Gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes in Lesotho
Lesotho: Gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes was 95.1% in 2017. ▲ Rising
Gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes in Lesotho, 1996–2017
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 95.1% for gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes in 2017.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.4% on the previous year and down 7.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes in Lesotho peaked at 104.2% in 2006 and was at its lowest, 78.0%, in 1999.
That places Lesotho 139th out of 199 countries with data for 2017, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 21 years of available data.
Gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 80.0% | — |
| 1998 | 78.4% | -1.9% |
| 1999 | 78.0% | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 87.1% | +11.7% |
| 2001 | 89.6% | +2.8% |
| 2002 | 92.2% | +2.9% |
| 2003 | 96.3% | +4.4% |
| 2004 | 98.7% | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 100.8% | +2.1% |
| 2006 | 104.2% | +3.4% |
| 2007 | 102.4% | -1.8% |
| 2008 | 102.9% | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 103.0% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 103.8% | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 103.1% | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 101.9% | -1.2% |
| 2013 | 98.6% | -3.3% |
| 2014 | 97.1% | -1.5% |
| 2015 | 95.1% | -2.1% |
| 2016 | 93.8% | -1.4% |
| 2017 | 95.1% | +1.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 78.8% | 78.0% | 80.0% | 3 |
| 2000s | 97.7% | 87.1% | 104.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 98.5% | 93.8% | 103.8% | 8 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 136 Belarus 95.6% compare
- 137 North Macedonia 95.5% compare
- 138 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 95.1% compare
- 140 Tajikistan 95.0% compare
- 141 Oman 94.7% compare
- 142 Saint Lucia 94.5% compare
More education data for Lesotho
- 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)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 309,480 (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth -0.8093 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes in Lesotho?
- Gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes in Lesotho was 95.1% in 2017, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 104.2% in 2006.
- What is the lowest gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 78.0% in 1999.
- How does Lesotho rank for gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes?
- Lesotho ranks 139th out of 199 countries with data for 2017.
- Is gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.1%. 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, published as part of Gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release