Lower secondary completion rate, total in Malawi

Malawi: Lower secondary completion rate, total was 24.4% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
24.4%
Change on year
up 9.5%
World rank
181st
of 187 countries
All-time high
47.6%
in 1995
All-time low
17.5%
in 1974
Years of data
41
1974–2024

Lower secondary completion rate, total in Malawi, 1974–2024

010203040501974199920241974: 17.5 % of relevant age group1975: 20.4 % of relevant age group1976: 21.7 % of relevant age group1977: 24.5 % of relevant age group1978: 25.1 % of relevant age group1979: 21.6 % of relevant age group1980: 29 % of relevant age group1981: 27.8 % of relevant age group1982: 31 % of relevant age group1983: 30.9 % of relevant age group1984: 32.3 % of relevant age group1985: 32 % of relevant age group1986: 30.3 % of relevant age group1987: 28 % of relevant age group1988: 27.8 % of relevant age group1989: 27.7 % of relevant age group1990: 28.1 % of relevant age group1991: 30.2 % of relevant age group1992: 22.3 % of relevant age group1993: 34.1 % of relevant age group1994: 24.6 % of relevant age group1995: 47.6 % of relevant age group1996: 45.6 % of relevant age group1999: 31.7 % of relevant age group2005: 17.7 % of relevant age group2006: 20.8 % of relevant age group2007: 18.7 % of relevant age group2008: 19.8 % of relevant age group2009: 20.5 % of relevant age group2010: 18.8 % of relevant age group2011: 19.7 % of relevant age group2012: 19.3 % of relevant age group2013: 22 % of relevant age group2014: 22.8 % of relevant age group2015: 23.5 % of relevant age group2016: 22.6 % of relevant age group2017: 21.7 % of relevant age group2018: 22.1 % of relevant age group2021: 21 % of relevant age group2022: 22.3 % of relevant age group2024: 24.4 % of relevant age group

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 Malawi is 24.4%, measured in 2024.

The figure is up 9.5% on the previous year and up 6.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, lower secondary completion rate, total in Malawi peaked at 47.6% in 1995 and was at its lowest, 17.5%, in 1974.

Malawi ranks 181st of 187 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 41 years of available data.

Lower secondary completion rate, total in Malawi, year by year

Annual values for Lower secondary completion rate, total (% of relevant age group) in Malawi, 1974 to 2024.
Year % of relevant age group Change
1974 17.5%
1975 20.4% +16.7%
1976 21.7% +6.2%
1977 24.5% +12.8%
1978 25.1% +2.7%
1979 21.6% -13.7%
1980 29.0% +33.8%
1981 27.8% -3.9%
1982 31.0% +11.5%
1983 30.9% -0.5%
1984 32.3% +4.8%
1985 32.0% -1.0%
1986 30.3% -5.3%
1987 28.0% -7.9%
1988 27.8% -0.7%
1989 27.7% -0.1%
1990 28.1% +1.2%
1991 30.2% +7.5%
1992 22.3% -25.9%
1993 34.1% +52.4%
1994 24.6% -27.9%
1995 47.6% +93.6%
1996 45.6% -4.1%
1999 31.7% -30.6%
2005 17.7% -44.1%
2006 20.8% +17.4%
2007 18.7% -10.2%
2008 19.8% +6.0%
2009 20.5% +3.7%
2010 18.8% -8.5%
2011 19.7% +5.0%
2012 19.3% -2.0%
2013 22.0% +13.9%
2014 22.8% +3.7%
2015 23.5% +3.2%
2016 22.6% -3.9%
2017 21.7% -4.1%
2018 22.1% +2.0%
2021 21.0% -5.0%
2022 22.3% +6.1%
2024 24.4% +9.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 21.8% 17.5% 25.1% 6
1980s 29.7% 27.7% 32.3% 10
1990s 33.0% 22.3% 47.6% 8
2000s 19.5% 17.7% 20.8% 5
2010s 21.4% 18.8% 23.5% 9
2020s 22.5% 21.0% 24.4% 3

Countries ranked near Malawi

  1. 178 Haiti 27.4% compare
  2. 179 Uganda 26.3% compare
  3. 180 Mozambique 26.1% compare
  4. 182 Ethiopia 21.4% compare
  5. 183 Gabon 20.2% compare
  6. 184 Equatorial Guinea 18.9% compare

See the full ranking of 232 places →

More education data for Malawi

All data for Malawi →

Frequently asked questions

What is lower secondary completion rate, total in Malawi?
Lower secondary completion rate, total in Malawi was 24.4% in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest lower secondary completion rate, total recorded in Malawi?
The highest recorded value was 47.6% in 1995.
What is the lowest lower secondary completion rate, total recorded in Malawi?
The lowest recorded value was 17.5% in 1974.
How does Malawi rank for lower secondary completion rate, total?
Malawi ranks 181st out of 187 countries with data for 2024.
Is lower secondary completion rate, total rising or falling in Malawi?
Over the last ten years it is up 6.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Malawi 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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Lower secondary completion rate, total in Malawi. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 26 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/lower-secondary-completion-rate-total-percent-of-relevant-age-group/malawi/

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About this data

Indicator
Lower secondary completion rate, total (% of relevant age group)
Unit
% of relevant age group
Source
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
232 places, 5,918 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

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.