Primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region in Gambia
Gambia: Primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region was 74,577 children in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
74,577 children
Change on year
down 9.8%
World rank
61st
of 196 countries
All-time high
120,244 children
in 2011
All-time low
61,963 children
in 1986
Years of data
32
1986–2025
Primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region in Gambia, 1986–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in children.
Analysis
Gambia recorded 74,577 children for primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 9.8% on the previous year and down 27.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region in Gambia peaked at 120,244 children in 2011 and was at its lowest, 61,963 children, in 1986.
Gambia ranks 61st of 196 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 32 years of available data.
Primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region in Gambia, year by year
| Year | children | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 61,963 children | — |
| 1990 | 88,826 children | +43.4% |
| 1992 | 106,581 children | +20.0% |
| 1993 | 106,925 children | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 106,814 children | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 111,495 children | +4.4% |
| 1999 | 95,702 children | -14.2% |
| 2000 | 105,588 children | +10.3% |
| 2001 | 109,049 children | +3.3% |
| 2002 | 117,158 children | +7.4% |
| 2003 | 112,164 children | -4.3% |
| 2004 | 113,056 children | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 119,773 children | +5.9% |
| 2006 | 109,440 children | -8.6% |
| 2007 | 105,260 children | -3.8% |
| 2008 | 116,974 children | +11.1% |
| 2010 | 114,306 children | -2.3% |
| 2011 | 120,244 children | +5.2% |
| 2012 | 113,659 children | -5.5% |
| 2013 | 114,700 children | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 110,650 children | -3.5% |
| 2015 | 103,478 children | -6.5% |
| 2016 | 100,578 children | -2.8% |
| 2017 | 94,289 children | -6.3% |
| 2018 | 90,549 children | -4.0% |
| 2019 | 79,864 children | -11.8% |
| 2020 | 74,797 children | -6.3% |
| 2021 | 79,262 children | +6.0% |
| 2022 | 80,033 children | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 81,428 children | +1.7% |
| 2024 | 82,678 children | +1.5% |
| 2025 | 74,577 children | -9.8% |
Gambia compared with similar countries
- Gambia's 74,577 children is below the median for low income countries, which is 581,845 children, 13% of the median. (19 countries reporting)
- Gambia's 74,577 children is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 235,313 children, 32% of the median. (43 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 61,963 children | 61,963 children | 61,963 children | 1 |
| 1990s | 102,724 children | 88,826 children | 111,495 children | 6 |
| 2000s | 112,051 children | 105,260 children | 119,773 children | 9 |
| 2010s | 104,232 children | 79,864 children | 120,244 children | 10 |
| 2020s | 78,796 children | 74,577 children | 82,678 children | 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 primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region in Gambia?
- Primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region in Gambia was 74,577 children in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region recorded in Gambia?
- The highest recorded value was 120,244 children in 2011.
- What is the lowest primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region recorded in Gambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 61,963 children in 1986.
- How does Gambia rank for primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region?
- Gambia ranks 61st out of 196 countries with data for 2025.
- Is primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region rising or falling in Gambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Gambia data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Children in the official primary school age range who are not enrolled in either primary or secondary education.