year and up 15.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population in Zambia peaked at 92.9% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 50.2%, in 1980.
Zambia ranks 97th of 136 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Educational attainment: at least some primary (ISCED 1), population in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 50.2% | — |
| 1990 | 59.4% | +18.4% |
| 2015 | 78.6% | +32.4% |
| 2017 | 88.1% | +12.0% |
| 2018 | 88.8% | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 92.9% | +4.7% |
| 2024 | 90.7% | -2.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 50.2% | 50.2% | 50.2% | 1 |
| 1990s | 59.4% | 59.4% | 59.4% | 1 |
| 2010s | 85.2% | 78.6% | 88.8% | 3 |
| 2020s | 91.8% | 90.7% | 92.9% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More education data for Zambia
- 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)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 2.55 % change on previous year (2017)
Frequently asked questions
- What is educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population in Zambia?
- Educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population in Zambia was 90.7% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 92.9% in 2023.
- What is the lowest educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 50.2% in 1980.
- How does Zambia rank for educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population?
- Zambia ranks 97th out of 136 countries with data for 2024.
- Is educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 7 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release