Gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes was 94.5% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes in Sri Lanka, 1970–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes in Sri Lanka stood at 94.5%.
That represents a change of down 0.6% on the previous year and down 1.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes in Sri Lanka peaked at 107.4% in 2002 and was at its lowest, 43.2%, in 1976.
That places Sri Lanka 98th out of 198 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 42 years of available data.
Gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 66.2% | — |
| 1972 | 82.2% | +24.1% |
| 1974 | 74.1% | -9.8% |
| 1975 | 71.7% | -3.2% |
| 1976 | 43.2% | -39.8% |
| 1977 | 59.4% | +37.6% |
| 1978 | 75.4% | +26.8% |
| 1979 | 78.1% | +3.7% |
| 1980 | 84.7% | +8.3% |
| 1981 | 92.0% | +8.7% |
| 1982 | 86.2% | -6.4% |
| 1983 | 85.4% | -0.9% |
| 1984 | 90.3% | +5.7% |
| 1985 | 92.2% | +2.1% |
| 1986 | 92.8% | +0.7% |
| 1987 | 92.3% | -0.5% |
| 1989 | 94.1% | +1.9% |
| 1990 | 93.9% | -0.2% |
| 1991 | 97.3% | +3.6% |
| 1992 | 97.0% | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 99.6% | +2.7% |
| 2001 | 103.2% | +3.6% |
| 2002 | 107.4% | +4.1% |
| 2003 | 99.8% | -7.1% |
| 2005 | 94.7% | -5.0% |
| 2006 | 94.0% | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 92.2% | -2.0% |
| 2008 | 88.4% | -4.1% |
| 2009 | 90.1% | +1.9% |
| 2010 | 96.1% | +6.6% |
| 2011 | 98.4% | +2.4% |
| 2012 | 95.3% | -3.2% |
| 2013 | 95.5% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 94.4% | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 94.6% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 96.3% | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 97.6% | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 94.5% | -3.1% |
| 2020 | 93.5% | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 96.7% | +3.4% |
| 2022 | 95.2% | -1.6% |
| 2023 | 94.5% | -0.6% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 94.5% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 96.5%, 98% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 94.5% is above the median for South Asia, which is 94.0%, 1.0× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | -39.8% | 71.7% | 43.2% |
| 1977 | +37.6% | 43.2% | 59.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 68.8% | 43.2% | 82.2% | 8 |
| 1980s | 90.0% | 84.7% | 94.1% | 9 |
| 1990s | 96.9% | 93.9% | 99.6% | 4 |
| 2000s | 96.2% | 88.4% | 107.4% | 8 |
| 2010s | 95.8% | 94.4% | 98.4% | 9 |
| 2020s | 95.0% | 93.5% | 96.7% | 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 primary education, both sexes in Sri Lanka?
- Gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes in Sri Lanka was 94.5% 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 Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 107.4% in 2002.
- What is the lowest gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 43.2% in 1976.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes?
- Sri Lanka ranks 98th 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 Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.0%. 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 primary education, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release