Lower secondary completion rate, total in Least developed countries
Least developed countries: Lower secondary completion rate, total was 46.3% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Lower secondary completion rate, total in Least developed countries, 1973–2023
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of relevant age group.
Analysis
The most recent figure for lower secondary completion rate, total in Least developed countries is 46.3%, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 0.5% on the previous year and up 12.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, lower secondary completion rate, total in Least developed countries peaked at 46.9% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 23.3%, in 1974.
Least developed countries ranks 35th of 43 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.
Lower secondary completion rate, total in Least developed countries, year by year
| Year | % of relevant age group | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | 23.4% | — |
| 1974 | 23.3% | -0.4% |
| 1975 | 23.5% | +0.5% |
| 1976 | 23.5% | +0.3% |
| 1977 | 23.6% | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 23.7% | +0.4% |
| 1979 | 23.8% | +0.2% |
| 1980 | 24.0% | +0.9% |
| 1981 | 24.2% | +0.7% |
| 1982 | 24.0% | -0.6% |
| 1983 | 24.2% | +0.7% |
| 1984 | 24.3% | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 24.4% | +0.3% |
| 1986 | 24.4% | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 24.4% | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 24.7% | +1.3% |
| 1989 | 24.7% | -0.1% |
| 1990 | 24.7% | +0.1% |
| 1991 | 24.8% | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 24.7% | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 24.9% | +0.9% |
| 1994 | 24.9% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 25.5% | +2.3% |
| 1996 | 25.7% | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 25.8% | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 26.2% | +1.4% |
| 1999 | 26.8% | +2.5% |
| 2000 | 27.9% | +4.2% |
| 2001 | 29.4% | +5.2% |
| 2002 | 30.4% | +3.5% |
| 2003 | 30.8% | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 30.7% | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 31.1% | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 32.3% | +3.8% |
| 2007 | 33.6% | +4.1% |
| 2008 | 35.3% | +5.0% |
| 2009 | 36.5% | +3.5% |
| 2010 | 37.3% | +2.0% |
| 2011 | 38.7% | +3.7% |
| 2012 | 40.1% | +3.6% |
| 2013 | 41.3% | +3.1% |
| 2014 | 42.9% | +3.9% |
| 2015 | 44.0% | +2.4% |
| 2016 | 44.6% | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 45.3% | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 46.6% | +2.8% |
| 2019 | 46.6% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 46.8% | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 46.9% | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 46.5% | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 46.3% | -0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 23.6% | 23.3% | 23.8% | 7 |
| 1980s | 24.3% | 24.0% | 24.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 25.4% | 24.7% | 26.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 31.8% | 27.9% | 36.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 42.7% | 37.3% | 46.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 46.6% | 46.3% | 46.9% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Least developed countries
More education data for Least developed countries
- Population ages 15-64 57.7% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 38.4% (2025)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 4.43 million (2024)
- School enrollment, primary 100.7% (2024)
- Primary education, teachers 4.43 million (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, per capita 0.0037 units per person (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, female 99.3% (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, male 102.0% (2024)
- Labor force, female 42.3% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is lower secondary completion rate, total in Least developed countries?
- Lower secondary completion rate, total in Least developed countries was 46.3% in 2023, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest lower secondary completion rate, total recorded in Least developed countries?
- The highest recorded value was 46.9% in 2021.
- What is the lowest lower secondary completion rate, total recorded in Least developed countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 23.3% in 1974.
- How does Least developed countries rank for lower secondary completion rate, total?
- Least developed countries ranks 35th out of 43 groups with data for 2023.
- Is lower secondary completion rate, total rising or falling in Least developed countries?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Least developed countries data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Lower secondary completion rate, total (% of relevant age group). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Lower secondary education completion rate is measured as the gross intake ratio to the last grade of lower secondary education (general and pre-vocational). It is calculated as the number of new entrants in the last grade of lower secondary education, regardless of age, divided by the population at the entrance age for the last grade of lower secondary education.