Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Malaysia
Malaysia: Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education was 88.9% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Malaysia, 1820–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Malaysia is 88.9%, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.6% on the previous year and down 5.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Malaysia peaked at 98.7% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1820.
Malaysia ranks 134th of 190 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 0.0% | — |
| 1825 | 0.0% | +50.0% |
| 1830 | 0.0% | +33.3% |
| 1835 | 0.1% | +50.0% |
| 1840 | 0.1% | +33.3% |
| 1845 | 0.1% | +37.5% |
| 1850 | 0.1% | +27.3% |
| 1855 | 0.2% | +42.9% |
| 1860 | 0.3% | +35.0% |
| 1865 | 0.4% | +37.0% |
| 1870 | 0.5% | +37.8% |
| 1875 | 0.7% | +37.3% |
| 1880 | 0.9% | +35.7% |
| 1885 | 1.3% | +36.8% |
| 1890 | 1.8% | +36.9% |
| 1895 | 2.4% | +36.0% |
| 1900 | 3.3% | +36.4% |
| 1905 | 4.5% | +35.5% |
| 1910 | 6.0% | +34.9% |
| 1915 | 8.1% | +34.2% |
| 1920 | 10.8% | +33.1% |
| 1925 | 14.2% | +31.9% |
| 1930 | 18.5% | +30.3% |
| 1935 | 23.8% | +28.4% |
| 1940 | 30.0% | +26.1% |
| 1945 | 37.0% | +23.5% |
| 1950 | 44.7% | +20.7% |
| 1955 | 49.3% | +10.3% |
| 1960 | 82.0% | +66.3% |
| 1965 | 79.0% | -3.6% |
| 1970 | 88.1% | +11.5% |
| 1971 | 90.0% | +2.1% |
| 1972 | 91.3% | +1.5% |
| 1975 | 87.9% | -3.7% |
| 1980 | 89.9% | +2.3% |
| 1994 | 97.3% | +8.2% |
| 1998 | 97.0% | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 97.4% | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 98.7% | +1.3% |
| 2001 | 96.4% | -2.3% |
| 2002 | 93.8% | -2.7% |
| 2003 | 94.0% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 96.7% | +2.9% |
| 2005 | 97.8% | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 96.9% | -1.0% |
| 2007 | 97.4% | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 96.9% | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 98.4% | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 96.4% | -2.0% |
| 2011 | 96.4% | -0.0% |
| 2012 | 96.0% | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 95.9% | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 93.9% | -2.0% |
| 2015 | 93.6% | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 93.1% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 93.4% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 93.4% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 90.3% | -3.3% |
| 2020 | 89.6% | -0.8% |
| 2021 | 89.4% | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 88.8% | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 92.2% | +3.8% |
| 2024 | 88.9% | -3.6% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 88.9% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 94.1%, 94% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 88.9% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 95.4%, 93% of the median. (28 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Malaysia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | +66.3% | 49.3% | 82.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1820s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1830s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 2 |
| 1840s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 2 |
| 1850s | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 2 |
| 1860s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 2 |
| 1870s | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.7% | 2 |
| 1880s | 1.1% | 0.9% | 1.3% | 2 |
| 1890s | 2.1% | 1.8% | 2.4% | 2 |
| 1900s | 3.9% | 3.3% | 4.5% | 2 |
| 1910s | 7.1% | 6.0% | 8.1% | 2 |
| 1920s | 12.5% | 10.8% | 14.2% | 2 |
| 1930s | 21.1% | 18.5% | 23.8% | 2 |
| 1940s | 33.5% | 30.0% | 37.0% | 2 |
| 1950s | 47.0% | 44.7% | 49.3% | 2 |
| 1960s | 80.5% | 79.0% | 82.0% | 2 |
| 1970s | 89.3% | 87.9% | 91.3% | 4 |
| 1980s | 89.9% | 89.9% | 89.9% | 1 |
| 1990s | 97.2% | 97.0% | 97.4% | 3 |
| 2000s | 96.7% | 93.8% | 98.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 94.3% | 90.3% | 96.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 89.8% | 88.8% | 92.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
More education data for Malaysia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 217,105 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 475,967 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 460,041 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.64 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.06 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.2 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0859 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Malaysia?
- Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Malaysia was 88.9% in 2024, 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 Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 98.7% in 2000.
- What is the lowest gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1820.
- How does Malaysia rank for gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education?
- Malaysia ranks 134th out of 190 countries with data for 2024.
- Is gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malaysia 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.
Download this data
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About this data
Share of girls of primary school age (typically 6–11 years) who are enrolled in primary education.