Girls and boys who are out of school in Jamaica
Jamaica: Girls and boys who are out of school was 4,604 girls in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Girls and boys who are out of school in Jamaica, 1976–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in girls.
Analysis
In 2024, girls and boys who are out of school in Jamaica stood at 4,604 girls.
The figure is down 64.9% on the previous year and down 68.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, girls and boys who are out of school in Jamaica peaked at 23,186 girls in 2003 and was at its lowest, 621 girls, in 1980.
Jamaica ranks 114th of 180 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.
Girls and boys who are out of school in Jamaica, year by year
| Year | girls | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 2,401 girls | — |
| 1977 | 2,796 girls | +16.5% |
| 1980 | 621 girls | -77.8% |
| 1981 | 2,864 girls | +361.2% |
| 1983 | 938 girls | -67.2% |
| 1984 | 3,845 girls | +309.9% |
| 1985 | 6,478 girls | +68.5% |
| 1986 | 7,157 girls | +10.5% |
| 1987 | 7,687 girls | +7.4% |
| 1988 | 11,813 girls | +53.7% |
| 1989 | 5,211 girls | -55.9% |
| 1990 | 6,207 girls | +19.1% |
| 1991 | 7,842 girls | +26.3% |
| 1993 | 15,116 girls | +92.8% |
| 1999 | 19,758 girls | +30.7% |
| 2000 | 18,724 girls | -5.2% |
| 2001 | 19,531 girls | +4.3% |
| 2002 | 21,599 girls | +10.6% |
| 2003 | 23,186 girls | +7.3% |
| 2004 | 18,042 girls | -22.2% |
| 2005 | 17,974 girls | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 13,097 girls | -27.1% |
| 2014 | 14,827 girls | +13.2% |
| 2015 | 9,530 girls | -35.7% |
| 2016 | 14,423 girls | +51.3% |
| 2017 | 13,666 girls | -5.2% |
| 2018 | 12,408 girls | -9.2% |
| 2019 | 11,026 girls | -11.1% |
| 2020 | 13,967 girls | +26.7% |
| 2021 | 17,799 girls | +27.4% |
| 2022 | 8,591 girls | -51.7% |
| 2023 | 13,101 girls | +52.5% |
| 2024 | 4,604 girls | -64.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2,598 girls | 2,401 girls | 2,796 girls | 2 |
| 1980s | 5,179 girls | 621 girls | 11,813 girls | 9 |
| 1990s | 12,231 girls | 6,207 girls | 19,758 girls | 4 |
| 2000s | 19,843 girls | 17,974 girls | 23,186 girls | 6 |
| 2010s | 12,711 girls | 9,530 girls | 14,827 girls | 7 |
| 2020s | 11,612 girls | 4,604 girls | 17,799 girls | 5 |
Countries ranked near Jamaica
- 111 Hungary 4,886 girls compare
- 112 New Zealand 4,845 girls compare
- 113 Saudi Arabia 4,633 girls compare
- 115 Eswatini 4,410 girls compare
- 116 Timor-Leste 4,375 girls compare
- 117 Trinidad and Tobago 3,926 girls compare
More education data for Jamaica
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 11,043 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 4,597 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 52,983 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 51,265 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 177,095 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 211,097 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 8.14 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0744 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is girls and boys who are out of school in Jamaica?
- Girls and boys who are out of school in Jamaica was 4,604 girls in 2024, 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 Jamaica?
- The highest recorded value was 23,186 girls in 2003.
- What is the lowest girls and boys who are out of school recorded in Jamaica?
- The lowest recorded value was 621 girls in 1980.
- How does Jamaica rank for girls and boys who are out of school?
- Jamaica ranks 114th out of 180 countries with data for 2024.
- Is girls and boys who are out of school rising or falling in Jamaica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 68.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Jamaica 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
CSV · JSON — 33 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Girls in the official primary school age range who are not enrolled in either primary or secondary education.