Gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes was 70.8% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes in Sri Lanka, 1970–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes in Sri Lanka is 70.8%, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.8% on the previous year and down 5.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes in Sri Lanka peaked at 75.5% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 51.6%, in 1974.
That places Sri Lanka 136th out of 193 countries with data for 2023, 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 to tertiary, both sexes in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 56.2% | — |
| 1971 | 57.5% | +2.4% |
| 1973 | 54.3% | -5.5% |
| 1974 | 51.6% | -5.1% |
| 1981 | 61.7% | +19.7% |
| 1982 | 62.1% | +0.6% |
| 1983 | 63.0% | +1.6% |
| 1984 | 64.4% | +2.2% |
| 1985 | 65.6% | +1.9% |
| 1986 | 66.9% | +1.9% |
| 1994 | 72.2% | +8.0% |
| 2010 | 73.6% | +1.9% |
| 2011 | 74.1% | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 74.4% | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 75.2% | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 74.3% | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 74.5% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 75.5% | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 73.8% | -2.2% |
| 2022 | 72.1% | -2.3% |
| 2023 | 70.8% | -1.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 54.9% | 51.6% | 57.5% | 4 |
| 1980s | 64.0% | 61.7% | 66.9% | 6 |
| 1990s | 72.2% | 72.2% | 72.2% | 1 |
| 2010s | 74.5% | 73.6% | 75.5% | 7 |
| 2020s | 72.3% | 70.8% | 73.8% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More education data for Sri Lanka
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 155,543 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 224,799 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 214,300 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.54 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.58 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -2.89 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0715 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes in Sri Lanka?
- Gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes in Sri Lanka was 70.8% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 75.5% in 2018.
- What is the lowest gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 51.6% in 1974.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes?
- Sri Lanka ranks 136th out of 193 countries with data for 2023.
- Is gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 21 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release