Out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, both sexes in Barbados
Barbados: Out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, both sexes was 17.6% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, both sexes in Barbados, 1971–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, both sexes in Barbados is 17.6%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 37 years on record.
The figure is up 21.5% on the previous year and up 232.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, both sexes in Barbados peaked at 17.6% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.4%, in 2000.
That places Barbados 32nd out of 203 countries with data for 2024, 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 children of primary school age, both sexes in Barbados, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 12.1% | — |
| 1972 | 11.2% | -7.3% |
| 1973 | 12.7% | +13.1% |
| 1976 | 11.6% | -8.7% |
| 1977 | 8.2% | -29.7% |
| 1978 | 4.7% | -42.0% |
| 1979 | 3.0% | -35.9% |
| 1981 | 1.5% | -49.6% |
| 1982 | 0.5% | -68.8% |
| 1983 | 2.2% | +353.7% |
| 1989 | 1.9% | -10.7% |
| 1990 | 4.4% | +127.5% |
| 1992 | 9.8% | +122.1% |
| 1999 | 0.6% | -93.4% |
| 2000 | 0.4% | -34.3% |
| 2001 | 0.5% | +24.1% |
| 2002 | 1.0% | +93.0% |
| 2003 | 1.0% | -3.2% |
| 2004 | 0.6% | -38.0% |
| 2005 | 2.6% | +330.7% |
| 2006 | 1.9% | -28.9% |
| 2007 | 2.0% | +5.5% |
| 2008 | 1.9% | -2.7% |
| 2009 | 3.4% | +76.1% |
| 2010 | 1.8% | -47.8% |
| 2011 | 2.0% | +13.8% |
| 2014 | 5.3% | +162.2% |
| 2015 | 4.7% | -12.0% |
| 2016 | 3.9% | -15.5% |
| 2017 | 6.8% | +72.8% |
| 2018 | 6.4% | -5.4% |
| 2019 | 6.3% | -1.5% |
| 2020 | 7.7% | +20.8% |
| 2021 | 9.3% | +21.7% |
| 2022 | 12.1% | +29.4% |
| 2023 | 14.5% | +19.8% |
| 2024 | 17.6% | +21.5% |
Barbados compared with similar countries
- Barbados's 17.6% is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.8%, 9.7× the median. (74 countries reporting)
- Barbados's 17.6% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 5.1%, 3.5× the median. (38 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, both sexes in Barbados 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | +353.7% | 0.5% | 2.2% |
| 2005 | +330.7% | 0.6% | 2.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 9.1% | 3.0% | 12.7% | 7 |
| 1980s | 1.5% | 0.5% | 2.2% | 4 |
| 1990s | 4.9% | 0.6% | 9.8% | 3 |
| 2000s | 1.5% | 0.4% | 3.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.7% | 1.8% | 6.8% | 8 |
| 2020s | 12.2% | 7.7% | 17.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Barbados
More education data for Barbados
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1,244 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 279 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2,255 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 2,277 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 18,457 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 16,314 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -5.2 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0578 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, both sexes in Barbados?
- Out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, both sexes in Barbados was 17.6% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, both sexes recorded in Barbados?
- The highest recorded value was 17.6% in 2024.
- What is the lowest out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, both sexes recorded in Barbados?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.4% in 2000.
- How does Barbados rank for out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, both sexes?
- Barbados ranks 32nd out of 203 countries with data for 2024.
- Is out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, both sexes rising or falling in Barbados?
- Over the last ten years it is up 232.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Barbados data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 37 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release