Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education was 90.4% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Zimbabwe, 1820–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Zimbabwe recorded 90.4% for gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.7% on the previous year and up 0.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Zimbabwe peaked at 99.1% in 2001 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1820.
Zimbabwe ranks 126th 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 Zimbabwe, 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 | 0.8% | — |
| 1900 | 2.4% | +191.4% |
| 1905 | 5.2% | +118.2% |
| 1910 | 9.6% | +86.6% |
| 1915 | 17.8% | +85.5% |
| 1920 | 26.1% | +46.2% |
| 1925 | 34.3% | +31.6% |
| 1930 | 42.5% | +24.0% |
| 1935 | 50.8% | +19.4% |
| 1940 | 59.0% | +16.2% |
| 1945 | 67.2% | +14.0% |
| 1950 | 75.4% | +12.2% |
| 1955 | 89.6% | +18.8% |
| 1960 | 68.0% | -24.1% |
| 1965 | 72.7% | +6.9% |
| 1970 | 51.6% | -29.0% |
| 1975 | 52.3% | +1.5% |
| 1980 | 44.5% | -14.9% |
| 1998 | 86.7% | +94.6% |
| 1999 | 91.3% | +5.3% |
| 2000 | 95.0% | +4.1% |
| 2001 | 99.1% | +4.3% |
| 2002 | 96.3% | -2.8% |
| 2003 | 95.3% | -1.0% |
| 2012 | 92.5% | -2.9% |
| 2013 | 90.9% | -1.8% |
| 2014 | 90.3% | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 82.3% | -8.9% |
| 2016 | 83.0% | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 81.7% | -1.5% |
| 2018 | 82.4% | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 82.9% | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 84.0% | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 91.6% | +9.0% |
| 2022 | 92.8% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 91.9% | -1.0% |
| 2024 | 90.4% | -1.7% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 90.4% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 90.6%, 100% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 90.4% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 86.4%, 1.0× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Zimbabwe 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | +191.4% | 0.8% | 2.4% |
| 1905 | +118.2% | 2.4% | 5.2% |
| 1998 | +94.6% | 44.5% | 86.7% |
| 1910 | +86.6% | 5.2% | 9.6% |
| 1915 | +85.5% | 9.6% | 17.8% |
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 | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.8% | 2 |
| 1900s | 3.8% | 2.4% | 5.2% | 2 |
| 1910s | 13.7% | 9.6% | 17.8% | 2 |
| 1920s | 30.2% | 26.1% | 34.3% | 2 |
| 1930s | 46.6% | 42.5% | 50.8% | 2 |
| 1940s | 63.1% | 59.0% | 67.2% | 2 |
| 1950s | 82.5% | 75.4% | 89.6% | 2 |
| 1960s | 70.3% | 68.0% | 72.7% | 2 |
| 1970s | 52.0% | 51.6% | 52.3% | 2 |
| 1980s | 44.5% | 44.5% | 44.5% | 1 |
| 1990s | 89.0% | 86.7% | 91.3% | 2 |
| 2000s | 96.4% | 95.0% | 99.1% | 4 |
| 2010s | 85.7% | 81.7% | 92.5% | 8 |
| 2020s | 90.2% | 84.0% | 92.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
More education data for Zimbabwe
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 42,585 (2013)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 12,514 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 328,055 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 322,698 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 957,461 (2013)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.94 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.4866 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1767 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Zimbabwe?
- Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Zimbabwe was 90.4% 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 Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 99.1% in 2001.
- What is the lowest gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1820.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education?
- Zimbabwe ranks 126th out of 190 countries with data for 2024.
- Is gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zimbabwe 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.