Out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age in Zambia
Zambia: Out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age was 38.9% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age in Zambia, 2001–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age in Zambia is 38.9%, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 5 years on record.
The figure is up 50.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age in Zambia peaked at 38.9% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 14.5%, in 2007.
That places Zambia 5th out of 45 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
Out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 38.4% | — |
| 2007 | 14.5% | -62.2% |
| 2013 | 25.8% | +78.0% |
| 2018 | 29.1% | +12.7% |
| 2023 | 38.9% | +33.6% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 38.9% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 23.4%, 1.7× the median. (18 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 38.9% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 25.4%, 1.5× the median. (21 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 26.5% | 14.5% | 38.4% | 2 |
| 2010s | 27.5% | 25.8% | 29.1% | 2 |
| 2020s | 38.9% | 38.9% | 38.9% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More education data for Zambia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 42,585 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 169,961 (2013)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.39 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.49 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.55 % change on previous year (2017)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.2106 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 4.49 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age in Zambia?
- Out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age in Zambia was 38.9% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 38.9% in 2023.
- What is the lowest out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.5% in 2007.
- How does Zambia rank for out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age?
- Zambia ranks 5th out of 45 countries with data for 2023.
- Is out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 50.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia 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, rural, both sexes (household survey data) (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 5 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release