Primary education, pupils in Kiribati
Kiribati: Primary education, pupils was 17,457 in 2024. ▲ Rising
Primary education, pupils in Kiribati, 1971–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Analysis
In 2024, primary education, pupils in Kiribati stood at 17,457.
That represents a change of down 1.8% on the previous year and up 7.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary education, pupils in Kiribati peaked at 18,639 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 11,125, in 1971.
That places Kiribati 179th out of 206 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 47 years of available data.
Primary education, pupils in Kiribati, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 11,125 | — |
| 1972 | 13,962 | +25.5% |
| 1973 | 11,540 | -17.3% |
| 1975 | 14,862 | +28.8% |
| 1976 | 12,792 | -13.9% |
| 1977 | 13,679 | +6.9% |
| 1978 | 13,481 | -1.4% |
| 1979 | 13,192 | -2.1% |
| 1980 | 13,235 | +0.3% |
| 1981 | 13,383 | +1.1% |
| 1982 | 13,836 | +3.4% |
| 1983 | 13,612 | -1.6% |
| 1984 | 13,194 | -3.1% |
| 1985 | 13,440 | +1.9% |
| 1986 | 13,331 | -0.8% |
| 1987 | 13,242 | -0.7% |
| 1988 | 13,551 | +2.3% |
| 1989 | 14,321 | +5.7% |
| 1990 | 14,709 | +2.7% |
| 1991 | 15,570 | +5.9% |
| 1992 | 16,020 | +2.9% |
| 1993 | 16,316 | +1.8% |
| 1994 | 16,800 | +3.0% |
| 1995 | 17,017 | +1.3% |
| 1996 | 17,279 | +1.5% |
| 1997 | 17,594 | +1.8% |
| 1998 | 17,557 | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 14,328 | -18.4% |
| 2000 | 14,566 | +1.7% |
| 2001 | 15,693 | +7.7% |
| 2002 | 14,809 | -5.6% |
| 2003 | 15,798 | +6.7% |
| 2004 | 15,611 | -1.2% |
| 2005 | 16,133 | +3.3% |
| 2006 | 16,087 | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 15,764 | -2.0% |
| 2008 | 16,123 | +2.3% |
| 2009 | 15,566 | -3.5% |
| 2014 | 16,192 | +4.0% |
| 2015 | 15,921 | -1.7% |
| 2016 | 16,880 | +6.0% |
| 2017 | 16,695 | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 18,639 | +11.6% |
| 2021 | 18,610 | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 18,522 | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 17,777 | -4.0% |
| 2024 | 17,457 | -1.8% |
Kiribati compared with similar countries
- Kiribati's 17,457 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.66 million, 1% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Kiribati's 17,457 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 227,656, 8% of the median. (35 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Primary education, pupils in Kiribati changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | +28.8% | 11,540 | 14,862 |
| 1972 | +25.5% | 11,125 | 13,962 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 13,079 | 11,125 | 14,862 | 8 |
| 1980s | 13,514 | 13,194 | 14,321 | 10 |
| 1990s | 16,319 | 14,328 | 17,594 | 10 |
| 2000s | 15,615 | 14,566 | 16,133 | 10 |
| 2010s | 16,422 | 15,921 | 16,880 | 4 |
| 2020s | 18,201 | 17,457 | 18,639 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Kiribati
More education data for Kiribati
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 969 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 608 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 16,846 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 17,457 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.8 % 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 0.1298 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 17,457 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is primary education, pupils in Kiribati?
- Primary education, pupils in Kiribati was 17,457 in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest primary education, pupils recorded in Kiribati?
- The highest recorded value was 18,639 in 2020.
- What is the lowest primary education, pupils recorded in Kiribati?
- The lowest recorded value was 11,125 in 1971.
- How does Kiribati rank for primary education, pupils?
- Kiribati ranks 179th out of 206 countries with data for 2024.
- Is primary education, pupils rising or falling in Kiribati?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Kiribati data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Primary education, pupils. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Primary education pupils is the total number of pupils enrolled at primary level in public and private schools.