Girls and boys who are out of school in Botswana
Botswana: Girls and boys who are out of school was 18,800 girls in 2014. ▼ Falling
Girls and boys who are out of school in Botswana, 1970–2014
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in girls.
Analysis
In 2014, girls and boys who are out of school in Botswana stood at 18,800 girls.
That represents a change of up 17.2% on the previous year and up 12.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, girls and boys who are out of school in Botswana peaked at 29,955 girls in 1971 and was at its lowest, 4,433 girls, in 1985.
That places Botswana 79th out of 180 countries with data for 2014, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 41 years of available data.
Girls and boys who are out of school in Botswana, year by year
| Year | girls | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 28,006 girls | — |
| 1971 | 29,955 girls | +7.0% |
| 1972 | 29,372 girls | -1.9% |
| 1973 | 28,717 girls | -2.2% |
| 1974 | 26,536 girls | -7.6% |
| 1975 | 21,697 girls | -18.2% |
| 1976 | 18,629 girls | -14.1% |
| 1977 | 15,576 girls | -16.4% |
| 1978 | 15,393 girls | -1.2% |
| 1979 | 15,510 girls | +0.8% |
| 1980 | 12,555 girls | -19.1% |
| 1981 | 7,485 girls | -40.4% |
| 1983 | 5,020 girls | -32.9% |
| 1984 | 5,607 girls | +11.7% |
| 1985 | 4,433 girls | -20.9% |
| 1986 | 5,499 girls | +24.0% |
| 1987 | 6,443 girls | +17.2% |
| 1988 | 7,130 girls | +10.7% |
| 1989 | 7,316 girls | +2.6% |
| 1990 | 8,267 girls | +13.0% |
| 1991 | 5,863 girls | -29.1% |
| 1992 | 8,713 girls | +48.6% |
| 1993 | 11,221 girls | +28.8% |
| 1994 | 12,533 girls | +11.7% |
| 1995 | 26,797 girls | +113.8% |
| 1996 | 26,337 girls | -1.7% |
| 1998 | 21,777 girls | -17.3% |
| 1999 | 22,995 girls | +5.6% |
| 2000 | 21,334 girls | -7.2% |
| 2001 | 18,854 girls | -11.6% |
| 2002 | 18,393 girls | -2.4% |
| 2003 | 16,904 girls | -8.1% |
| 2004 | 16,739 girls | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 13,008 girls | -22.3% |
| 2006 | 11,852 girls | -8.9% |
| 2007 | 13,295 girls | +12.2% |
| 2008 | 14,325 girls | +7.7% |
| 2009 | 15,148 girls | +5.7% |
| 2012 | 12,589 girls | -16.9% |
| 2013 | 16,036 girls | +27.4% |
| 2014 | 18,800 girls | +17.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 22,939 girls | 15,393 girls | 29,955 girls | 10 |
| 1980s | 6,832 girls | 4,433 girls | 12,555 girls | 9 |
| 1990s | 16,056 girls | 5,863 girls | 26,797 girls | 9 |
| 2000s | 15,985 girls | 11,852 girls | 21,334 girls | 10 |
| 2010s | 15,808 girls | 12,589 girls | 18,800 girls | 3 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
More education data for Botswana
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 15,284 (2021)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 9,590 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 20,760 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 20,779 (2022)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 175,513 (2021)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 381,674 (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 4.49 % change on previous year (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1564 units per person (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is girls and boys who are out of school in Botswana?
- Girls and boys who are out of school in Botswana was 18,800 girls in 2014, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest girls and boys who are out of school recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 29,955 girls in 1971.
- What is the lowest girls and boys who are out of school recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 4,433 girls in 1985.
- How does Botswana rank for girls and boys who are out of school?
- Botswana ranks 79th out of 180 countries with data for 2014.
- Is girls and boys who are out of school rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Botswana data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Girls and boys who are out of school. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Girls in the official primary school age range who are not enrolled in either primary or secondary education.