Out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age in Colombia

Colombia: Out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age was 5.6% in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
5.6%
Change on year
down 13.8%
World rank
24th
of 36 countries
All-time high
21.9%
in 2002
All-time low
1.8%
in 2015
Years of data
20
2002–2023

Out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age in Colombia, 2002–2023

051015202002201220232002: 21.9 %2003: 18.9 %2004: 13.3 %2005: 9.8 %2008: 10.1 %2009: 9.6 %2010: 3.3 %2011: 10.7 %2012: 10 %2013: 8.8 %2014: 7.4 %2015: 1.8 %2016: 7 %2017: 6.1 %2018: 7.1 %2019: 7.2 %2020: 4.2 %2021: 5.5 %2022: 6.5 %2023: 5.6 %

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 Colombia is 5.6%, measured in 2023.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 13.8% on the previous year and down 36.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age in Colombia peaked at 21.9% in 2002 and was at its lowest, 1.8%, in 2015.

Colombia ranks 24th of 36 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

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 Colombia, year by year

Annual values for Out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age, rural, second quintile, both sexes (household survey data) (%) in Colombia, 2002 to 2023.
Year % Change
2002 21.9%
2003 18.9% -13.7%
2004 13.3% -29.6%
2005 9.8% -26.2%
2008 10.1% +2.9%
2009 9.6% -5.0%
2010 3.3% -65.3%
2011 10.7% +221.6%
2012 10.0% -6.5%
2013 8.8% -12.0%
2014 7.4% -15.9%
2015 1.8% -75.9%
2016 7.0% +292.7%
2017 6.1% -12.9%
2018 7.1% +16.4%
2019 7.2% +1.4%
2020 4.2% -41.7%
2021 5.5% +31.0%
2022 6.5% +18.2%
2023 5.6% -13.8%

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age in Colombia 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.

YearChange FromTo
2016 +292.7% 1.8% 7.0%
2011 +221.6% 3.3% 10.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 13.9% 9.6% 21.9% 6
2010s 6.9% 1.8% 10.7% 10
2020s 5.5% 4.2% 6.5% 4

Countries ranked near Colombia

  1. 21 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 11.1% compare
  2. 22 Ghana 9.3% compare
  3. 23 Nepal 7.4% compare
  4. 25 Costa Rica 5.1% compare
  5. 26 Ecuador 4.3% compare
  6. 27 Paraguay 4.3% compare

See the full ranking of 36 places →

More education data for Colombia

All data for Colombia →

Frequently asked questions

What is out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age in Colombia?
Out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age in Colombia was 5.6% 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 Colombia?
The highest recorded value was 21.9% in 2002.
What is the lowest out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age recorded in Colombia?
The lowest recorded value was 1.8% in 2015.
How does Colombia rank for out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age?
Colombia ranks 24th out of 36 countries with data for 2023.
Is out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age rising or falling in Colombia?
Over the last ten years it is down 36.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Colombia 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, second quintile, both sexes (household survey data) (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age in Colombia. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 13 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/out-of-school-rate-for-adolescents-of-lower-secondary-school-age-rural-second-quintile-5/colombia/

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About this data

Indicator
Out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age, rural, second quintile, both sexes (household survey data) (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
36 places, 394 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release