Educational attainment: at least some primary (ISCED 1), population in Malawi
Malawi: Educational attainment: at least some primary (ISCED 1), population was 74.2% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Educational attainment: at least some primary (ISCED 1), population in Malawi, 1998–2020
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population in Malawi is 74.2%, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.
That represents a change of up 8.6% on the previous year and up 27.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population in Malawi peaked at 74.2% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 40.7%, in 1998.
Malawi ranks 77th of 97 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Educational attainment: at least some primary (ISCED 1), population in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 40.7% | — |
| 2005 | 49.0% | +20.6% |
| 2011 | 58.3% | +18.9% |
| 2015 | 70.8% | +21.5% |
| 2017 | 68.3% | -3.5% |
| 2020 | 74.2% | +8.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 40.7% | 40.7% | 40.7% | 1 |
| 2000s | 49.0% | 49.0% | 49.0% | 1 |
| 2010s | 65.8% | 58.3% | 70.8% | 3 |
| 2020s | 74.2% | 74.2% | 74.2% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More education data for Malawi
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 2.40 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 2.79 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), per capita 0.111 units per person (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.34 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 2.6 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), per capita 0.1082 units per person (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1.16 million (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 5.83 % change on previous year (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 87,834 (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 2.79 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population in Malawi?
- Educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population in Malawi was 74.2% in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 74.2% in 2020.
- What is the lowest educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 40.7% in 1998.
- How does Malawi rank for educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population?
- Malawi ranks 77th out of 97 countries with data for 2020.
- Is educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 27.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malawi 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, rural, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 6 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release