Persistence to last grade of primary, total in China

China: Persistence to last grade of primary, total was 96.8% in 2020. ▲ Rising

Latest (2020)
96.8%
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
52nd
of 179 countries
All-time high
96.8%
in 2019
All-time low
80.0%
in 1988
Years of data
11
1988–2020

Persistence to last grade of primary, 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: 96.8 % of cohort2020: 96.8 % of cohort

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

Analysis

China recorded 96.8% for persistence to last grade of primary, total in 2020.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.1% on the previous year.

Over the whole period, persistence to last grade of primary, total in China peaked at 96.8% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 80.0%, in 1988.

China ranks 52nd of 179 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

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

Persistence to last grade of primary, total in China, year by year

Annual values for Persistence to last grade of primary, 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 96.8% +3.5%
2020 96.8% -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 96.8% 96.8% 96.8% 1
2020s 96.8% 96.8% 96.8% 1

Countries ranked near China

  1. 49 Kazakhstan 97.1% compare
  2. 50 Brunei Darussalam 97.0% compare
  3. 51 Georgia 96.9% compare
  4. 53 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 96.8% compare
  5. 54 Paraguay 96.7% compare
  6. 55 San Marino 96.6% compare

See the full ranking of 224 places →

More education data for China

All data for China →

Frequently asked questions

What is persistence to last grade of primary, total in China?
Persistence to last grade of primary, total in China was 96.8% in 2020, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest persistence to last grade of primary, total recorded in China?
The highest recorded value was 96.8% in 2019.
What is the lowest persistence to last grade of primary, total recorded in China?
The lowest recorded value was 80.0% in 1988.
How does China rank for persistence to last grade of primary, total?
China ranks 52nd out of 179 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 last grade of primary, total (% of cohort). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Persistence to last grade of primary, total in China. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 11 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/persistence-to-last-grade-of-primary-total-percent-of-cohort/china/

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About this data

Indicator
Persistence to last grade of primary, 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
224 places, 6,364 data points, 1970–2023
Last refreshed

Persistence to last grade of primary is the percentage of children enrolled in the first grade of primary school who eventually reach the last grade of primary education. The estimate is based on the reconstructed cohort method.