Out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, both sexes in IDA total

IDA total: Out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, both sexes was 19.6% in 2016. ▼ Falling

Latest (2016)
19.6%
Change on year
down 0.4%
Rank
3rd
of 45 groups
All-time high
56.0%
in 1972
All-time low
19.6%
in 2016
Years of data
35
1972–2016

Out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, both sexes in IDA total, 1972–2016

20304050601972199420161972: 56 %1973: 53.5 %1974: 52.8 %1976: 50 %1977: 48.5 %1978: 47.3 %1979: 45.3 %1981: 42.1 %1982: 41.5 %1983: 40.9 %1984: 41.3 %1986: 43 %1987: 43.5 %1988: 42.7 %1989: 43.1 %1991: 42.5 %1992: 42.2 %1993: 41.8 %1994: 41.3 %1996: 41.4 %1997: 39.6 %1998: 39 %2001: 34.9 %2002: 32.8 %2003: 30.5 %2004: 28.2 %2006: 25.7 %2007: 23.5 %2008: 22.9 %2009: 22.3 %2011: 21.6 %2012: 21.1 %2013: 20.4 %2014: 19.7 %2016: 19.6 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2016, out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, both sexes in IDA total stood at 19.6%. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.

That represents a change of down 0.4% on the previous year and down 23.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, both sexes in IDA total peaked at 56.0% in 1972 and was at its lowest, 19.6%, in 2016.

IDA total ranks 3rd of 45 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.

Out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, both sexes in IDA total, year by year

Annual values for Out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, both sexes (%) in IDA total, 1972 to 2016.
Year % Change
1972 56.0%
1973 53.5% -4.4%
1974 52.8% -1.3%
1976 50.0% -5.3%
1977 48.5% -3.1%
1978 47.3% -2.5%
1979 45.3% -4.2%
1981 42.1% -7.0%
1982 41.5% -1.6%
1983 40.9% -1.3%
1984 41.3% +0.9%
1986 43.0% +4.2%
1987 43.5% +1.1%
1988 42.7% -1.9%
1989 43.1% +0.9%
1991 42.5% -1.4%
1992 42.2% -0.7%
1993 41.8% -0.9%
1994 41.3% -1.2%
1996 41.4% +0.2%
1997 39.6% -4.3%
1998 39.0% -1.6%
2001 34.9% -10.6%
2002 32.8% -5.8%
2003 30.5% -7.0%
2004 28.2% -7.8%
2006 25.7% -8.8%
2007 23.5% -8.3%
2008 22.9% -2.5%
2009 22.3% -2.8%
2011 21.6% -3.0%
2012 21.1% -2.4%
2013 20.4% -3.3%
2014 19.7% -3.6%
2016 19.6% -0.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 50.5% 45.3% 56.0% 7
1980s 42.3% 40.9% 43.5% 8
1990s 41.1% 39.0% 42.5% 7
2000s 27.6% 22.3% 34.9% 8
2010s 20.5% 19.6% 21.6% 5

Countries ranked near IDA total

  1. 1 Somalia 85.5% compare
  2. 2 Democratic Republic of Congo 63.2% compare
  3. 3 Equatorial Guinea 55.3% compare
  4. 4 Eritrea 47.3% compare
  5. 5 Haiti 41.9% compare
  6. 6 Niger 41.0% compare

See the full ranking of 233 places →

More education data for IDA total

All data for IDA total →

Frequently asked questions

What is out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, both sexes in IDA total?
Out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, both sexes in IDA total was 19.6% in 2016, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, both sexes recorded in IDA total?
The highest recorded value was 56.0% in 1972.
What is the lowest out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, both sexes recorded in IDA total?
The lowest recorded value was 19.6% in 2016.
How does IDA total rank for out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, both sexes?
IDA total ranks 3rd out of 45 groups with data for 2016.
Is out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, both sexes rising or falling in IDA total?
Over the last ten years it is down 23.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this IDA total 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.

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Out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, both sexes in IDA total. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 18 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/out-of-school-rate-for-children-of-primary-school-age-both-sexes-percent/ida-total/

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About this data

Indicator
Out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
233 places, 6,366 data points, 1970–2020
Last refreshed

The number of students of the official age for primary education is subtracted from the total population of the same age. The result is expressed as a percentage of the population of the official age for primary education. For more information, consult the UNESCO Institute of Statistics website: http://www.uis.unesco.org/Education/