Primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region in Lesotho
Lesotho: Primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region was 124,175 children in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
124,175 children
Change on year
up 5.8%
World rank
54th
of 196 countries
All-time high
176,214 children
in 1999
All-time low
45,730 children
in 2006
Years of data
38
1986–2024
Primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region in Lesotho, 1986–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in children.
Analysis
The most recent figure for primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region in Lesotho is 124,175 children, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 5.8% on the previous year and up 129.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region in Lesotho peaked at 176,214 children in 1999 and was at its lowest, 45,730 children, in 2006.
That places Lesotho 54th out of 196 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 38 years of available data.
Primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | children | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 103,654 children | — |
| 1987 | 91,759 children | -11.5% |
| 1988 | 93,594 children | +2.0% |
| 1989 | 101,173 children | +8.1% |
| 1990 | 110,070 children | +8.8% |
| 1991 | 110,768 children | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 115,033 children | +3.9% |
| 1993 | 128,117 children | +11.4% |
| 1994 | 130,780 children | +2.1% |
| 1995 | 140,362 children | +7.3% |
| 1996 | 142,900 children | +1.8% |
| 1998 | 168,634 children | +18.0% |
| 1999 | 176,214 children | +4.5% |
| 2000 | 96,087 children | -45.5% |
| 2001 | 85,291 children | -11.2% |
| 2002 | 73,269 children | -14.1% |
| 2003 | 62,979 children | -14.0% |
| 2004 | 62,517 children | -0.7% |
| 2005 | 55,864 children | -10.6% |
| 2006 | 45,730 children | -18.1% |
| 2007 | 51,562 children | +12.8% |
| 2008 | 49,096 children | -4.8% |
| 2009 | 51,684 children | +5.3% |
| 2010 | 49,781 children | -3.7% |
| 2011 | 48,923 children | -1.7% |
| 2012 | 48,875 children | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 48,661 children | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 54,096 children | +11.2% |
| 2015 | 57,261 children | +5.9% |
| 2016 | 55,889 children | -2.4% |
| 2017 | 51,629 children | -7.6% |
| 2018 | 71,625 children | +38.7% |
| 2019 | 82,562 children | +15.3% |
| 2020 | 89,478 children | +8.4% |
| 2021 | 113,157 children | +26.5% |
| 2022 | 110,928 children | -2.0% |
| 2023 | 117,314 children | +5.8% |
| 2024 | 124,175 children | +5.8% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 124,175 children is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 79,507 children, 1.6× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 124,175 children is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 235,313 children, 53% of the median. (43 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 97,545 children | 91,759 children | 103,654 children | 4 |
| 1990s | 135,875 children | 110,070 children | 176,214 children | 9 |
| 2000s | 63,408 children | 45,730 children | 96,087 children | 10 |
| 2010s | 56,930 children | 48,661 children | 82,562 children | 10 |
| 2020s | 111,010 children | 89,478 children | 124,175 children | 5 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 51 Equatorial Guinea 128,846 children compare
- 52 Kazakhstan 128,155 children compare
- 53 Canada 127,666 children compare
- 55 Paraguay 105,859 children compare
- 56 El Salvador 101,024 children compare
- 57 Ecuador 86,090 children 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 primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region in Lesotho?
- Primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region in Lesotho was 124,175 children in 2024, 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 Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 176,214 children in 1999.
- What is the lowest primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 45,730 children in 2006.
- How does Lesotho rank for primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region?
- Lesotho ranks 54th out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 129.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Lesotho 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.
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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.