Out-of-school children of primary school age, both sexes in Gambia
Gambia: Out-of-school children of primary school age, both sexes was 74,577 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Out-of-school children of primary school age, both sexes in Gambia, 1971–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2025, out-of-school children of primary school age, both sexes in Gambia stood at 74,577.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 9.8% on the previous year and down 27.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, out-of-school children of primary school age, both sexes in Gambia peaked at 120,244 in 2011 and was at its lowest, 58,455, in 1983.
Gambia ranks 63rd of 204 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 47 years of available data.
Out-of-school children of primary school age, both sexes in Gambia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 65,491 | — |
| 1972 | 67,697 | +3.4% |
| 1973 | 68,778 | +1.6% |
| 1974 | 70,388 | +2.3% |
| 1975 | 71,704 | +1.9% |
| 1976 | 72,848 | +1.6% |
| 1977 | 69,398 | -4.7% |
| 1978 | 67,233 | -3.1% |
| 1979 | 66,144 | -1.6% |
| 1980 | 64,622 | -2.3% |
| 1981 | 59,814 | -7.4% |
| 1982 | 58,886 | -1.6% |
| 1983 | 58,455 | -0.7% |
| 1984 | 59,556 | +1.9% |
| 1985 | 59,246 | -0.5% |
| 1986 | 61,963 | +4.6% |
| 1990 | 88,826 | +43.4% |
| 1992 | 106,581 | +20.0% |
| 1993 | 106,925 | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 106,814 | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 111,495 | +4.4% |
| 1999 | 95,702 | -14.2% |
| 2000 | 105,588 | +10.3% |
| 2001 | 109,049 | +3.3% |
| 2002 | 117,158 | +7.4% |
| 2003 | 112,164 | -4.3% |
| 2004 | 113,056 | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 119,773 | +5.9% |
| 2006 | 109,440 | -8.6% |
| 2007 | 105,260 | -3.8% |
| 2008 | 116,974 | +11.1% |
| 2010 | 114,306 | -2.3% |
| 2011 | 120,244 | +5.2% |
| 2012 | 113,659 | -5.5% |
| 2013 | 114,700 | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 110,650 | -3.5% |
| 2015 | 103,478 | -6.5% |
| 2016 | 100,578 | -2.8% |
| 2017 | 94,289 | -6.3% |
| 2018 | 90,549 | -4.0% |
| 2019 | 79,864 | -11.8% |
| 2020 | 74,797 | -6.3% |
| 2021 | 79,262 | +6.0% |
| 2022 | 80,033 | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 81,428 | +1.7% |
| 2024 | 82,678 | +1.5% |
| 2025 | 74,577 | -9.8% |
Gambia compared with similar countries
- Gambia's 74,577 is below the median for low income countries, which is 454,562, 16% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
- Gambia's 74,577 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 224,299, 33% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Out-of-school children of primary school age, both sexes in Gambia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | +43.4% | 61,963 | 88,826 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 68,853 | 65,491 | 72,848 | 9 |
| 1980s | 60,363 | 58,455 | 64,622 | 7 |
| 1990s | 102,724 | 88,826 | 111,495 | 6 |
| 2000s | 112,051 | 105,260 | 119,773 | 9 |
| 2010s | 104,232 | 79,864 | 120,244 | 10 |
| 2020s | 78,796 | 74,577 | 82,678 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Gambia
More education data for Gambia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 12,452 (2021)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 16,389 (2025)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 71,238 (2025)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 77,061 (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 369,783 (2021)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 442,901 (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.4 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1569 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is out-of-school children of primary school age, both sexes in Gambia?
- Out-of-school children of primary school age, both sexes in Gambia was 74,577 in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest out-of-school children of primary school age, both sexes recorded in Gambia?
- The highest recorded value was 120,244 in 2011.
- What is the lowest out-of-school children of primary school age, both sexes recorded in Gambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 58,455 in 1983.
- How does Gambia rank for out-of-school children of primary school age, both sexes?
- Gambia ranks 63rd out of 204 countries with data for 2025.
- Is out-of-school children of primary school age, both sexes rising or falling in Gambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Gambia data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Out-of-school children of primary school age, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 47 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release