Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in Lesotho
Lesotho: Population of compulsory school age, both sexes was 385,939 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in Lesotho, 2010–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2025, population of compulsory school age, both sexes in Lesotho stood at 385,939.
The figure is up 12.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population of compulsory school age, both sexes in Lesotho peaked at 385,967 in 2024 and was at its lowest, 327,794, in 2010.
Lesotho ranks 132nd of 197 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 16 years of available data.
Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 327,794 | — |
| 2011 | 328,923 | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 331,018 | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 334,382 | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 339,424 | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 343,705 | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 346,051 | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 348,554 | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 354,586 | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 361,278 | +1.9% |
| 2020 | 368,152 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | 373,171 | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 377,503 | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 382,166 | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 385,967 | +1.0% |
| 2025 | 385,939 | -0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 341,572 | 327,794 | 361,278 | 10 |
| 2020s | 378,816 | 368,152 | 385,967 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More education data for Lesotho
- 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 -0.0496 % change on previous year (2018)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 10,388 (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 62.0% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 34.1% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population of compulsory school age, both sexes in Lesotho?
- Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in Lesotho was 385,939 in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population of compulsory school age, both sexes recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 385,967 in 2024.
- What is the lowest population of compulsory school age, both sexes recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 327,794 in 2010.
- How does Lesotho rank for population of compulsory school age, both sexes?
- Lesotho ranks 132nd out of 197 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population of compulsory school age, both sexes rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Population of compulsory school age, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 16 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release