Girls and boys who are out of school in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea: Girls and boys who are out of school was 24,839 girls in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Girls and boys who are out of school in Papua New Guinea, 1989–2020
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 Papua New Guinea is 24,839 girls, measured in 2020.
The figure is up 63.8% on the previous year and down 85.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, girls and boys who are out of school in Papua New Guinea peaked at 187,804 girls in 2014 and was at its lowest, 15,162 girls, in 2019.
Papua New Guinea ranks 74th of 180 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Girls and boys who are out of school in Papua New Guinea, year by year
| Year | girls | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 86,946 girls | — |
| 2012 | 171,952 girls | +97.8% |
| 2014 | 187,804 girls | +9.2% |
| 2016 | 69,341 girls | -63.1% |
| 2019 | 15,162 girls | -78.1% |
| 2020 | 24,839 girls | +63.8% |
Papua New Guinea compared with similar countries
- Papua New Guinea's 24,839 girls is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 55,174 girls, 45% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Papua New Guinea's 24,839 girls is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 4,845 girls, 5.1× the median. (27 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 86,946 girls | 86,946 girls | 86,946 girls | 1 |
| 2010s | 111,065 girls | 15,162 girls | 187,804 girls | 4 |
| 2020s | 24,839 girls | 24,839 girls | 24,839 girls | 1 |
Countries ranked near Papua New Guinea
More education data for Papua New Guinea
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 14,791 (2016)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 80,915 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 226,545 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 208,353 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 655,030 (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.65 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 10.31 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1593 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is girls and boys who are out of school in Papua New Guinea?
- Girls and boys who are out of school in Papua New Guinea was 24,839 girls in 2020, 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 Papua New Guinea?
- The highest recorded value was 187,804 girls in 2014.
- What is the lowest girls and boys who are out of school recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The lowest recorded value was 15,162 girls in 2019.
- How does Papua New Guinea rank for girls and boys who are out of school?
- Papua New Guinea ranks 74th out of 180 countries with data for 2020.
- Is girls and boys who are out of school rising or falling in Papua New Guinea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 85.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Papua New Guinea 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.
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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.