Percentage of enrolment in primary education in public institutions in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Percentage of enrolment in primary education in public institutions was 49.1% in 2024. ▬ Flat
Latest (2024)
49.1%
Change on year
up 1.2%
World rank
45th
of 200 countries
All-time high
51.5%
in 2016
All-time low
48.5%
in 2022
Years of data
18
2005–2024
Percentage of enrolment in primary education in public institutions in Saudi Arabia, 2005–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, percentage of enrolment in primary education in public institutions in Saudi Arabia stood at 49.1%.
The figure is up 1.2% on the previous year and down 4.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, percentage of enrolment in primary education in public institutions in Saudi Arabia peaked at 51.5% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 48.5%, in 2022.
Saudi Arabia ranks 45th of 200 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Percentage of enrolment in primary education in public institutions in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 49.7% | — |
| 2007 | 49.6% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 49.7% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 49.6% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 50.0% | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 50.3% | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 50.7% | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 51.0% | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 51.2% | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 51.4% | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 51.5% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 51.4% | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 51.4% | -0.0% |
| 2019 | 51.5% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 49.4% | -3.9% |
| 2021 | 49.5% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 48.5% | -1.9% |
| 2024 | 49.1% | +1.2% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 49.1% is above the median for high income countries, which is 48.7%, 1.0× the median. (72 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 49.1% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 48.9%, 1.0× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 49.7% | 49.6% | 49.7% | 4 |
| 2010s | 51.0% | 50.0% | 51.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 49.1% | 48.5% | 49.5% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More education data for Saudi Arabia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 242,375 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 26,900 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 215,559 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 214,840 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.36 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.45 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.53 % change on previous year (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0976 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is percentage of enrolment in primary education in public institutions in Saudi Arabia?
- Percentage of enrolment in primary education in public institutions in Saudi Arabia was 49.1% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest percentage of enrolment in primary education in public institutions recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 51.5% in 2016.
- What is the lowest percentage of enrolment in primary education in public institutions recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.5% in 2022.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for percentage of enrolment in primary education in public institutions?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 45th out of 200 countries with data for 2024.
- Is percentage of enrolment in primary education in public institutions rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Percentage of enrolment in primary education in public institutions, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 18 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release