Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Zambia
Zambia: Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education was 86.2% in 2017. ◆ Volatile
Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Zambia, 1820–2017
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 Zambia is 86.2%, measured in 2017.
That represents a change of down 6.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Zambia peaked at 94.2% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1820.
Zambia ranks 147th 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 Zambia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 0.0% | — |
| 1825 | 0.0% | — |
| 1830 | 0.0% | — |
| 1835 | 0.0% | — |
| 1840 | 0.0% | — |
| 1845 | 0.0% | — |
| 1850 | 0.0% | — |
| 1855 | 0.0% | — |
| 1860 | 0.0% | — |
| 1865 | 0.0% | — |
| 1870 | 0.0% | — |
| 1875 | 0.0% | — |
| 1880 | 0.0% | — |
| 1885 | 0.0% | — |
| 1890 | 0.0% | — |
| 1895 | 0.0% | — |
| 1900 | 0.0% | — |
| 1905 | 0.0% | — |
| 1910 | 0.0% | — |
| 1915 | 0.4% | — |
| 1920 | 1.1% | +186.8% |
| 1925 | 2.4% | +115.6% |
| 1930 | 4.4% | +88.9% |
| 1935 | 7.8% | +74.8% |
| 1940 | 12.8% | +64.7% |
| 1945 | 19.9% | +55.5% |
| 1950 | 29.2% | +46.8% |
| 1955 | 33.0% | +13.2% |
| 1960 | 37.0% | +12.1% |
| 1965 | 49.5% | +33.7% |
| 1970 | 73.4% | +48.4% |
| 1972 | 71.1% | -3.2% |
| 1975 | 78.0% | +9.8% |
| 1976 | 74.5% | -4.5% |
| 1977 | 74.7% | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 74.1% | -0.9% |
| 1979 | 74.1% | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 74.3% | +0.3% |
| 1981 | 74.7% | +0.5% |
| 1982 | 74.8% | +0.2% |
| 1983 | 76.4% | +2.1% |
| 1984 | 77.4% | +1.3% |
| 1986 | 79.6% | +2.8% |
| 1988 | 79.0% | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 72.7% | -7.9% |
| 1995 | 70.7% | -2.8% |
| 1998 | 67.7% | -4.2% |
| 1999 | 66.2% | -2.3% |
| 2000 | 66.5% | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 66.6% | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 69.3% | +4.1% |
| 2004 | 82.8% | +19.4% |
| 2005 | 91.9% | +11.0% |
| 2006 | 90.6% | -1.4% |
| 2007 | 92.1% | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 91.0% | -1.3% |
| 2010 | 88.4% | -2.8% |
| 2011 | 92.4% | +4.4% |
| 2012 | 94.2% | +2.0% |
| 2013 | 90.6% | -3.9% |
| 2017 | 86.2% | -4.8% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 86.2% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 90.6%, 95% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 86.2% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 86.4%, 100% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Zambia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 | +186.8% | 0.4% | 1.1% |
| 1925 | +115.6% | 1.1% | 2.4% |
| 1930 | +88.9% | 2.4% | 4.4% |
| 1935 | +74.8% | 4.4% | 7.8% |
| 1940 | +64.7% | 7.8% | 12.8% |
| 1945 | +55.5% | 12.8% | 19.9% |
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 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1850s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1860s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1870s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1880s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1890s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1900s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1910s | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.4% | 2 |
| 1920s | 1.7% | 1.1% | 2.4% | 2 |
| 1930s | 6.1% | 4.4% | 7.8% | 2 |
| 1940s | 16.3% | 12.8% | 19.9% | 2 |
| 1950s | 31.1% | 29.2% | 33.0% | 2 |
| 1960s | 43.2% | 37.0% | 49.5% | 2 |
| 1970s | 74.3% | 71.1% | 78.0% | 7 |
| 1980s | 76.6% | 74.3% | 79.6% | 7 |
| 1990s | 69.3% | 66.2% | 72.7% | 4 |
| 2000s | 81.3% | 66.5% | 92.1% | 8 |
| 2010s | 90.4% | 86.2% | 94.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More education data for Zambia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 42,585 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 169,961 (2013)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.39 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.49 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.55 % change on previous year (2017)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.2106 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 4.49 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Zambia?
- Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Zambia was 86.2% in 2017, 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 94.2% in 2012.
- What is the lowest gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1820.
- How does Zambia rank for gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education?
- Zambia ranks 147th out of 190 countries with data for 2017.
- Is gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia 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
CSV · JSON — 61 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of girls of primary school age (typically 6–11 years) who are enrolled in primary education.