Primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region was 332,314 children in 2024. ▲ Rising
Primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region in Zimbabwe, 1998–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in children.
Analysis
Zimbabwe recorded 332,314 children for primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region in 2024. That is the highest value across all 19 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 14.8% on the previous year and up 18.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region in Zimbabwe peaked at 332,314 children in 2024 and was at its lowest, 32,075 children, in 2001.
That places Zimbabwe 26th out of 196 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 19 years of available data.
Primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region in Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | children | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 312,233 children | — |
| 1999 | 202,213 children | -35.2% |
| 2000 | 116,145 children | -42.6% |
| 2001 | 32,075 children | -72.4% |
| 2002 | 92,305 children | +187.8% |
| 2003 | 120,639 children | +30.7% |
| 2012 | 238,497 children | +97.7% |
| 2013 | 266,943 children | +11.9% |
| 2014 | 280,990 children | +5.3% |
| 2015 | 316,088 children | +12.5% |
| 2016 | 282,603 children | -10.6% |
| 2017 | 285,035 children | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 278,600 children | -2.3% |
| 2019 | 265,100 children | -4.8% |
| 2020 | 249,958 children | -5.7% |
| 2021 | 294,539 children | +17.8% |
| 2022 | 258,220 children | -12.3% |
| 2023 | 289,420 children | +12.1% |
| 2024 | 332,314 children | +14.8% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 332,314 children is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 79,507 children, 4.2× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 332,314 children is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 235,313 children, 1.4× the median. (43 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region in Zimbabwe 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | +187.8% | 32,075 children | 92,305 children |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 257,223 children | 202,213 children | 312,233 children | 2 |
| 2000s | 90,291 children | 32,075 children | 120,639 children | 4 |
| 2010s | 276,732 children | 238,497 children | 316,088 children | 8 |
| 2020s | 284,890 children | 249,958 children | 332,314 children | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
More education data for Zimbabwe
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 42,585 (2013)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 12,514 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 328,055 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 322,698 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 957,461 (2013)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.94 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.4866 % 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 0.1767 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region in Zimbabwe?
- Primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region in Zimbabwe was 332,314 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 Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 332,314 children in 2024.
- What is the lowest primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 32,075 children in 2001.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region?
- Zimbabwe ranks 26th 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 Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zimbabwe 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
CSV · JSON — 19 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Children in the official primary school age range who are not enrolled in either primary or secondary education.