Out-of-school rate for youth of upper secondary school age, rural in Malawi
Malawi: Out-of-school rate for youth of upper secondary school age, rural was 35.6% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Latest (2020)
35.6%
World rank
22nd
of 68 countries
All-time high
52.0%
in 2004
All-time low
29.4%
in 2014
Years of data
6
2000–2020
Out-of-school rate for youth of upper secondary school age, rural in Malawi, 2000–2020
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for out-of-school rate for youth of upper secondary school age, rural in Malawi is 35.6%, measured in 2020.
That represents a change of down 21.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, out-of-school rate for youth of upper secondary school age, rural in Malawi peaked at 52.0% in 2004 and was at its lowest, 29.4%, in 2014.
That places Malawi 22nd out of 68 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
Out-of-school rate for youth of upper secondary school age, rural in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 51.9% | — |
| 2004 | 52.0% | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 45.1% | -13.3% |
| 2014 | 29.4% | -34.9% |
| 2016 | 31.6% | +7.6% |
| 2020 | 35.6% | +12.7% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 35.6% is below the median for low income countries, which is 47.6%, 75% of the median. (9 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 35.6% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 50.2%, 71% of the median. (21 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 52.0% | 51.9% | 52.0% | 2 |
| 2010s | 35.4% | 29.4% | 45.1% | 3 |
| 2020s | 35.6% | 35.6% | 35.6% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 19 Mexico 39.6% compare
- 20 Sierra Leone 39.2% compare
- 21 Bangladesh 37.9% compare
- 23 El Salvador 34.4% compare
- 24 Ghana 30.7% compare
- 25 China 23.2% compare
More education data for Malawi
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 14,528 (2019)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 1.25 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.16 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.75 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.7 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.2193 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 4.75 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is out-of-school rate for youth of upper secondary school age, rural in Malawi?
- Out-of-school rate for youth of upper secondary school age, rural in Malawi was 35.6% in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest out-of-school rate for youth of upper secondary school age, rural recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 52.0% in 2004.
- What is the lowest out-of-school rate for youth of upper secondary school age, rural recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 29.4% in 2014.
- How does Malawi rank for out-of-school rate for youth of upper secondary school age, rural?
- Malawi ranks 22nd out of 68 countries with data for 2020.
- Is out-of-school rate for youth of upper secondary school age, rural rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Out-of-school rate for youth of upper secondary school age, rural, both sexes (household survey data) (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 6 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release