Girls and boys who are out of school in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Girls and boys who are out of school was 72,506 girls in 2023. ▲ Rising
Girls and boys who are out of school in Sri Lanka, 2001–2023
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 Sri Lanka is 72,506 girls, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of up 24.2% on the previous year and up 14.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, girls and boys who are out of school in Sri Lanka peaked at 77,241 girls in 2009 and was at its lowest, 25,083 girls, in 2001.
That places Sri Lanka 49th out of 180 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 20 years of available data.
Girls and boys who are out of school in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | girls | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 25,083 girls | — |
| 2002 | 35,547 girls | +41.7% |
| 2003 | 48,915 girls | +37.6% |
| 2004 | 41,495 girls | -15.2% |
| 2005 | 67,837 girls | +63.5% |
| 2006 | 67,815 girls | -0.0% |
| 2007 | 65,221 girls | -3.8% |
| 2008 | 64,782 girls | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 77,241 girls | +19.2% |
| 2010 | 61,863 girls | -19.9% |
| 2011 | 64,928 girls | +5.0% |
| 2012 | 68,556 girls | +5.6% |
| 2013 | 63,482 girls | -7.4% |
| 2014 | 59,949 girls | -5.6% |
| 2015 | 39,227 girls | -34.6% |
| 2016 | 38,181 girls | -2.7% |
| 2017 | 39,506 girls | +3.5% |
| 2018 | 42,310 girls | +7.1% |
| 2022 | 58,361 girls | +37.9% |
| 2023 | 72,506 girls | +24.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 54,882 girls | 25,083 girls | 77,241 girls | 9 |
| 2010s | 53,111 girls | 38,181 girls | 68,556 girls | 9 |
| 2020s | 65,434 girls | 58,361 girls | 72,506 girls | 2 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 46 Madagascar 78,735 girls compare
- 47 Romania 78,616 girls compare
- 48 Russian Federation 78,377 girls compare
- 50 Lebanon 71,222 girls compare
- 51 Kazakhstan 69,079 girls compare
- 52 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 66,961 girls compare
More education data for Sri Lanka
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 155,543 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 224,799 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 214,300 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.54 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.58 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -2.89 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0715 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is girls and boys who are out of school in Sri Lanka?
- Girls and boys who are out of school in Sri Lanka was 72,506 girls in 2023, 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 Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 77,241 girls in 2009.
- What is the lowest girls and boys who are out of school recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 25,083 girls in 2001.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for girls and boys who are out of school?
- Sri Lanka ranks 49th out of 180 countries with data for 2023.
- Is girls and boys who are out of school rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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.