Gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes was 99.4% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes in Saudi Arabia, 1979–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes in Saudi Arabia stood at 99.4%.
The figure is down 17.1% on the previous year and up 1.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes in Saudi Arabia peaked at 128.3% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 63.5%, in 1979.
Saudi Arabia ranks 48th of 198 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 14 years of available data.
Gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 63.5% | — |
| 2005 | 100.6% | +58.3% |
| 2007 | 109.0% | +8.3% |
| 2008 | 113.6% | +4.2% |
| 2011 | 122.3% | +7.7% |
| 2012 | 128.3% | +4.9% |
| 2013 | 97.6% | -23.9% |
| 2017 | 101.1% | +3.6% |
| 2018 | 101.8% | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 98.6% | -3.1% |
| 2020 | 97.0% | -1.7% |
| 2021 | 96.6% | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 119.8% | +24.0% |
| 2024 | 99.4% | -17.1% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 99.4% is above the median for high income countries, which is 97.4%, 1.0× the median. (65 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 99.4% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 93.9%, 1.1× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes in Saudi Arabia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | +58.3% | 63.5% | 100.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 63.5% | 63.5% | 63.5% | 1 |
| 2000s | 107.7% | 100.6% | 113.6% | 3 |
| 2010s | 108.3% | 97.6% | 128.3% | 6 |
| 2020s | 103.2% | 96.6% | 119.8% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
- 45 Sweden 99.8% compare
- 46 Denmark 99.7% compare
- 47 Brunei Darussalam 99.4% compare
- 49 Sierra Leone 99.2% compare
- 50 United Arab Emirates 99.2% compare
- 51 Chile 99.1% compare
More education data for Saudi Arabia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 242,375 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 26,900 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 215,559 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 214,840 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.36 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.45 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.53 % change on previous year (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0976 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes in Saudi Arabia?
- Gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes in Saudi Arabia was 99.4% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 128.3% in 2012.
- What is the lowest gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 63.5% in 1979.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 48th out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 14 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release