Percentage of enrolment in primary education in public institutions in Malaysia
Malaysia: Percentage of enrolment in primary education in public institutions was 91.0% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Percentage of enrolment in primary education in public institutions in Malaysia, 1998–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for percentage of enrolment in primary education in public institutions in Malaysia is 91.0%, measured in 2024.
The figure is down 2.9% on the previous year and up 5.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, percentage of enrolment in primary education in public institutions in Malaysia peaked at 99.2% in 2005 and was at its lowest, 85.3%, in 2013.
That places Malaysia 86th out of 201 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 23 years of available data.
Percentage of enrolment in primary education in public institutions in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 99.1% | — |
| 1999 | 98.4% | -0.7% |
| 2002 | 99.1% | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 98.9% | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 99.1% | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 99.2% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 96.6% | -2.6% |
| 2007 | 95.6% | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 93.8% | -1.8% |
| 2009 | 92.0% | -1.9% |
| 2010 | 90.3% | -1.9% |
| 2011 | 88.9% | -1.5% |
| 2012 | 87.5% | -1.6% |
| 2013 | 85.3% | -2.5% |
| 2014 | 86.1% | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 87.2% | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 87.6% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 88.2% | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 88.8% | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 91.4% | +2.9% |
| 2020 | 92.2% | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 93.7% | +1.6% |
| 2024 | 91.0% | -2.9% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 91.0% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 90.5%, 1.0× the median. (57 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 91.0% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 91.0%, 1.0× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 98.8% | 98.4% | 99.1% | 2 |
| 2000s | 96.8% | 92.0% | 99.2% | 8 |
| 2010s | 88.1% | 85.3% | 91.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 92.3% | 91.0% | 93.7% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
More education data for Malaysia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 217,105 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 475,967 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 460,041 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.64 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.06 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.2 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0859 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is percentage of enrolment in primary education in public institutions in Malaysia?
- Percentage of enrolment in primary education in public institutions in Malaysia was 91.0% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest percentage of enrolment in primary education in public institutions recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 99.2% in 2005.
- What is the lowest percentage of enrolment in primary education in public institutions recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 85.3% in 2013.
- How does Malaysia rank for percentage of enrolment in primary education in public institutions?
- Malaysia ranks 86th out of 201 countries with data for 2024.
- Is percentage of enrolment in primary education in public institutions rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malaysia data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Percentage of enrolment in primary education in public institutions, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release