Gross enrolment ratio, secondary, female (%) in Malawi
Malawi: Gross enrolment ratio, secondary, female (%) was 37.3% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Gross enrolment ratio, secondary, female in Malawi, 1972–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for gross enrolment ratio, secondary, female in Malawi is 37.3%, measured in 2023.
The figure is up 3.9% on the previous year and up 5.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross enrolment ratio, secondary, female in Malawi peaked at 44.0% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 6.5%, in 1973.
That places Malawi 194th out of 212 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Gross enrolment ratio, secondary, female (%) in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 7.2% | — |
| 1973 | 6.5% | -9.8% |
| 1975 | 6.7% | +4.6% |
| 1976 | 6.9% | +2.6% |
| 1977 | 7.6% | +9.6% |
| 1978 | 7.9% | +4.5% |
| 1979 | 8.3% | +4.7% |
| 1980 | 9.8% | +17.7% |
| 1981 | 9.5% | -2.6% |
| 1982 | 10.2% | +6.9% |
| 1983 | 10.3% | +1.7% |
| 1984 | 10.7% | +3.7% |
| 1985 | 11.0% | +2.5% |
| 1986 | 11.3% | +2.8% |
| 1987 | 12.0% | +6.2% |
| 1988 | 11.9% | -1.0% |
| 1989 | 11.8% | -0.6% |
| 1990 | 12.3% | +4.6% |
| 1991 | 12.9% | +4.6% |
| 1993 | 13.2% | +2.3% |
| 1994 | 12.3% | -6.9% |
| 1995 | 18.8% | +52.5% |
| 1996 | 19.4% | +3.1% |
| 1999 | 29.8% | +53.9% |
| 2000 | 26.2% | -12.0% |
| 2001 | 27.5% | +4.9% |
| 2002 | 26.6% | -3.2% |
| 2004 | 25.0% | -6.2% |
| 2005 | 24.9% | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 26.9% | +8.2% |
| 2007 | 26.5% | -1.5% |
| 2008 | 28.9% | +9.1% |
| 2009 | 30.2% | +4.4% |
| 2010 | 31.2% | +3.5% |
| 2011 | 32.4% | +3.9% |
| 2012 | 32.3% | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 35.4% | +9.6% |
| 2014 | 37.2% | +5.1% |
| 2015 | 37.6% | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 35.7% | -5.2% |
| 2017 | 39.0% | +9.4% |
| 2018 | 38.2% | -2.2% |
| 2019 | 31.9% | -16.3% |
| 2020 | 44.0% | +37.6% |
| 2021 | 36.1% | -17.9% |
| 2022 | 35.9% | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 37.3% | +3.9% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 37.3% is above the median for low income countries, which is 36.8%, 1.0× the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 37.3% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 46.9%, 79% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Gross enrolment ratio, secondary, female (%) in Malawi changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | +53.9% | 19.4% | 29.8% |
| 1995 | +52.5% | 12.3% | 18.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 7.3% | 6.5% | 8.3% | 7 |
| 1980s | 10.8% | 9.5% | 12.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 17.0% | 12.3% | 29.8% | 7 |
| 2000s | 27.0% | 24.9% | 30.2% | 9 |
| 2010s | 35.1% | 31.2% | 39.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 38.3% | 35.9% | 44.0% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More education data for Malawi
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 14,528 (2019)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 1.25 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.16 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.75 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.7 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.2193 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 4.75 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gross enrolment ratio, secondary, female in Malawi?
- Gross enrolment ratio, secondary, female in Malawi was 37.3% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest gross enrolment ratio, secondary, female recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 44.0% in 2020.
- What is the lowest gross enrolment ratio, secondary, female recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.5% in 1973.
- How does Malawi rank for gross enrolment ratio, secondary, female?
- Malawi ranks 194th out of 212 countries with data for 2023.
- Is gross enrolment ratio, secondary, female rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Gross enrolment ratio, secondary, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 47 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release