Enrolment in primary education, female (number) (primary female) in Malawi
Malawi: Enrolment in primary education, female (number) (primary female) was 2.40 million in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Enrolment in primary education, female in Malawi, 1972–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, enrolment in primary education, female in Malawi stood at 2.40 million. That is the highest value across all 50 years on record.
The figure is up 2.8% on the previous year and up 16.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in primary education, female in Malawi peaked at 2.40 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 145,186, in 1972.
That places Malawi 33rd out of 216 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Enrolment in primary education, female (number) (primary female) in Malawi, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 145,186 | — |
| 1973 | 164,875 | +13.6% |
| 1974 | 192,183 | +16.6% |
| 1975 | 219,534 | +14.2% |
| 1976 | 233,420 | +6.3% |
| 1977 | 242,559 | +3.9% |
| 1978 | 247,034 | +1.8% |
| 1979 | 258,805 | +4.8% |
| 1980 | 283,961 | +9.7% |
| 1981 | 298,624 | +5.2% |
| 1982 | 329,756 | +10.4% |
| 1983 | 325,668 | -1.2% |
| 1984 | 314,491 | -3.4% |
| 1985 | 336,747 | +7.1% |
| 1986 | 358,683 | +6.5% |
| 1987 | 393,809 | +9.8% |
| 1988 | 414,676 | +5.3% |
| 1989 | 475,666 | +14.7% |
| 1990 | 526,798 | +10.7% |
| 1991 | 561,031 | +6.5% |
| 1992 | 685,372 | +22.2% |
| 1993 | 769,919 | +12.3% |
| 1994 | 844,872 | +9.7% |
| 1995 | 1.23 million | +46.1% |
| 1996 | 1.24 million | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 1.26 million | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 1.32 million | +4.7% |
| 2001 | 1.39 million | +5.7% |
| 2002 | 1.39 million | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 1.43 million | +2.6% |
| 2005 | 1.44 million | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 1.48 million | +2.8% |
| 2007 | 1.48 million | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 1.61 million | +8.2% |
| 2009 | 1.63 million | +1.7% |
| 2010 | 1.72 million | +5.5% |
| 2011 | 1.80 million | +4.5% |
| 2012 | 1.86 million | +3.3% |
| 2013 | 1.99 million | +6.9% |
| 2014 | 2.06 million | +3.6% |
| 2015 | 2.12 million | +2.7% |
| 2016 | 2.16 million | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 2.24 million | +3.8% |
| 2018 | 2.29 million | +2.2% |
| 2019 | 2.32 million | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 2.30 million | -0.7% |
| 2021 | 2.19 million | -4.9% |
| 2022 | 2.18 million | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 2.34 million | +7.2% |
| 2024 | 2.40 million | +2.8% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 2.40 million is above the median for low income countries, which is 1.44 million, 1.7× the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 2.40 million is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.26 million, 1.9× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Enrolment in primary education, female (number) (primary female) in Malawi changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | +46.1% | 844,872 | 1.23 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 212,950 | 145,186 | 258,805 | 8 |
| 1980s | 353,208 | 283,961 | 475,666 | 10 |
| 1990s | 890,406 | 526,798 | 1.26 million | 8 |
| 2000s | 1.46 million | 1.32 million | 1.63 million | 9 |
| 2010s | 2.06 million | 1.72 million | 2.32 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.28 million | 2.18 million | 2.40 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More education data for Malawi
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 14,528 (2019)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 1.25 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.16 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.75 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.7 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.2193 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 4.75 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in primary education, female in Malawi?
- Enrolment in primary education, female in Malawi was 2.40 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in primary education, female recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 2.40 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest enrolment in primary education, female recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 145,186 in 1972.
- How does Malawi rank for enrolment in primary education, female?
- Malawi ranks 33rd out of 216 countries with data for 2024.
- Is enrolment in primary education, female rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Enrolment in primary education, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 50 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release