Persistence to grade 5, total in China

China: Persistence to grade 5, total was 99.8% in 2020. ▲ Rising

Latest (2020)
99.8%
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
7th
of 164 countries
All-time high
99.9%
in 2019
All-time low
80.0%
in 1988
Years of data
11
1988–2020

Persistence to grade 5, total in China, 1988–2020

0204060801001988200420201988: 80 % of cohort1989: 80.6 % of cohort1990: 85.1 % of cohort1991: 86 % of cohort1992: 88 % of cohort1993: 88.1 % of cohort1994: 90.6 % of cohort1995: 92.2 % of cohort1996: 93.6 % of cohort2019: 99.9 % of cohort2020: 99.8 % of cohort

Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of cohort.

Analysis

In 2020, persistence to grade 5, total in China stood at 99.8%.

That represents a change of down 0.1% on the previous year.

Over the whole period, persistence to grade 5, total in China peaked at 99.9% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 80.0%, in 1988.

That places China 7th out of 164 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 11 years of available data.

Persistence to grade 5, total in China, year by year

Annual values for Persistence to grade 5, total (% of cohort) in China, 1988 to 2020.
Year % of cohort Change
1988 80.0%
1989 80.6% +0.7%
1990 85.1% +5.5%
1991 86.0% +1.1%
1992 88.0% +2.4%
1993 88.1% +0.0%
1994 90.6% +2.9%
1995 92.2% +1.7%
1996 93.6% +1.5%
2019 99.9% +6.8%
2020 99.8% -0.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 80.3% 80.0% 80.6% 2
1990s 89.1% 85.1% 93.6% 7
2010s 99.9% 99.9% 99.9% 1
2020s 99.8% 99.8% 99.8% 1

Countries ranked near China

  1. 4 Egypt 99.8% compare
  2. 5 Greece 99.8% compare
  3. 6 United Kingdom 99.8% compare
  4. 8 Denmark 99.7% compare
  5. 9 Norway 99.7% compare
  6. 10 Chile 99.7% compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More education data for China

All data for China →

Frequently asked questions

What is persistence to grade 5, total in China?
Persistence to grade 5, total in China was 99.8% in 2020, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest persistence to grade 5, total recorded in China?
The highest recorded value was 99.9% in 2019.
What is the lowest persistence to grade 5, total recorded in China?
The lowest recorded value was 80.0% in 1988.
How does China rank for persistence to grade 5, total?
China ranks 7th out of 164 countries with data for 2020.
Where does this China data come from?
The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Persistence to grade 5, total (% of cohort). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Persistence to grade 5, total in China. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 29 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/persistence-to-grade-5-total-percent-of-cohort/china/

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About this data

Indicator
Persistence to grade 5, total (% of cohort)
Unit
% of cohort
Source
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
176 places, 3,790 data points, 1970–2023
Last refreshed

Persistence to grade 5 (percentage of cohort reaching grade 5) is the share of children enrolled in the first grade of primary school who eventually reach grade 5. The estimate is based on the reconstructed cohort method.