Gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, female (%) (ratio female) in Lesotho
Lesotho: Gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, female (%) (ratio female) was 68.2% in 2017. ▲ Rising
Latest (2017)
68.2%
Change on year
up 1.5%
World rank
141st
of 186 countries
All-time high
70.3%
in 2012
All-time low
53.5%
in 1970
Years of data
33
1970–2017
Gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, female in Lesotho, 1970–2017
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 68.2% for gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, female in 2017.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.5% on the previous year and up 3.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, female in Lesotho peaked at 70.3% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 53.5%, in 1970.
Lesotho ranks 141st of 186 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, female (%) (ratio female) in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 53.5% | — |
| 1973 | 53.8% | +0.6% |
| 1975 | 59.7% | +11.0% |
| 1977 | 58.7% | -1.8% |
| 1978 | 58.1% | -0.9% |
| 1979 | 58.9% | +1.4% |
| 1981 | 60.7% | +3.0% |
| 1982 | 62.2% | +2.5% |
| 1983 | 62.9% | +1.1% |
| 1984 | 62.0% | -1.3% |
| 1985 | 63.1% | +1.7% |
| 1986 | 62.3% | -1.3% |
| 1987 | 64.9% | +4.2% |
| 1988 | 65.9% | +1.5% |
| 1989 | 64.5% | -2.1% |
| 1990 | 63.1% | -2.2% |
| 1991 | 62.9% | -0.3% |
| 1992 | 61.7% | -1.8% |
| 1993 | 58.9% | -4.5% |
| 1994 | 59.6% | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 57.9% | -2.8% |
| 1999 | 54.7% | -5.4% |
| 2000 | 59.2% | +8.1% |
| 2001 | 60.0% | +1.4% |
| 2002 | 60.8% | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 62.9% | +3.5% |
| 2005 | 64.6% | +2.6% |
| 2006 | 66.2% | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 70.3% | +6.3% |
| 2013 | 68.2% | -3.0% |
| 2014 | 68.0% | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 67.2% | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 68.2% | +1.5% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 68.2% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 68.8%, 99% of the median. (40 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 68.2% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 61.3%, 1.1× the median. (41 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 57.1% | 53.5% | 59.7% | 6 |
| 1980s | 63.2% | 60.7% | 65.9% | 9 |
| 1990s | 59.8% | 54.7% | 63.1% | 7 |
| 2000s | 62.3% | 59.2% | 66.2% | 6 |
| 2010s | 68.4% | 67.2% | 70.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 138 Cote d'Ivoire 68.9% compare
- 139 Lebanon 68.6% compare
- 140 British Virgin Islands 68.5% compare
- 142 Togo 68.0% compare
- 143 San Marino 67.7% compare
- 144 Bermuda 67.1% compare
More education data for Lesotho
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 5,672 (2023)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, female in Lesotho?
- Gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, female in Lesotho was 68.2% in 2017, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, female recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 70.3% in 2012.
- What is the lowest gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, female recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 53.5% in 1970.
- How does Lesotho rank for gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, female?
- Lesotho ranks 141st out of 186 countries with data for 2017.
- Is gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, female rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.1%. 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, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release