Primary education, teachers in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Primary education, teachers was 87.9% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
87.9%
Change on year
down 1.2%
World rank
44th
of 200 countries
All-time high
95.6%
in 1996
All-time low
60.0%
in 1978
Years of data
26
1978–2023

Primary education, teachers in Sri Lanka, 1978–2023

0204060801001978200020231978: 60 % female1992: 80.4 % female1993: 80.3 % female1994: 82.3 % female1995: 83.4 % female1996: 95.6 % female2002: 78.9 % female2003: 78.9 % female2004: 78.9 % female2005: 78.5 % female2006: 84.1 % female2007: 84.6 % female2008: 85 % female2009: 84.9 % female2010: 85 % female2011: 85 % female2012: 86.3 % female2015: 86.4 % female2016: 86.7 % female2017: 87.4 % female2018: 87.7 % female2019: 87.9 % female2020: 88.3 % female2021: 89.2 % female2022: 88.9 % female2023: 87.9 % female

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

Analysis

In 2023, primary education, teachers in Sri Lanka stood at 87.9%.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.2% on the previous year and up 1.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, primary education, teachers in Sri Lanka peaked at 95.6% in 1996 and was at its lowest, 60.0%, in 1978.

Sri Lanka ranks 44th of 200 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.

Primary education, teachers in Sri Lanka, year by year

Annual values for Primary education, teachers (% female) in Sri Lanka, 1978 to 2023.
Year % female Change
1978 60.0%
1992 80.4% +34.0%
1993 80.3% -0.2%
1994 82.3% +2.5%
1995 83.4% +1.4%
1996 95.6% +14.6%
2002 78.9% -17.5%
2003 78.9% +0.0%
2004 78.9% +0.0%
2005 78.5% -0.5%
2006 84.1% +7.1%
2007 84.6% +0.6%
2008 85.0% +0.4%
2009 84.9% -0.1%
2010 85.0% +0.1%
2011 85.0% -0.0%
2012 86.3% +1.6%
2015 86.4% +0.1%
2016 86.7% +0.3%
2017 87.4% +0.8%
2018 87.7% +0.4%
2019 87.9% +0.3%
2020 88.3% +0.4%
2021 89.2% +1.1%
2022 88.9% -0.4%
2023 87.9% -1.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 60.0% 60.0% 60.0% 1
1990s 84.4% 80.3% 95.6% 5
2000s 81.7% 78.5% 85.0% 8
2010s 86.6% 85.0% 87.9% 8
2020s 88.6% 87.9% 89.2% 4

Countries ranked near Sri Lanka

  1. 41 Serbia 88.3% compare
  2. 42 Philippines 88.3% compare
  3. 43 Turks and Caicos Islands 87.9% compare
  4. 45 Seychelles 87.6% compare
  5. 46 United States of America 87.5% compare
  6. 47 Argentina 87.4% compare

See the full ranking of 245 places →

More education data for Sri Lanka

All data for Sri Lanka →

Frequently asked questions

What is primary education, teachers in Sri Lanka?
Primary education, teachers in Sri Lanka was 87.9% in 2023, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest primary education, teachers recorded in Sri Lanka?
The highest recorded value was 95.6% in 1996.
What is the lowest primary education, teachers recorded in Sri Lanka?
The lowest recorded value was 60.0% in 1978.
How does Sri Lanka rank for primary education, teachers?
Sri Lanka ranks 44th out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
Is primary education, teachers rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
Over the last ten years it is up 1.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Primary education, teachers (% female). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Primary education, teachers in Sri Lanka. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 24 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/primary-education-teachers-percent-female/sri-lanka/

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About this data

Indicator
Primary education, teachers (% female)
Unit
% female
Source
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
245 places, 8,480 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

Female teachers as a percentage of total primary education teachers includes full-time and part-time teachers.