Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Congo
Congo: Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education was 83.1% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Congo, 1972–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Congo stood at 83.1%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 9.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Congo peaked at 92.1% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 51.2%, in 2006.
That places Congo 157th out of 190 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 16 years of available data.
Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Congo, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 71.3% | — |
| 1974 | 77.4% | +8.5% |
| 1976 | 81.3% | +5.0% |
| 1978 | 86.3% | +6.2% |
| 1979 | 87.5% | +1.4% |
| 1980 | 82.2% | -6.0% |
| 1981 | 82.3% | +0.1% |
| 1982 | 84.3% | +2.3% |
| 1983 | 86.3% | +2.4% |
| 1984 | 88.1% | +2.1% |
| 2005 | 54.7% | -37.9% |
| 2006 | 51.2% | -6.3% |
| 2010 | 84.4% | +64.8% |
| 2012 | 92.1% | +9.0% |
| 2018 | 78.0% | -15.3% |
| 2023 | 83.1% | +6.5% |
Congo compared with similar countries
- Congo's 83.1% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 90.6%, 92% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Congo's 83.1% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 86.4%, 96% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Congo 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | +64.8% | 51.2% | 84.4% |
| 2005 | -37.9% | 88.1% | 54.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 80.8% | 71.3% | 87.5% | 5 |
| 1980s | 84.6% | 82.2% | 88.1% | 5 |
| 2000s | 53.0% | 51.2% | 54.7% | 2 |
| 2010s | 84.8% | 78.0% | 92.1% | 3 |
| 2020s | 83.1% | 83.1% | 83.1% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Congo
More education data for Congo
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 38,064 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 70,276 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 12,245 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 13,478 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 339,250 (2012)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 880,625 (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.03 % change on previous year (2012)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1424 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Congo?
- Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Congo was 83.1% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education recorded in Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 92.1% in 2012.
- What is the lowest gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education recorded in Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 51.2% in 2006.
- How does Congo rank for gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education?
- Congo ranks 157th out of 190 countries with data for 2023.
- Is gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education rising or falling in Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Congo data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of girls of primary school age (typically 6–11 years) who are enrolled in primary education.