Gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes in Zambia
Zambia: Gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes was 115.6% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
115.6%
World rank
22nd
of 217 countries
All-time high
117.1%
in 2008
All-time low
80.2%
in 2001
Years of data
45
1970–2024
Gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes in Zambia, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes in Zambia is 115.6%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 7.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes in Zambia peaked at 117.1% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 80.2%, in 2001.
Zambia ranks 22nd of 217 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
Gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 85.7% | — |
| 1971 | 87.0% | +1.5% |
| 1972 | 89.6% | +3.0% |
| 1973 | 90.1% | +0.6% |
| 1974 | 92.3% | +2.4% |
| 1975 | 90.6% | -1.8% |
| 1976 | 91.1% | +0.5% |
| 1977 | 90.7% | -0.4% |
| 1978 | 90.1% | -0.7% |
| 1979 | 89.7% | -0.4% |
| 1980 | 90.4% | +0.8% |
| 1981 | 89.8% | -0.7% |
| 1982 | 90.5% | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 93.0% | +2.8% |
| 1984 | 95.3% | +2.4% |
| 1985 | 98.3% | +3.1% |
| 1986 | 97.6% | -0.8% |
| 1987 | 96.0% | -1.6% |
| 1988 | 96.1% | +0.1% |
| 1989 | 95.3% | -0.8% |
| 1990 | 94.3% | -1.1% |
| 1991 | 95.3% | +1.1% |
| 1994 | 88.7% | -7.0% |
| 1995 | 86.3% | -2.7% |
| 1996 | 84.7% | -1.8% |
| 1998 | 82.7% | -2.4% |
| 1999 | 80.6% | -2.6% |
| 2000 | 80.4% | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 80.2% | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 83.2% | +3.7% |
| 2004 | 102.3% | +23.0% |
| 2005 | 113.6% | +11.1% |
| 2006 | 114.7% | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 115.8% | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 117.1% | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 110.9% | -5.3% |
| 2010 | 109.9% | -1.0% |
| 2011 | 111.4% | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 111.6% | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 105.9% | -5.1% |
| 2014 | 107.1% | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 103.4% | -3.4% |
| 2016 | 99.6% | -3.7% |
| 2017 | 98.8% | -0.8% |
| 2024 | 115.6% | +17.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 89.7% | 85.7% | 92.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 94.2% | 89.8% | 98.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 87.5% | 80.6% | 95.3% | 7 |
| 2000s | 102.0% | 80.2% | 117.1% | 9 |
| 2010s | 106.0% | 98.8% | 111.6% | 8 |
| 2020s | 115.6% | 115.6% | 115.6% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More education data for Zambia
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.39 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.49 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.55 % change on previous year (2017)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.2106 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 4.49 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 2.55 % change on previous year (2017)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes in Zambia?
- Gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes in Zambia was 115.6% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 117.1% in 2008.
- What is the lowest gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 80.2% in 2001.
- How does Zambia rank for gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes?
- Zambia ranks 22nd out of 217 countries with data for 2024.
- Is gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release