Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in Lesotho
Lesotho: Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary was 82,799 in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
82,799
Change on year
up 5.3%
World rank
55th
of 170 countries
All-time high
95,994
in 1999
All-time low
26,785
in 2006
Years of data
44
1972–2024
Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in Lesotho, 1972–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in Lesotho is 82,799, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 5.3% on the previous year and up 167.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in Lesotho peaked at 95,994 in 1999 and was at its lowest, 26,785, in 2006.
Lesotho ranks 55th of 170 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 44 years of available data.
Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 39,020 | — |
| 1973 | 37,347 | -4.3% |
| 1977 | 31,662 | -15.2% |
| 1978 | 32,541 | +2.8% |
| 1979 | 32,129 | -1.3% |
| 1980 | 34,837 | +8.4% |
| 1981 | 36,973 | +6.1% |
| 1982 | 33,377 | -9.7% |
| 1983 | 35,280 | +5.7% |
| 1984 | 41,372 | +17.3% |
| 1985 | 39,333 | -4.9% |
| 1986 | 45,452 | +15.6% |
| 1991 | 49,287 | +8.4% |
| 1992 | 53,589 | +8.7% |
| 1993 | 64,698 | +20.7% |
| 1994 | 67,435 | +4.2% |
| 1996 | 75,753 | +12.3% |
| 1998 | 94,344 | +24.5% |
| 1999 | 95,994 | +1.7% |
| 2000 | 60,392 | -37.1% |
| 2001 | 53,966 | -10.6% |
| 2002 | 48,107 | -10.9% |
| 2003 | 39,678 | -17.5% |
| 2004 | 38,892 | -2.0% |
| 2005 | 32,687 | -16.0% |
| 2006 | 26,785 | -18.1% |
| 2007 | 32,196 | +20.2% |
| 2008 | 29,381 | -8.7% |
| 2009 | 27,969 | -4.8% |
| 2010 | 27,301 | -2.4% |
| 2011 | 27,769 | +1.7% |
| 2012 | 28,691 | +3.3% |
| 2013 | 27,381 | -4.6% |
| 2014 | 30,905 | +12.9% |
| 2015 | 34,940 | +13.1% |
| 2016 | 37,097 | +6.2% |
| 2017 | 34,791 | -6.2% |
| 2018 | 46,734 | +34.3% |
| 2019 | 49,181 | +5.2% |
| 2020 | 58,891 | +19.7% |
| 2021 | 72,663 | +23.4% |
| 2022 | 74,178 | +2.1% |
| 2023 | 78,659 | +6.0% |
| 2024 | 82,799 | +5.3% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 82,799 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 120,860, 69% of the median. (38 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 82,799 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 286,094, 29% of the median. (35 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 34,540 | 31,662 | 39,020 | 5 |
| 1980s | 38,089 | 33,377 | 45,452 | 7 |
| 1990s | 71,586 | 49,287 | 95,994 | 7 |
| 2000s | 39,005 | 26,785 | 60,392 | 10 |
| 2010s | 34,479 | 27,301 | 49,181 | 10 |
| 2020s | 73,438 | 58,891 | 82,799 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 52 Ecuador 88,196 compare
- 53 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 87,216 compare
- 54 Tajikistan 86,223 compare
- 56 Paraguay 78,945 compare
- 57 Türkiye 78,637 compare
- 58 El Salvador 77,369 compare
More education data for Lesotho
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 5,672 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 30,627 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 22,924 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 23,698 (2022)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 136,497 (2017)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 309,480 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.8093 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1324 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in Lesotho?
- Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in Lesotho was 82,799 in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 95,994 in 1999.
- What is the lowest out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 26,785 in 2006.
- How does Lesotho rank for out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary?
- Lesotho ranks 55th out of 170 countries with data for 2024.
- Is out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 167.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary school age, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 44 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release