Gross enrolment ratio, primary, male in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Gross enrolment ratio, primary, male was 90.8% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
90.8%
Change on year
down 1.7%
World rank
183rd
of 214 countries
All-time high
126.2%
in 1985
All-time low
86.3%
in 1976
Years of data
47
1970–2023
Gross enrolment ratio, primary, male in Sri Lanka, 1970–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for gross enrolment ratio, primary, male in Sri Lanka is 90.8%, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.7% on the previous year and down 7.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross enrolment ratio, primary, male in Sri Lanka peaked at 126.2% in 1985 and was at its lowest, 86.3%, in 1976.
That places Sri Lanka 183rd out of 214 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 47 years of available data.
Gross enrolment ratio, primary, male in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 108.8% | — |
| 1971 | 105.3% | -3.3% |
| 1975 | 87.1% | -17.3% |
| 1976 | 86.3% | -0.9% |
| 1977 | 91.1% | +5.6% |
| 1978 | 115.0% | +26.2% |
| 1980 | 121.7% | +5.8% |
| 1981 | 124.7% | +2.5% |
| 1982 | 125.0% | +0.2% |
| 1983 | 124.9% | -0.1% |
| 1984 | 125.5% | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 126.2% | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 125.9% | -0.2% |
| 1987 | 108.8% | -13.6% |
| 1988 | 109.1% | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 110.5% | +1.2% |
| 1990 | 112.3% | +1.7% |
| 1991 | 115.8% | +3.1% |
| 1992 | 116.7% | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 118.5% | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 119.0% | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 121.8% | +2.3% |
| 1996 | 113.5% | -6.9% |
| 1998 | 108.5% | -4.4% |
| 2001 | 103.7% | -4.4% |
| 2002 | 101.2% | -2.3% |
| 2003 | 97.6% | -3.6% |
| 2004 | 89.4% | -8.4% |
| 2005 | 94.5% | +5.7% |
| 2006 | 94.6% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 94.6% | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 94.4% | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 92.9% | -1.6% |
| 2010 | 97.8% | +5.3% |
| 2011 | 98.3% | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 97.5% | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 97.7% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 98.0% | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 98.0% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 97.4% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 96.9% | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 96.1% | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 95.3% | -0.8% |
| 2020 | 94.8% | -0.5% |
| 2021 | 93.3% | -1.6% |
| 2022 | 92.4% | -1.0% |
| 2023 | 90.8% | -1.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 99.0% | 86.3% | 115.0% | 6 |
| 1980s | 120.2% | 108.8% | 126.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 115.8% | 108.5% | 121.8% | 8 |
| 2000s | 95.9% | 89.4% | 103.7% | 9 |
| 2010s | 97.3% | 95.3% | 98.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 92.8% | 90.8% | 94.8% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More education data for Sri Lanka
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.54 million (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth -0.4555 % change on previous year (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 73,333 (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 2.32 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.29 million (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate -0.5206 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.25 million (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate -0.3876 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 439,099 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.72 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gross enrolment ratio, primary, male in Sri Lanka?
- Gross enrolment ratio, primary, male in Sri Lanka was 90.8% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest gross enrolment ratio, primary, male recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 126.2% in 1985.
- What is the lowest gross enrolment ratio, primary, male recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 86.3% in 1976.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for gross enrolment ratio, primary, male?
- Sri Lanka ranks 183rd out of 214 countries with data for 2023.
- Is gross enrolment ratio, primary, male rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Gross enrolment ratio, primary, male (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release