Persistence to grade 5, total in Zambia

Zambia: Persistence to grade 5, total was 74.5% in 2012. ▲ Rising

Latest (2012)
74.5%
Change on year
down 6.6%
World rank
131st
of 164 countries
All-time high
92.9%
in 2001
All-time low
71.0%
in 2008
Years of data
20
1971–2012

Persistence to grade 5, total in Zambia, 1971–2012

0204060801001971199120121971: 73.3 % of cohort1972: 73.5 % of cohort1973: 77.9 % of cohort1974: 72.1 % of cohort1975: 79.1 % of cohort1976: 80.2 % of cohort1977: 80.1 % of cohort1978: 81.9 % of cohort1979: 84.6 % of cohort1980: 84.3 % of cohort1985: 86 % of cohort1998: 78.2 % of cohort1999: 80.6 % of cohort2001: 92.9 % of cohort2005: 87.6 % of cohort2006: 88.5 % of cohort2007: 89.1 % of cohort2008: 71 % of cohort2009: 79.7 % of cohort2012: 74.5 % of cohort

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

Analysis

In 2012, persistence to grade 5, total in Zambia stood at 74.5%.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.6% on the previous year and down 19.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, persistence to grade 5, total in Zambia peaked at 92.9% in 2001 and was at its lowest, 71.0%, in 2008.

Zambia ranks 131st of 164 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 20 years of available data.

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

Annual values for Persistence to grade 5, total (% of cohort) in Zambia, 1971 to 2012.
Year % of cohort Change
1971 73.3%
1972 73.5% +0.2%
1973 77.9% +6.0%
1974 72.1% -7.4%
1975 79.1% +9.7%
1976 80.2% +1.4%
1977 80.1% -0.2%
1978 81.9% +2.2%
1979 84.6% +3.3%
1980 84.3% -0.3%
1985 86.0% +2.0%
1998 78.2% -9.1%
1999 80.6% +3.1%
2001 92.9% +15.3%
2005 87.6% -5.7%
2006 88.5% +1.0%
2007 89.1% +0.7%
2008 71.0% -20.3%
2009 79.7% +12.3%
2012 74.5% -6.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 78.1% 72.1% 84.6% 9
1980s 85.2% 84.3% 86.0% 2
1990s 79.4% 78.2% 80.6% 2
2000s 84.8% 71.0% 92.9% 6
2010s 74.5% 74.5% 74.5% 1

Countries ranked near Zambia

  1. 128 Myanmar 74.8% compare
  2. 129 Comoros 74.6% compare
  3. 130 Cameroon 74.5% compare
  4. 132 India 74.2% compare
  5. 133 Togo 74.0% compare
  6. 134 Nepal 73.5% compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More education data for Zambia

All data for Zambia →

Frequently asked questions

What is persistence to grade 5, total in Zambia?
Persistence to grade 5, total in Zambia was 74.5% in 2012, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest persistence to grade 5, total recorded in Zambia?
The highest recorded value was 92.9% in 2001.
What is the lowest persistence to grade 5, total recorded in Zambia?
The lowest recorded value was 71.0% in 2008.
How does Zambia rank for persistence to grade 5, total?
Zambia ranks 131st out of 164 countries with data for 2012.
Is persistence to grade 5, total rising or falling in Zambia?
Over the last ten years it is down 19.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Zambia 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 Zambia. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 02 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/persistence-to-grade-5-total-percent-of-cohort/zambia/

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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.