Primary education, teachers in South Asia
South Asia: Primary education, teachers was 5.84 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Primary education, teachers in South Asia, 1970–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for primary education, teachers in South Asia is 5.84 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
The figure is up 3.2% on the previous year and up 12.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary education, teachers in South Asia peaked at 5.84 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 1.57 million, in 1971.
That places South Asia 16th out of 45 groups 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, teachers in South Asia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 2.93 million | — |
| 1971 | 1.57 million | -46.3% |
| 1972 | 1.62 million | +3.1% |
| 1973 | 1.70 million | +4.4% |
| 1974 | 1.70 million | +0.4% |
| 1975 | 1.78 million | +4.5% |
| 1976 | 1.80 million | +1.3% |
| 1977 | 1.88 million | +4.3% |
| 1978 | 1.85 million | -1.4% |
| 1979 | 1.88 million | +1.3% |
| 1980 | 1.91 million | +1.9% |
| 1981 | 1.98 million | +3.6% |
| 1982 | 2.05 million | +3.5% |
| 1983 | 2.16 million | +5.2% |
| 1984 | 2.27 million | +5.0% |
| 1985 | 2.31 million | +2.0% |
| 1986 | 2.41 million | +4.2% |
| 1987 | 2.40 million | -0.2% |
| 1988 | 2.50 million | +3.8% |
| 1989 | 2.63 million | +5.6% |
| 1990 | 2.69 million | +2.2% |
| 1991 | 2.76 million | +2.5% |
| 1992 | 2.84 million | +3.0% |
| 1993 | 2.95 million | +4.0% |
| 1994 | 3.05 million | +3.1% |
| 1995 | 3.09 million | +1.4% |
| 1996 | 3.13 million | +1.3% |
| 1997 | 3.17 million | +1.2% |
| 1998 | 3.16 million | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 3.22 million | +1.9% |
| 2000 | 3.30 million | +2.5% |
| 2001 | 3.31 million | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 3.32 million | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 3.55 million | +7.0% |
| 2004 | 3.65 million | +2.9% |
| 2005 | 3.75 million | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 3.86 million | +2.8% |
| 2007 | 3.98 million | +3.2% |
| 2008 | 4.14 million | +4.0% |
| 2009 | 4.25 million | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 4.43 million | +4.1% |
| 2011 | 4.62 million | +4.4% |
| 2012 | 4.71 million | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 5.12 million | +8.8% |
| 2014 | 5.18 million | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 5.20 million | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 5.36 million | +3.1% |
| 2017 | 5.23 million | -2.5% |
| 2018 | 4.91 million | -6.0% |
| 2019 | 5.21 million | +6.0% |
| 2020 | 5.47 million | +5.1% |
| 2021 | 5.51 million | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 5.50 million | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 5.65 million | +2.8% |
| 2024 | 5.84 million | +3.2% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Primary education, teachers in South Asia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | -46.3% | 2.93 million | 1.57 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.87 million | 1.57 million | 2.93 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.26 million | 1.91 million | 2.63 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.01 million | 2.69 million | 3.22 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.71 million | 3.30 million | 4.25 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.00 million | 4.43 million | 5.36 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.59 million | 5.47 million | 5.84 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Asia
More education data for South Asia
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 152.88 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 160.82 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 4.5 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0959 units per person (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 5.84 million (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 24.6% (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 68.1% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is primary education, teachers in South Asia?
- Primary education, teachers in South Asia was 5.84 million in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest primary education, teachers recorded in South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 5.84 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest primary education, teachers recorded in South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.57 million in 1971.
- How does South Asia rank for primary education, teachers?
- South Asia ranks 16th out of 45 groups with data for 2024.
- Is primary education, teachers rising or falling in South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Asia data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Primary education, teachers. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Primary education, teachers refers to the total number of teachers at primary level, including full-time and part-time teachers.