Gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes was 87.9% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes in Afghanistan, 1970–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
Afghanistan recorded 87.9% for gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes in 2023. That is the highest value across all 40 years on record.
That represents a change of up 4.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes in Afghanistan peaked at 87.9% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 16.7%, in 1982.
That places Afghanistan 156th out of 211 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 21.2% | — |
| 1971 | 22.2% | +4.5% |
| 1972 | 22.9% | +3.2% |
| 1973 | 23.4% | +2.2% |
| 1974 | 23.7% | +1.6% |
| 1975 | 24.5% | +3.1% |
| 1976 | 25.3% | +3.5% |
| 1977 | 26.1% | +3.1% |
| 1978 | 27.1% | +3.6% |
| 1980 | 31.8% | +17.4% |
| 1981 | 36.4% | +14.6% |
| 1982 | 16.7% | -54.3% |
| 1984 | 19.8% | +18.7% |
| 1985 | 20.0% | +1.0% |
| 1986 | 20.2% | +1.2% |
| 1988 | 24.7% | +22.4% |
| 1989 | 23.2% | -6.1% |
| 1990 | 22.0% | -5.3% |
| 1991 | 25.1% | +14.1% |
| 1993 | 26.5% | +5.6% |
| 1994 | 35.2% | +32.9% |
| 1995 | 36.7% | +4.2% |
| 2001 | 18.7% | -49.0% |
| 2003 | 60.9% | +225.5% |
| 2004 | 68.9% | +13.2% |
| 2005 | 65.8% | -4.5% |
| 2006 | 71.2% | +8.2% |
| 2007 | 69.0% | -3.1% |
| 2008 | 76.0% | +10.2% |
| 2009 | 75.4% | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 80.0% | +6.1% |
| 2011 | 79.6% | -0.5% |
| 2012 | 83.0% | +4.3% |
| 2013 | 83.8% | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 84.4% | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 82.0% | -2.8% |
| 2016 | 82.0% | -0.0% |
| 2017 | 82.7% | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 84.1% | +1.7% |
| 2023 | 87.9% | +4.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 24.0% | 21.2% | 27.1% | 9 |
| 1980s | 24.1% | 16.7% | 36.4% | 8 |
| 1990s | 29.1% | 22.0% | 36.7% | 5 |
| 2000s | 63.2% | 18.7% | 76.0% | 8 |
| 2010s | 82.4% | 79.6% | 84.4% | 9 |
| 2020s | 87.9% | 87.9% | 87.9% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More education data for Afghanistan
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 88,020 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 343,942 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 13,837 (2003)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 10,383 (2003)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.43 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 7.51 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 3.56 % change on previous year (2019)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1811 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes in Afghanistan?
- Gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes in Afghanistan was 87.9% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 87.9% in 2023.
- What is the lowest gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.7% in 1982.
- How does Afghanistan rank for gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes?
- Afghanistan ranks 156th out of 211 countries with data for 2023.
- Is gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release