Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Lesotho
Lesotho: Primary education, pupils, gaps filled was 309,480 in 2024. ▲ Rising
Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Lesotho, 1970–2024
Source: Statizoid (derived).
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 309,480 for primary education, pupils, gaps filled in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.8% on the previous year and down 15.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Lesotho peaked at 429,720 in 2003 and was at its lowest, 171,454, in 1971.
That places Lesotho 128th out of 206 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 175,420 | — |
| 1971 | 171,454 | -2.3% |
| 1972 | 176,404 | +2.9% |
| 1973 | 187,459 | +6.3% |
| 1974 | 218,038 | +16.3% |
| 1975 | 221,922 | +1.8% |
| 1976 | 222,004 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 226,019 | +1.8% |
| 1978 | 228,523 | +1.1% |
| 1979 | 235,604 | +3.1% |
| 1980 | 244,838 | +3.9% |
| 1981 | 259,046 | +5.8% |
| 1982 | 277,945 | +7.3% |
| 1983 | 289,590 | +4.2% |
| 1984 | 297,484 | +2.7% |
| 1985 | 314,003 | +5.6% |
| 1986 | 319,128 | +1.6% |
| 1987 | 331,857 | +4.0% |
| 1988 | 345,524 | +4.1% |
| 1989 | 348,818 | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 351,632 | +0.8% |
| 1991 | 361,144 | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 362,657 | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 354,275 | -2.3% |
| 1994 | 366,935 | +3.6% |
| 1995 | 378,011 | +3.0% |
| 1996 | 374,628 | -0.9% |
| 1997 | 368,895 | -1.5% |
| 1998 | 369,535 | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 364,951 | -1.2% |
| 2000 | 410,745 | +12.5% |
| 2001 | 415,007 | +1.0% |
| 2002 | 418,668 | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 429,720 | +2.6% |
| 2004 | 427,009 | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 422,278 | -1.1% |
| 2006 | 424,855 | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 400,943 | -5.6% |
| 2008 | 396,041 | -1.2% |
| 2009 | 389,424 | -1.7% |
| 2010 | 388,678 | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 385,437 | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 381,690 | -1.0% |
| 2013 | 369,469 | -3.2% |
| 2014 | 366,048 | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 361,637 | -1.2% |
| 2016 | 360,756 | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 367,931 | +2.0% |
| 2018 | 340,421 | -7.5% |
| 2019 | 329,770 | -3.1% |
| 2020 | 323,034 | -2.0% |
| 2021 | 317,332 | -1.8% |
| 2022 | 315,722 | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 312,005 | -1.2% |
| 2024 | 309,480 | -0.8% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 309,480 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.66 million, 19% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 309,480 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.40 million, 13% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 206,285 | 171,454 | 235,604 | 10 |
| 1980s | 302,823 | 244,838 | 348,818 | 10 |
| 1990s | 365,266 | 351,632 | 378,011 | 10 |
| 2000s | 413,469 | 389,424 | 429,720 | 10 |
| 2010s | 365,184 | 329,770 | 388,678 | 10 |
| 2020s | 315,515 | 309,480 | 323,034 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More education data for Lesotho
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 5,672 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 30,627 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 22,924 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 23,698 (2022)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 136,497 (2017)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.8093 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1324 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Lesotho?
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Lesotho was 309,480 in 2024, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest primary education, pupils, gaps filled recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 429,720 in 2003.
- What is the lowest primary education, pupils, gaps filled recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 171,454 in 1971.
- How does Lesotho rank for primary education, pupils, gaps filled?
- Lesotho ranks 128th out of 206 countries with data for 2024.
- Is primary education, pupils, gaps filled rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Primary education, pupils, gaps filled. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Primary education, pupils with 569 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.
Computed from
- Primary education, pupils Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Primary education, pupils with 569 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.