Out-of-school rate for children, adolescents and youth of primary in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Out-of-school rate for children, adolescents and youth of primary was 12.2% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
12.2%
Change on year
up 7.4%
World rank
62nd
of 178 countries
All-time high
14.3%
in 2010
All-time low
6.8%
in 2021
Years of data
8
2010–2023
Out-of-school rate for children, adolescents and youth of primary in Sri Lanka, 2010–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, out-of-school rate for children, adolescents and youth of primary in Sri Lanka stood at 12.2%.
The figure is up 7.4% on the previous year and up 20.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, out-of-school rate for children, adolescents and youth of primary in Sri Lanka peaked at 14.3% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 6.8%, in 2021.
Sri Lanka ranks 62nd of 178 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Out-of-school rate for children, adolescents and youth of primary in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 14.3% | — |
| 2011 | 13.7% | -3.9% |
| 2013 | 10.1% | -26.2% |
| 2017 | 8.7% | -14.5% |
| 2018 | 7.4% | -15.1% |
| 2021 | 6.8% | -7.1% |
| 2022 | 11.4% | +66.8% |
| 2023 | 12.2% | +7.4% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 12.2% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 8.8%, 1.4× the median. (52 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 12.2% is above the median for South Asia, which is 12.2%, 1.0× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 10.8% | 7.4% | 14.3% | 5 |
| 2020s | 10.2% | 6.8% | 12.2% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 59 Dominican Republic 12.6% compare
- 60 Marshall Islands 12.4% compare
- 61 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 12.4% compare
- 63 Bhutan 12.1% compare
- 64 Brunei Darussalam 12.1% compare
- 65 Tajikistan 12.0%
More education data for Sri Lanka
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 155,543 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 224,799 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 214,300 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.54 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.58 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -2.89 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0715 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is out-of-school rate for children, adolescents and youth of primary in Sri Lanka?
- Out-of-school rate for children, adolescents and youth of primary in Sri Lanka was 12.2% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest out-of-school rate for children, adolescents and youth of primary recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 14.3% in 2010.
- What is the lowest out-of-school rate for children, adolescents and youth of primary recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.8% in 2021.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for out-of-school rate for children, adolescents and youth of primary?
- Sri Lanka ranks 62nd out of 178 countries with data for 2023.
- Is out-of-school rate for children, adolescents and youth of primary rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Out-of-school rate for children, adolescents and youth of primary, lower secondary and upper secondary school age, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release