Educational attainment: at least some primary (ISCED 1), population in Pakistan
Pakistan: Educational attainment: at least some primary (ISCED 1), population was 28.8% in 2021. ▲ Rising
Educational attainment: at least some primary (ISCED 1), population in Pakistan, 1981–2021
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
Pakistan recorded 28.8% for educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population in 2021. That is the highest value across all 16 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 21.7% on the previous year and up 63.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population in Pakistan peaked at 28.8% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 3.6%, in 1981.
That places Pakistan 90th out of 97 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 16 years of available data.
Educational attainment: at least some primary (ISCED 1), population in Pakistan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 3.6% | — |
| 2005 | 8.7% | +143.5% |
| 2006 | 20.4% | +134.8% |
| 2007 | 15.9% | -22.3% |
| 2008 | 19.9% | +25.4% |
| 2009 | 18.9% | -4.9% |
| 2010 | 19.9% | +5.2% |
| 2011 | 17.6% | -11.5% |
| 2012 | 23.9% | +35.7% |
| 2013 | 24.1% | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 25.2% | +4.2% |
| 2015 | 23.4% | -6.9% |
| 2016 | 22.4% | -4.5% |
| 2017 | 28.4% | +27.0% |
| 2019 | 23.7% | -16.6% |
| 2021 | 28.8% | +21.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 3.6% | 3.6% | 3.6% | 1 |
| 2000s | 16.8% | 8.7% | 20.4% | 5 |
| 2010s | 23.2% | 17.6% | 28.4% | 9 |
| 2020s | 28.8% | 28.8% | 28.8% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
More education data for Pakistan
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.04 million (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 440,233 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 5.05 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 4.90 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 19.70 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 25.38 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 3.1 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.101 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population in Pakistan?
- Educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population in Pakistan was 28.8% in 2021, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population recorded in Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 28.8% in 2021.
- What is the lowest educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.6% in 1981.
- How does Pakistan rank for educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population?
- Pakistan ranks 90th out of 97 countries with data for 2021.
- Is educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population rising or falling in Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 63.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Pakistan 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.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release