Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Syria
Syria: Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education was 78.6% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Syria, 1820–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Syria stood at 78.6%.
The figure is up 6.2% on the previous year and up 23.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Syria peaked at 92.4% in 2002 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1820.
Syria ranks 163rd of 190 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
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 Syria, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 0.0% | — |
| 1825 | 0.0% | +100.0% |
| 1830 | 0.0% | +0.0% |
| 1835 | 0.0% | +50.0% |
| 1840 | 0.0% | +33.3% |
| 1845 | 0.1% | +50.0% |
| 1850 | 0.1% | +33.3% |
| 1855 | 0.1% | +37.5% |
| 1860 | 0.1% | +36.4% |
| 1865 | 0.2% | +40.0% |
| 1870 | 0.3% | +38.1% |
| 1875 | 0.4% | +34.5% |
| 1880 | 0.5% | +38.5% |
| 1885 | 0.7% | +37.0% |
| 1890 | 1.0% | +37.8% |
| 1895 | 1.4% | +36.3% |
| 1900 | 1.9% | +37.4% |
| 1905 | 2.6% | +36.1% |
| 1910 | 3.5% | +36.5% |
| 1915 | 4.8% | +35.8% |
| 1920 | 6.5% | +35.1% |
| 1925 | 8.7% | +34.3% |
| 1930 | 11.7% | +33.3% |
| 1935 | 15.4% | +31.8% |
| 1940 | 20.0% | +30.1% |
| 1945 | 25.6% | +28.1% |
| 1950 | 32.1% | +25.6% |
| 1955 | 33.4% | +3.9% |
| 1960 | 34.5% | +3.3% |
| 1965 | 46.0% | +33.3% |
| 1970 | 54.0% | +17.4% |
| 1971 | 54.4% | +0.8% |
| 1973 | 64.2% | +18.0% |
| 1974 | 66.5% | +3.5% |
| 1975 | 66.7% | +0.3% |
| 1976 | 68.6% | +3.0% |
| 1977 | 69.7% | +1.5% |
| 1978 | 68.7% | -1.3% |
| 1979 | 69.9% | +1.7% |
| 1980 | 73.2% | +4.7% |
| 1981 | 74.8% | +2.3% |
| 1982 | 76.9% | +2.8% |
| 1983 | 78.6% | +2.1% |
| 1984 | 81.5% | +3.7% |
| 1985 | 84.0% | +3.1% |
| 1986 | 86.5% | +3.0% |
| 1987 | 90.8% | +5.0% |
| 1988 | 91.2% | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 92.2% | +1.1% |
| 1990 | 92.0% | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 91.7% | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 90.3% | -1.5% |
| 1997 | 89.4% | -1.1% |
| 1998 | 90.2% | +1.0% |
| 1999 | 90.6% | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 90.7% | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 91.1% | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 92.4% | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 63.6% | -31.2% |
| 2020 | 66.6% | +4.8% |
| 2021 | 65.6% | -1.5% |
| 2022 | 69.2% | +5.4% |
| 2023 | 74.0% | +6.9% |
| 2024 | 78.6% | +6.2% |
Syria compared with similar countries
- Syria's 78.6% is above the median for low income countries, which is 68.3%, 1.1× the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Syria's 78.6% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 96.2%, 82% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Syria 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1825 | +100.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1820s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1830s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1840s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 2 |
| 1850s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 2 |
| 1860s | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 2 |
| 1870s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 2 |
| 1880s | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.7% | 2 |
| 1890s | 1.2% | 1.0% | 1.4% | 2 |
| 1900s | 2.3% | 1.9% | 2.6% | 2 |
| 1910s | 4.2% | 3.5% | 4.8% | 2 |
| 1920s | 7.6% | 6.5% | 8.7% | 2 |
| 1930s | 13.5% | 11.7% | 15.4% | 2 |
| 1940s | 22.8% | 20.0% | 25.6% | 2 |
| 1950s | 32.8% | 32.1% | 33.4% | 2 |
| 1960s | 40.2% | 34.5% | 46.0% | 2 |
| 1970s | 64.7% | 54.0% | 69.9% | 9 |
| 1980s | 83.0% | 73.2% | 92.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 90.7% | 89.4% | 92.0% | 6 |
| 2000s | 91.4% | 90.7% | 92.4% | 3 |
| 2010s | 63.6% | 63.6% | 63.6% | 1 |
| 2020s | 70.8% | 65.6% | 78.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Syria
More education data for Syria
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 54,596 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 90,421 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 75,782 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 72,747 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.36 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.17 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.0055 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.088 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Syria?
- Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Syria was 78.6% 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 Syria?
- The highest recorded value was 92.4% in 2002.
- What is the lowest gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education recorded in Syria?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1820.
- How does Syria rank for gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education?
- Syria ranks 163rd out of 190 countries with data for 2024.
- Is gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education rising or falling in Syria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 23.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Syria 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.