Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Egypt
Egypt: Share of children in primary school age who are in school was 96.5% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Egypt, 1820–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of children in primary school age who are in school in Egypt is 96.5%, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 0.9% on the previous year and up 12.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children in primary school age who are in school in Egypt peaked at 96.8% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 1820.
Egypt ranks 99th of 209 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Egypt, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 0.1% | — |
| 1825 | 0.1% | +33.3% |
| 1830 | 0.1% | +25.0% |
| 1835 | 0.1% | +40.0% |
| 1840 | 0.2% | +35.7% |
| 1845 | 0.2% | +31.6% |
| 1850 | 0.3% | +36.0% |
| 1855 | 0.5% | +32.4% |
| 1860 | 0.6% | +35.6% |
| 1865 | 0.8% | +32.8% |
| 1870 | 1.1% | +34.6% |
| 1875 | 1.5% | +34.9% |
| 1880 | 2.0% | +33.3% |
| 1885 | 2.6% | +34.2% |
| 1890 | 3.5% | +33.5% |
| 1895 | 4.7% | +32.8% |
| 1900 | 6.2% | +32.6% |
| 1905 | 8.2% | +31.9% |
| 1910 | 10.8% | +32.3% |
| 1915 | 18.7% | +73.7% |
| 1920 | 15.7% | -16.2% |
| 1925 | 19.1% | +21.9% |
| 1930 | 32.8% | +71.3% |
| 1935 | 45.6% | +39.3% |
| 1940 | 47.4% | +3.9% |
| 1945 | 41.8% | -11.8% |
| 1950 | 43.7% | +4.6% |
| 1955 | 39.7% | -9.2% |
| 1960 | 60.0% | +51.0% |
| 1965 | 69.0% | +15.0% |
| 1970 | 67.0% | -2.9% |
| 1971 | 64.9% | -3.1% |
| 1972 | 65.4% | +0.8% |
| 1973 | 65.5% | +0.1% |
| 1975 | 72.0% | +10.0% |
| 1978 | 67.1% | -6.8% |
| 1980 | 81.9% | +22.0% |
| 1994 | 82.8% | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 85.5% | +3.3% |
| 1999 | 83.3% | -2.6% |
| 2000 | 84.4% | +1.3% |
| 2001 | 84.6% | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 85.1% | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 85.7% | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 86.3% | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 86.1% | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 83.2% | -3.4% |
| 2007 | 86.8% | +4.4% |
| 2009 | 86.3% | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 86.9% | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 84.8% | -2.5% |
| 2012 | 86.9% | +2.5% |
| 2014 | 86.0% | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 88.7% | +3.1% |
| 2017 | 89.5% | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 91.9% | +2.7% |
| 2019 | 93.9% | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 95.5% | +1.7% |
| 2021 | 96.8% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 95.6% | -1.2% |
| 2024 | 96.5% | +0.9% |
Egypt compared with similar countries
- Egypt's 96.5% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 93.7%, 1.0× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Egypt's 96.5% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 95.4%, 1.0× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Egypt 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1915 | +73.7% | 10.8% | 18.7% |
| 1930 | +71.3% | 19.1% | 32.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1820s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 2 |
| 1830s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 2 |
| 1840s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 2 |
| 1850s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.5% | 2 |
| 1860s | 0.7% | 0.6% | 0.8% | 2 |
| 1870s | 1.3% | 1.1% | 1.5% | 2 |
| 1880s | 2.3% | 2.0% | 2.6% | 2 |
| 1890s | 4.1% | 3.5% | 4.7% | 2 |
| 1900s | 7.2% | 6.2% | 8.2% | 2 |
| 1910s | 14.8% | 10.8% | 18.7% | 2 |
| 1920s | 17.4% | 15.7% | 19.1% | 2 |
| 1930s | 39.2% | 32.8% | 45.6% | 2 |
| 1940s | 44.6% | 41.8% | 47.4% | 2 |
| 1950s | 41.7% | 39.7% | 43.7% | 2 |
| 1960s | 64.5% | 60.0% | 69.0% | 2 |
| 1970s | 67.0% | 64.9% | 72.0% | 6 |
| 1980s | 81.9% | 81.9% | 81.9% | 1 |
| 1990s | 83.9% | 82.8% | 85.5% | 3 |
| 2000s | 85.4% | 83.2% | 86.8% | 9 |
| 2010s | 88.6% | 84.8% | 93.9% | 8 |
| 2020s | 96.1% | 95.5% | 96.8% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Egypt
More education data for Egypt
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 507,445 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 95,355 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 759,210 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 718,435 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 11.56 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 15.40 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.23 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1322 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of children in primary school age who are in school in Egypt?
- Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Egypt was 96.5% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of children in primary school age who are in school recorded in Egypt?
- The highest recorded value was 96.8% in 2021.
- What is the lowest share of children in primary school age who are in school recorded in Egypt?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 1820.
- How does Egypt rank for share of children in primary school age who are in school?
- Egypt ranks 99th out of 209 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children in primary school age who are in school rising or falling in Egypt?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Egypt data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of children in primary school age who are in school. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of children of primary school age (typically 6–11 years) who are enrolled in primary education.