Gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes in Malawi
Malawi: Gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes was 139.0% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
139.0%
Change on year
up 2.2%
World rank
4th
of 217 countries
All-time high
152.6%
in 1995
All-time low
42.5%
in 1971
Years of data
52
1971–2024
Gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes in Malawi, 1971–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes in Malawi stood at 139.0%.
The figure is up 2.2% on the previous year and down 1.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes in Malawi peaked at 152.6% in 1995 and was at its lowest, 42.5%, in 1971.
Malawi ranks 4th of 217 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 52 years of available data.
Gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 42.5% | — |
| 1972 | 49.6% | +16.8% |
| 1973 | 54.0% | +8.8% |
| 1974 | 59.4% | +10.0% |
| 1975 | 65.2% | +9.7% |
| 1976 | 66.1% | +1.4% |
| 1977 | 65.2% | -1.2% |
| 1978 | 63.5% | -2.7% |
| 1979 | 63.9% | +0.6% |
| 1980 | 67.1% | +5.0% |
| 1981 | 66.9% | -0.3% |
| 1982 | 70.2% | +5.0% |
| 1983 | 65.8% | -6.2% |
| 1984 | 60.7% | -7.8% |
| 1985 | 62.3% | +2.6% |
| 1986 | 62.7% | +0.6% |
| 1987 | 65.1% | +3.9% |
| 1988 | 64.5% | -1.0% |
| 1989 | 69.6% | +8.0% |
| 1990 | 73.0% | +4.9% |
| 1991 | 74.4% | +1.9% |
| 1992 | 87.9% | +18.1% |
| 1993 | 91.8% | +4.5% |
| 1994 | 99.8% | +8.7% |
| 1995 | 152.6% | +52.8% |
| 1996 | 149.8% | -1.9% |
| 1998 | 137.8% | -8.0% |
| 1999 | 136.8% | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 139.2% | +1.7% |
| 2001 | 143.6% | +3.2% |
| 2002 | 140.3% | -2.3% |
| 2004 | 133.8% | -4.6% |
| 2005 | 131.8% | -1.5% |
| 2006 | 131.5% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 128.7% | -2.1% |
| 2008 | 136.0% | +5.7% |
| 2009 | 133.8% | -1.7% |
| 2010 | 136.0% | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 136.6% | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 136.6% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 140.9% | +3.1% |
| 2014 | 140.7% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 139.5% | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 137.8% | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 139.2% | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 136.7% | -1.8% |
| 2019 | 139.3% | +1.9% |
| 2020 | 136.4% | -2.0% |
| 2021 | 127.0% | -6.9% |
| 2022 | 126.6% | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 136.0% | +7.4% |
| 2024 | 139.0% | +2.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 58.8% | 42.5% | 66.1% | 9 |
| 1980s | 65.5% | 60.7% | 70.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 111.5% | 73.0% | 152.6% | 9 |
| 2000s | 135.4% | 128.7% | 143.6% | 9 |
| 2010s | 138.3% | 136.0% | 140.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 133.0% | 126.6% | 139.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 1 Haiti 184.0% compare
- 2 Sierra Leone 162.1% compare
- 3 Rwanda 149.6% compare
- 5 Madagascar 132.7% compare
- 6 Nepal 128.6% compare
- 7 Turks and Caicos Islands 125.1% compare
More education data for Malawi
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 16.86 % change on previous year (2022)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 41,351 (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 46,483 (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 40,807 (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 21.25 % change on previous year (2022)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 54,184 (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 13.94 % change on previous year (2022)
- Theoretical duration of primary education (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of pre-primary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (pre-primary to post-secondary non) 0.0494 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes in Malawi?
- Gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes in Malawi was 139.0% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 152.6% in 1995.
- What is the lowest gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 42.5% in 1971.
- How does Malawi rank for gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes?
- Malawi ranks 4th out of 217 countries with data for 2024.
- Is gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release