Gross intake ratio to the last grade of lower secondary general in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Gross intake ratio to the last grade of lower secondary general was 91.0% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Gross intake ratio to the last grade of lower secondary general in Sri Lanka, 1970–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for gross intake ratio to the last grade of lower secondary general in Sri Lanka is 91.0%, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.1% on the previous year and up 0.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross intake ratio to the last grade of lower secondary general in Sri Lanka peaked at 96.2% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 38.0%, in 1970.
That places Sri Lanka 86th out of 192 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 29 years of available data.
Gross intake ratio to the last grade of lower secondary general in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 38.0% | — |
| 1985 | 67.0% | +76.3% |
| 1986 | 74.9% | +11.8% |
| 1987 | 60.0% | -19.8% |
| 1989 | 64.5% | +7.4% |
| 1990 | 66.4% | +3.0% |
| 1991 | 66.5% | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 68.1% | +2.3% |
| 1998 | 82.2% | +20.7% |
| 2001 | 83.6% | +1.7% |
| 2002 | 84.8% | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 88.5% | +4.4% |
| 2005 | 92.6% | +4.6% |
| 2006 | 95.9% | +3.6% |
| 2007 | 91.6% | -4.5% |
| 2009 | 84.3% | -8.0% |
| 2010 | 92.7% | +10.0% |
| 2011 | 90.9% | -1.9% |
| 2012 | 86.9% | -4.5% |
| 2013 | 90.8% | +4.6% |
| 2014 | 92.5% | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 93.0% | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 90.7% | -2.5% |
| 2017 | 91.8% | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 91.6% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 94.1% | +2.6% |
| 2021 | 96.2% | +2.3% |
| 2022 | 94.9% | -1.3% |
| 2023 | 91.0% | -4.1% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 91.0% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 89.0%, 1.0× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 91.0% is above the median for South Asia, which is 88.3%, 1.0× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Gross intake ratio to the last grade of lower secondary general in Sri Lanka 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | +76.3% | 38.0% | 67.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 38.0% | 38.0% | 38.0% | 1 |
| 1980s | 66.6% | 60.0% | 74.9% | 4 |
| 1990s | 70.8% | 66.4% | 82.2% | 4 |
| 2000s | 88.8% | 83.6% | 95.9% | 7 |
| 2010s | 91.2% | 86.9% | 93.0% | 9 |
| 2020s | 94.1% | 91.0% | 96.2% | 4 |
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 intake ratio to the last grade of lower secondary general in Sri Lanka?
- Gross intake ratio to the last grade of lower secondary general in Sri Lanka was 91.0% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest gross intake ratio to the last grade of lower secondary general recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 96.2% in 2021.
- What is the lowest gross intake ratio to the last grade of lower secondary general recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 38.0% in 1970.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for gross intake ratio to the last grade of lower secondary general?
- Sri Lanka ranks 86th out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is gross intake ratio to the last grade of lower secondary general rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.2%. 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 intake ratio to the last grade of lower secondary general education, male (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release