Gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes was 79.9% in 2018. ▲ Rising
Gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes in Sri Lanka, 1970–2018
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2018, gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes in Sri Lanka stood at 79.9%. That is the highest value across all 18 years on record.
The figure is up 1.4% on the previous year and up 4.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes in Sri Lanka peaked at 79.9% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 49.5%, in 1974.
That places Sri Lanka 87th out of 181 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 18 years of available data.
Gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 53.4% | — |
| 1971 | 54.8% | +2.7% |
| 1973 | 52.0% | -5.2% |
| 1974 | 49.5% | -4.8% |
| 1981 | 61.0% | +23.3% |
| 1982 | 61.5% | +0.9% |
| 1983 | 62.4% | +1.3% |
| 1984 | 63.4% | +1.6% |
| 1985 | 64.3% | +1.5% |
| 1986 | 65.9% | +2.4% |
| 1994 | 70.5% | +7.1% |
| 2010 | 76.2% | +8.1% |
| 2011 | 77.0% | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 77.6% | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 78.7% | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 78.4% | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 78.8% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 79.9% | +1.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 52.4% | 49.5% | 54.8% | 4 |
| 1980s | 63.1% | 61.0% | 65.9% | 6 |
| 1990s | 70.5% | 70.5% | 70.5% | 1 |
| 2010s | 78.1% | 76.2% | 79.9% | 7 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 84 Romania 80.4% compare
- 85 Indonesia 80.2% compare
- 86 South Africa 80.0% compare
- 88 Egypt 79.9% compare
- 89 Palestine, State of 79.9% compare
- 90 Azerbaijan 78.8% compare
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 79.9% in 2018, 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 79.9% in 2018.
- What is the lowest gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 49.5% in 1974.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes?
- Sri Lanka ranks 87th out of 181 countries with data for 2018.
- Is gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.8%. 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 — 18 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.