Enrolment in primary education, both sexes in Barbados
Barbados: Enrolment in primary education, both sexes was 16,314 in 2024. ▼ Falling
Enrolment in primary education, both sexes in Barbados, 1971–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, enrolment in primary education, both sexes in Barbados stood at 16,314. That is the lowest value across all 42 years on record.
That represents a change of down 5.2% on the previous year and down 22.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in primary education, both sexes in Barbados peaked at 39,006 in 1971 and was at its lowest, 16,314, in 2024.
That places Barbados 184th out of 218 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 42 years of available data.
Enrolment in primary education, both sexes in Barbados, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 39,006 | — |
| 1972 | 37,486 | -3.9% |
| 1973 | 36,712 | -2.1% |
| 1974 | 34,120 | -7.1% |
| 1975 | 34,138 | +0.1% |
| 1976 | 32,884 | -3.7% |
| 1977 | 33,989 | +3.4% |
| 1978 | 34,324 | +1.0% |
| 1979 | 34,536 | +0.6% |
| 1980 | 31,299 | -9.4% |
| 1981 | 31,147 | -0.5% |
| 1982 | 30,728 | -1.3% |
| 1983 | 30,337 | -1.3% |
| 1984 | 30,907 | +1.9% |
| 1985 | 30,161 | -2.4% |
| 1989 | 29,584 | -1.9% |
| 1990 | 28,516 | -3.6% |
| 1992 | 26,662 | -6.5% |
| 1999 | 24,792 | -7.0% |
| 2000 | 24,475 | -1.3% |
| 2001 | 24,225 | -1.0% |
| 2002 | 23,394 | -3.4% |
| 2003 | 23,074 | -1.4% |
| 2004 | 22,327 | -3.2% |
| 2005 | 22,249 | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 22,461 | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 22,584 | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 22,849 | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 22,727 | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 22,659 | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 22,509 | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 21,171 | -5.9% |
| 2015 | 20,909 | -1.2% |
| 2016 | 20,731 | -0.9% |
| 2017 | 20,384 | -1.7% |
| 2018 | 20,218 | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 19,895 | -1.6% |
| 2020 | 19,242 | -3.3% |
| 2021 | 18,518 | -3.8% |
| 2022 | 17,794 | -3.9% |
| 2023 | 17,209 | -3.3% |
| 2024 | 16,314 | -5.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 35,244 | 32,884 | 39,006 | 9 |
| 1980s | 30,595 | 29,584 | 31,299 | 7 |
| 1990s | 26,657 | 24,792 | 28,516 | 3 |
| 2000s | 23,036 | 22,249 | 24,475 | 10 |
| 2010s | 21,060 | 19,895 | 22,659 | 8 |
| 2020s | 17,815 | 16,314 | 19,242 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Barbados
- 181 New Caledonia 22,308 compare
- 182 Kiribati 17,457 compare
- 183 French Guiana 17,006 compare
- 185 Tonga 15,644 compare
- 186 Guam 15,516 compare
- 187 United States Virgin Islands 14,544 compare
More education data for Barbados
- Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of secondary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), gaps filled 2,021 tertiary education (2022)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), annual growth 0.0495 % change on previous year (2022)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 1,592 (2024)
- Duration of pre primary education, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Duration of pre primary education 2 (2025)
- Official entrance age to pre primary education 3 (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 65.8% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 17.1% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in primary education, both sexes in Barbados?
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes in Barbados was 16,314 in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in primary education, both sexes recorded in Barbados?
- The highest recorded value was 39,006 in 1971.
- What is the lowest enrolment in primary education, both sexes recorded in Barbados?
- The lowest recorded value was 16,314 in 2024.
- How does Barbados rank for enrolment in primary education, both sexes?
- Barbados ranks 184th out of 218 countries with data for 2024.
- Is enrolment in primary education, both sexes rising or falling in Barbados?
- Over the last ten years it is down 22.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Barbados data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 42 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release