Primary education, pupils in Singapore
Singapore: Primary education, pupils was 238,816 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Primary education, pupils in Singapore, 1970–2023
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for primary education, pupils in Singapore is 238,816, measured in 2023.
The figure is up 1.4% on the previous year and up 0.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary education, pupils in Singapore peaked at 363,518 in 1970 and was at its lowest, 232,810, in 2020.
That places Singapore 135th out of 206 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 38 years of available data.
Primary education, pupils in Singapore, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 363,518 | — |
| 1971 | 357,936 | -1.5% |
| 1972 | 354,748 | -0.9% |
| 1973 | 345,284 | -2.7% |
| 1974 | 337,816 | -2.2% |
| 1975 | 328,401 | -2.8% |
| 1976 | 316,265 | -3.7% |
| 1977 | 306,349 | -3.1% |
| 1978 | 297,102 | -3.0% |
| 1979 | 290,859 | -2.1% |
| 1980 | 291,722 | +0.3% |
| 1981 | 285,179 | -2.2% |
| 1982 | 286,780 | +0.6% |
| 1983 | 290,800 | +1.4% |
| 1984 | 288,623 | -0.7% |
| 1985 | 278,060 | -3.7% |
| 1986 | 268,820 | -3.3% |
| 1987 | 261,603 | -2.7% |
| 1988 | 259,270 | -0.9% |
| 1989 | 257,833 | -0.6% |
| 1990 | 257,932 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 260,286 | +0.9% |
| 1992 | 262,599 | +0.9% |
| 1993 | 261,534 | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 251,097 | -4.0% |
| 1995 | 261,648 | +4.2% |
| 1996 | 269,668 | +3.1% |
| 2007 | 301,101 | +11.7% |
| 2008 | 299,704 | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 294,602 | -1.7% |
| 2016 | 236,943 | -19.6% |
| 2017 | 234,653 | -1.0% |
| 2018 | 233,553 | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 234,947 | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 232,810 | -0.9% |
| 2021 | 234,240 | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 235,516 | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 238,816 | +1.4% |
Singapore compared with similar countries
- Singapore's 238,816 is above the median for high income countries, which is 236,668, 1.0× the median. (78 countries reporting)
- Singapore's 238,816 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 227,656, 1.0× the median. (35 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 329,828 | 290,859 | 363,518 | 10 |
| 1980s | 276,869 | 257,833 | 291,722 | 10 |
| 1990s | 260,681 | 251,097 | 269,668 | 7 |
| 2000s | 298,469 | 294,602 | 301,101 | 3 |
| 2010s | 235,024 | 233,553 | 236,943 | 4 |
| 2020s | 235,346 | 232,810 | 238,816 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Singapore
More education data for Singapore
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 13,601 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 336 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 9,429 (1989)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 8,429 (1989)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 163,746 (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 238,816 (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.4 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0404 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is primary education, pupils in Singapore?
- Primary education, pupils in Singapore was 238,816 in 2023, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest primary education, pupils recorded in Singapore?
- The highest recorded value was 363,518 in 1970.
- What is the lowest primary education, pupils recorded in Singapore?
- The lowest recorded value was 232,810 in 2020.
- How does Singapore rank for primary education, pupils?
- Singapore ranks 135th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is primary education, pupils rising or falling in Singapore?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Singapore 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 38 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Primary education pupils is the total number of pupils enrolled at primary level in public and private schools.