Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in Australia
Australia: Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary was 15,958 in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in Australia, 2011–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
Australia recorded 15,958 for out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in 2024.
The figure is down 6.3% on the previous year and up 2,595.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in Australia peaked at 31,015 in 2011 and was at its lowest, 592, in 2015.
Australia ranks 91st of 170 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in Australia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 31,015 | — |
| 2012 | 27,133 | -12.5% |
| 2015 | 592 | -97.8% |
| 2018 | 5,575 | +841.7% |
| 2019 | 7,631 | +36.9% |
| 2020 | 14,252 | +86.8% |
| 2021 | 14,992 | +5.2% |
| 2022 | 17,342 | +15.7% |
| 2023 | 17,035 | -1.8% |
| 2024 | 15,958 | -6.3% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 15,958 is above the median for high income countries, which is 3,882, 4.1× the median. (64 countries reporting)
- Australia's 15,958 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 9,037, 1.8× the median. (25 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 14,389 | 592 | 31,015 | 5 |
| 2020s | 15,916 | 14,252 | 17,342 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 88 Costa Rica 17,983 compare
- 89 Saudi Arabia 17,181 compare
- 90 Jordan 16,385 compare
- 92 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 15,808 compare
- 93 Suriname 15,808 compare
- 94 Timor-Leste 14,613 compare
More education data for Australia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 104,110 (1992)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 316,638 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 292,593 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.65 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.27 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.4362 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0835 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in Australia?
- Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in Australia was 15,958 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 Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 31,015 in 2011.
- What is the lowest out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 592 in 2015.
- How does Australia rank for out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary?
- Australia ranks 91st out of 170 countries with data for 2024.
- Is out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2,595.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Australia 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, male (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 10 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release