Literacy rate, youth total in Malawi
Malawi: Literacy rate, youth total was 80.7% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, youth total in Malawi, 1987–2020
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of people ages 15-24.
Analysis
Malawi recorded 80.7% for literacy rate, youth total in 2020.
The figure is down 7.9% on the previous year and down 5.5% over five years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, youth total in Malawi peaked at 87.6% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 59.0%, in 1987.
Malawi ranks 80th of 95 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Literacy rate, youth total in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % of people ages 15-24 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 59.0% | — |
| 1998 | 76.0% | +28.8% |
| 2017 | 85.4% | +12.4% |
| 2018 | 87.6% | +2.6% |
| 2020 | 80.7% | -7.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 59.0% | 59.0% | 59.0% | 1 |
| 1990s | 76.0% | 76.0% | 76.0% | 1 |
| 2010s | 86.5% | 85.4% | 87.6% | 2 |
| 2020s | 80.7% | 80.7% | 80.7% | 1 |
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 literacy rate, youth total in Malawi?
- Literacy rate, youth total in Malawi was 80.7% in 2020, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest literacy rate, youth total recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 87.6% in 2018.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, youth total recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 59.0% in 1987.
- How does Malawi rank for literacy rate, youth total?
- Malawi ranks 80th out of 95 countries with data for 2020.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Literacy rate, youth total (% of people ages 15-24). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Youth literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15-24 who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.