Gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes in Lesotho
Lesotho: Gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes was 67.0% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes in Lesotho, 1971–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 67.0% for gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes in 2023.
That represents a change of down 5.1% on the previous year and down 18.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes in Lesotho peaked at 92.3% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 32.2%, in 1971.
Lesotho ranks 173rd of 198 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 52 years of available data.
Gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 32.2% | — |
| 1972 | 35.5% | +10.2% |
| 1973 | 39.3% | +10.8% |
| 1974 | 48.6% | +23.7% |
| 1975 | 51.7% | +6.3% |
| 1976 | 48.9% | -5.4% |
| 1977 | 45.2% | -7.6% |
| 1978 | 45.7% | +1.2% |
| 1979 | 46.7% | +2.1% |
| 1980 | 46.7% | +0.2% |
| 1981 | 48.0% | +2.6% |
| 1982 | 48.5% | +1.1% |
| 1983 | 49.6% | +2.4% |
| 1984 | 50.0% | +0.8% |
| 1985 | 49.8% | -0.5% |
| 1986 | 49.3% | -0.9% |
| 1987 | 53.3% | +8.0% |
| 1988 | 55.2% | +3.7% |
| 1989 | 54.9% | -0.5% |
| 1990 | 56.8% | +3.4% |
| 1991 | 56.7% | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 58.5% | +3.2% |
| 1993 | 58.0% | -0.9% |
| 1994 | 59.8% | +3.2% |
| 1995 | 62.8% | +4.9% |
| 1996 | 59.7% | -4.9% |
| 1997 | 58.5% | -2.0% |
| 1998 | 58.6% | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 57.4% | -1.9% |
| 2000 | 55.0% | -4.2% |
| 2001 | 57.8% | +5.1% |
| 2002 | 60.2% | +4.2% |
| 2003 | 63.7% | +5.8% |
| 2004 | 67.4% | +5.8% |
| 2005 | 64.4% | -4.4% |
| 2006 | 84.9% | +31.9% |
| 2007 | 81.9% | -3.6% |
| 2008 | 79.6% | -2.8% |
| 2009 | 79.2% | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 81.2% | +2.5% |
| 2011 | 81.9% | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 81.8% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 81.8% | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 79.5% | -2.9% |
| 2015 | 76.4% | -3.9% |
| 2016 | 78.6% | +2.9% |
| 2018 | 92.3% | +17.5% |
| 2019 | 80.4% | -12.9% |
| 2020 | 73.8% | -8.2% |
| 2021 | 78.7% | +6.7% |
| 2022 | 70.6% | -10.3% |
| 2023 | 67.0% | -5.1% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 67.0% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 85.6%, 78% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 67.0% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 70.7%, 95% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes in Lesotho 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | +31.9% | 64.4% | 84.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 43.7% | 32.2% | 51.7% | 9 |
| 1980s | 50.5% | 46.7% | 55.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 58.7% | 56.7% | 62.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 69.4% | 55.0% | 84.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 81.5% | 76.4% | 92.3% | 9 |
| 2020s | 72.5% | 67.0% | 78.7% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
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 intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes in Lesotho?
- Gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes in Lesotho was 67.0% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 92.3% in 2018.
- What is the lowest gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 32.2% in 1971.
- How does Lesotho rank for gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes?
- Lesotho ranks 173rd out of 198 countries with data for 2023.
- Is gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 18.2%. 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 intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 52 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release