Gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes in Lesotho
Lesotho: Gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes was 71.8% in 2017. ▲ Rising
Gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes in Lesotho, 1970–2017
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes in Lesotho is 71.8%, measured in 2017.
That represents a change of up 3.2% on the previous year and up 8.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes in Lesotho peaked at 71.9% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 42.2%, in 1971.
Lesotho ranks 114th of 181 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 38 years of available data.
Gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 43.9% | — |
| 1971 | 42.2% | -3.7% |
| 1972 | 42.7% | +1.2% |
| 1973 | 45.1% | +5.5% |
| 1975 | 50.7% | +12.4% |
| 1976 | 49.7% | -2.0% |
| 1977 | 49.3% | -0.7% |
| 1978 | 48.5% | -1.8% |
| 1979 | 49.1% | +1.3% |
| 1980 | 49.7% | +1.2% |
| 1981 | 51.3% | +3.3% |
| 1982 | 53.5% | +4.3% |
| 1983 | 54.6% | +2.1% |
| 1984 | 54.7% | +0.1% |
| 1985 | 56.1% | +2.7% |
| 1986 | 55.7% | -0.7% |
| 1987 | 56.9% | +2.1% |
| 1988 | 57.8% | +1.5% |
| 1989 | 56.8% | -1.7% |
| 1990 | 55.6% | -2.0% |
| 1991 | 55.6% | -0.0% |
| 1992 | 55.3% | -0.6% |
| 1993 | 53.5% | -3.3% |
| 1994 | 54.8% | +2.5% |
| 1995 | 55.8% | +1.8% |
| 1996 | 54.5% | -2.4% |
| 1999 | 51.8% | -4.8% |
| 2000 | 57.0% | +10.0% |
| 2001 | 58.3% | +2.3% |
| 2002 | 59.6% | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 62.0% | +4.1% |
| 2005 | 64.6% | +4.1% |
| 2006 | 66.1% | +2.3% |
| 2012 | 71.9% | +8.8% |
| 2013 | 69.9% | -2.7% |
| 2014 | 70.0% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 69.6% | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 71.8% | +3.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 46.8% | 42.2% | 50.7% | 9 |
| 1980s | 54.7% | 49.7% | 57.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 54.6% | 51.8% | 55.8% | 8 |
| 2000s | 61.3% | 57.0% | 66.1% | 6 |
| 2010s | 70.6% | 69.6% | 71.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More education data for Lesotho
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 30,627 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 22,924 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 23,698 (2022)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 136,497 (2017)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 309,480 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.8093 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1324 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes in Lesotho?
- Gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes in Lesotho was 71.8% in 2017, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 71.9% in 2012.
- What is the lowest gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 42.2% in 1971.
- How does Lesotho rank for gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes?
- Lesotho ranks 114th out of 181 countries with data for 2017.
- Is gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Lesotho 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 — 38 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Total enrollment in primary, secondary and tertiary education, regardless of age, expressed as a percentage of the total population of primary school age, secondary school age, and the five-year age group following on from secondary school leaving. GER can exceed 100% due to the inclusion of over-aged and under-aged students because of early or late school entrance and grade repetition.