Persistence to grade 5, total in Malawi
Malawi: Persistence to grade 5, total was 71.7% in 2018. ▲ Rising
Persistence to grade 5, total in Malawi, 1973–2018
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of cohort.
Analysis
The most recent figure for persistence to grade 5, total in Malawi is 71.7%, measured in 2018. That is the highest value across all 37 years on record.
That represents a change of up 41.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, persistence to grade 5, total in Malawi peaked at 71.7% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 30.1%, in 1982.
That places Malawi 139th out of 164 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 37 years of available data.
Persistence to grade 5, total in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % of cohort | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | 47.5% | — |
| 1974 | 50.5% | +6.4% |
| 1975 | 38.7% | -23.5% |
| 1976 | 36.8% | -5.0% |
| 1977 | 37.2% | +1.2% |
| 1978 | 38.9% | +4.7% |
| 1979 | 45.8% | +17.6% |
| 1980 | 37.8% | -17.6% |
| 1981 | 44.0% | +16.5% |
| 1982 | 30.1% | -31.6% |
| 1983 | 34.2% | +13.7% |
| 1984 | 46.0% | +34.4% |
| 1985 | 44.4% | -3.5% |
| 1986 | 57.1% | +28.7% |
| 1987 | 43.8% | -23.3% |
| 1988 | 60.4% | +37.8% |
| 1989 | 53.3% | -11.8% |
| 1990 | 46.3% | -13.1% |
| 1991 | 64.5% | +39.2% |
| 1992 | 41.9% | -34.9% |
| 1993 | 37.3% | -11.0% |
| 1995 | 34.2% | -8.4% |
| 1998 | 44.2% | +29.1% |
| 1999 | 48.5% | +9.8% |
| 2000 | 48.8% | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 43.9% | -10.1% |
| 2004 | 42.2% | -3.7% |
| 2005 | 44.4% | +5.2% |
| 2006 | 43.6% | -1.9% |
| 2007 | 68.2% | +56.5% |
| 2008 | 50.7% | -25.7% |
| 2009 | 60.9% | +20.1% |
| 2010 | 59.3% | -2.6% |
| 2011 | 57.7% | -2.6% |
| 2012 | 70.1% | +21.5% |
| 2013 | 64.4% | -8.1% |
| 2018 | 71.7% | +11.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 42.2% | 36.8% | 50.5% | 7 |
| 1980s | 45.1% | 30.1% | 60.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 45.3% | 34.2% | 64.5% | 7 |
| 2000s | 50.3% | 42.2% | 68.2% | 8 |
| 2010s | 64.6% | 57.7% | 71.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More education data for Malawi
- Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of secondary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), gaps filled 2,021 tertiary education (2022)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), annual growth 0.0497 % change on previous year (2014)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 87,834 (2024)
- Duration of pre primary education, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Duration of pre primary education 3 (2025)
- Official entrance age to pre primary education 3 (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 57.3% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 40.1% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is persistence to grade 5, total in Malawi?
- Persistence to grade 5, total in Malawi was 71.7% in 2018, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest persistence to grade 5, total recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 71.7% in 2018.
- What is the lowest persistence to grade 5, total recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 30.1% in 1982.
- How does Malawi rank for persistence to grade 5, total?
- Malawi ranks 139th out of 164 countries with data for 2018.
- Is persistence to grade 5, total rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 41.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malawi 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.
Download this data
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About this data
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.