Out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age in Jamaica
Jamaica: Out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age was 17.9% in 2019. ◆ Volatile
Out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age in Jamaica, 1976–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
Jamaica recorded 17.9% for out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age in 2019.
The figure is up 221.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age in Jamaica peaked at 20.7% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 1.8%, in 1985.
That places Jamaica 33rd out of 150 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age in Jamaica, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 14.1% | — |
| 1977 | 3.5% | -75.0% |
| 1981 | 3.5% | -1.0% |
| 1983 | 3.3% | -5.1% |
| 1984 | 3.5% | +4.7% |
| 1985 | 1.8% | -46.8% |
| 1986 | 4.0% | +115.6% |
| 1999 | 6.9% | +74.1% |
| 2000 | 11.6% | +67.0% |
| 2001 | 13.0% | +12.0% |
| 2002 | 11.7% | -9.4% |
| 2003 | 11.1% | -5.4% |
| 2004 | 5.2% | -52.8% |
| 2005 | 5.5% | +5.8% |
| 2013 | 20.2% | +263.9% |
| 2014 | 18.5% | -8.2% |
| 2015 | 18.7% | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 20.1% | +7.6% |
| 2017 | 20.7% | +2.7% |
| 2018 | 17.9% | -13.5% |
| 2019 | 17.9% | -0.0% |
Jamaica compared with similar countries
- Jamaica's 17.9% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 6.2%, 2.9× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Jamaica's 17.9% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 10.0%, 1.8× the median. (33 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age in Jamaica 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | +263.9% | 5.5% | 20.2% |
| 1986 | +115.6% | 1.8% | 4.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 8.8% | 3.5% | 14.1% | 2 |
| 1980s | 3.2% | 1.8% | 4.0% | 5 |
| 1990s | 6.9% | 6.9% | 6.9% | 1 |
| 2000s | 9.7% | 5.2% | 13.0% | 6 |
| 2010s | 19.1% | 17.9% | 20.7% | 7 |
Countries ranked near Jamaica
- 30 Turks and Caicos Islands 19.6% compare
- 31 Puerto Rico 19.6% compare
- 32 Malawi 18.6% compare
- 34 Lesotho 17.4% compare
- 35 El Salvador 17.0% compare
- 36 Indonesia 16.3% compare
More education data for Jamaica
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 11,043 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 4,597 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 52,983 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 51,265 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 177,095 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 211,097 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 8.14 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0744 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age in Jamaica?
- Out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age in Jamaica was 17.9% in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age recorded in Jamaica?
- The highest recorded value was 20.7% in 2017.
- What is the lowest out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age recorded in Jamaica?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.8% in 1985.
- How does Jamaica rank for out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age?
- Jamaica ranks 33rd out of 150 countries with data for 2019.
- Is out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age rising or falling in Jamaica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 221.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Jamaica data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of adolescents of official lower secondary school age who are not enrolled in lower secondary school expressed as a percentage of the population of official lower secondary school age.