Educational attainment rate, completed primary … primary both in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Educational attainment rate, completed primary … primary both was 21.0% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Latest (2022)
21.0%
Change on year
up 37.9%
World rank
135th
of 137 countries
All-time high
24.3%
in 2017
All-time low
4.5%
in 1979
Years of data
8
1975–2022
Educational attainment rate, completed primary education or higher in Afghanistan, 1975–2022
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2022, educational attainment rate, completed primary education or higher in Afghanistan stood at 21.0%.
The figure is up 37.9% on the previous year and up 53.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment rate, completed primary education or higher in Afghanistan peaked at 24.3% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 4.5%, in 1979.
Afghanistan ranks 135th of 137 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Educational attainment rate, completed primary … primary both in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 6.7% | — |
| 1979 | 4.5% | -33.1% |
| 2014 | 13.7% | +205.3% |
| 2015 | 19.6% | +43.2% |
| 2017 | 24.3% | +23.9% |
| 2020 | 19.0% | -21.6% |
| 2021 | 15.2% | -19.9% |
| 2022 | 21.0% | +37.9% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 21.0% is below the median for low income countries, which is 33.5%, 63% of the median. (13 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 21.0% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 88.8%, 24% of the median. (16 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5.6% | 4.5% | 6.7% | 2 |
| 2010s | 19.2% | 13.7% | 24.3% | 3 |
| 2020s | 18.4% | 15.2% | 21.0% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More education data for Afghanistan
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 15.63 (1993)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 31.23 (1993)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 88,020 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 343,942 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 13,837 (2003)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 10,383 (2003)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.43 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 7.51 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 3.56 % change on previous year (2019)
Frequently asked questions
- What is educational attainment rate, completed primary education or higher in Afghanistan?
- Educational attainment rate, completed primary education or higher in Afghanistan was 21.0% in 2022, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest educational attainment rate, completed primary education or higher recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 24.3% in 2017.
- What is the lowest educational attainment rate, completed primary education or higher recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.5% in 1979.
- How does Afghanistan rank for educational attainment rate, completed primary education or higher?
- Afghanistan ranks 135th out of 137 countries with data for 2022.
- Is educational attainment rate, completed primary education or higher rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 53.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Educational attainment rate, completed primary education or higher, population 25+ years, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 8 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release