Out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, both sexes in Congo
Congo: Out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, both sexes was 17.1% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, both sexes in Congo, 1972–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
Congo recorded 17.1% for out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, both sexes in 2023.
The figure is up 46.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, both sexes in Congo peaked at 49.7% in 2005 and was at its lowest, 9.7%, in 1979.
That places Congo 33rd out of 203 countries with data for 2023, 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 Congo, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 22.8% | — |
| 1974 | 16.8% | -26.3% |
| 1976 | 14.6% | -13.4% |
| 1978 | 10.6% | -27.4% |
| 1979 | 9.7% | -8.5% |
| 1980 | 16.5% | +70.7% |
| 1981 | 16.6% | +0.5% |
| 1982 | 15.1% | -9.3% |
| 1983 | 13.6% | -9.4% |
| 1984 | 11.6% | -15.3% |
| 2005 | 49.7% | +330.5% |
| 2006 | 45.9% | -7.7% |
| 2010 | 13.9% | -69.8% |
| 2012 | 11.6% | -16.0% |
| 2018 | 21.2% | +82.4% |
| 2023 | 17.1% | -19.6% |
Congo compared with similar countries
- Congo's 17.1% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 6.9%, 2.5× the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Congo's 17.1% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 16.9%, 1.0× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, both sexes in Congo 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | +330.5% | 11.6% | 49.7% |
| 2018 | +82.4% | 11.6% | 21.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 14.9% | 9.7% | 22.8% | 5 |
| 1980s | 14.7% | 11.6% | 16.6% | 5 |
| 2000s | 47.8% | 45.9% | 49.7% | 2 |
| 2010s | 15.6% | 11.6% | 21.2% | 3 |
| 2020s | 17.1% | 17.1% | 17.1% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Congo
More education data for Congo
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 38,064 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 70,276 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 12,245 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 13,478 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 339,250 (2012)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 880,625 (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.03 % change on previous year (2012)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1424 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, both sexes in Congo?
- Out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, both sexes in Congo was 17.1% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, both sexes recorded in Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 49.7% in 2005.
- What is the lowest out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, both sexes recorded in Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.7% in 1979.
- How does Congo rank for out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, both sexes?
- Congo ranks 33rd out of 203 countries with data for 2023.
- Is out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, both sexes rising or falling in Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is up 46.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Congo 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 — 16 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release