Girls and boys who are out of school in Lesotho
Lesotho: Girls and boys who are out of school was 60,997 girls in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
60,997 girls
Change on year
up 5.9%
World rank
55th
of 180 countries
All-time high
81,957 girls
in 1999
All-time low
19,527 girls
in 1977
Years of data
52
1970–2024
Girls and boys who are out of school in Lesotho, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in girls.
Analysis
The most recent figure for girls and boys who are out of school in Lesotho is 60,997 girls, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 5.9% on the previous year and up 147.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, girls and boys who are out of school in Lesotho peaked at 81,957 girls in 1999 and was at its lowest, 19,527 girls, in 1977.
Lesotho ranks 55th of 180 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 52 years of available data.
Girls and boys who are out of school in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | girls | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 24,197 girls | — |
| 1972 | 29,910 girls | +23.6% |
| 1973 | 30,701 girls | +2.6% |
| 1974 | 21,620 girls | -29.6% |
| 1976 | 21,353 girls | -1.2% |
| 1977 | 19,527 girls | -8.6% |
| 1978 | 28,962 girls | +48.3% |
| 1979 | 27,837 girls | -3.9% |
| 1980 | 29,741 girls | +6.8% |
| 1981 | 32,044 girls | +7.7% |
| 1982 | 28,661 girls | -10.6% |
| 1983 | 32,403 girls | +13.1% |
| 1984 | 34,053 girls | +5.1% |
| 1985 | 34,099 girls | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 37,906 girls | +11.2% |
| 1987 | 31,289 girls | -17.5% |
| 1988 | 32,792 girls | +4.8% |
| 1989 | 37,375 girls | +14.0% |
| 1990 | 42,568 girls | +13.9% |
| 1991 | 42,882 girls | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 45,628 girls | +6.4% |
| 1993 | 53,060 girls | +16.3% |
| 1994 | 55,268 girls | +4.2% |
| 1995 | 61,425 girls | +11.1% |
| 1996 | 62,354 girls | +1.5% |
| 1998 | 77,186 girls | +23.8% |
| 1999 | 81,957 girls | +6.2% |
| 2000 | 42,791 girls | -47.8% |
| 2001 | 37,310 girls | -12.8% |
| 2002 | 31,868 girls | -14.6% |
| 2003 | 26,964 girls | -15.4% |
| 2004 | 27,534 girls | +2.1% |
| 2005 | 24,504 girls | -11.0% |
| 2006 | 19,818 girls | -19.1% |
| 2007 | 23,455 girls | +18.4% |
| 2008 | 21,782 girls | -7.1% |
| 2009 | 22,545 girls | +3.5% |
| 2010 | 22,362 girls | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 22,502 girls | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 22,256 girls | -1.1% |
| 2013 | 21,735 girls | -2.3% |
| 2014 | 24,633 girls | +13.3% |
| 2015 | 26,521 girls | +7.7% |
| 2016 | 25,770 girls | -2.8% |
| 2017 | 24,148 girls | -6.3% |
| 2018 | 33,501 girls | +38.7% |
| 2019 | 35,589 girls | +6.2% |
| 2020 | 43,338 girls | +21.8% |
| 2021 | 55,099 girls | +27.1% |
| 2022 | 54,487 girls | -1.1% |
| 2023 | 57,586 girls | +5.7% |
| 2024 | 60,997 girls | +5.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 25,513 girls | 19,527 girls | 30,701 girls | 8 |
| 1980s | 33,036 girls | 28,661 girls | 37,906 girls | 10 |
| 1990s | 58,036 girls | 42,568 girls | 81,957 girls | 9 |
| 2000s | 27,857 girls | 19,818 girls | 42,791 girls | 10 |
| 2010s | 25,902 girls | 21,735 girls | 35,589 girls | 10 |
| 2020s | 54,301 girls | 43,338 girls | 60,997 girls | 5 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 52 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 66,961 girls compare
- 53 Equatorial Guinea 62,954 girls compare
- 54 Uzbekistan 61,295 girls compare
- 56 Canada 60,948 girls compare
- 57 Iran, Islamic Republic of 60,444 girls compare
- 58 Morocco 55,174 girls compare
More education data for Lesotho
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 5,672 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 30,627 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 22,924 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 23,698 (2022)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 136,497 (2017)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 309,480 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.8093 % 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 0.1324 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is girls and boys who are out of school in Lesotho?
- Girls and boys who are out of school in Lesotho was 60,997 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 Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 81,957 girls in 1999.
- What is the lowest girls and boys who are out of school recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 19,527 girls in 1977.
- How does Lesotho rank for girls and boys who are out of school?
- Lesotho ranks 55th out of 180 countries with data for 2024.
- Is girls and boys who are out of school rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 147.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Lesotho 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.