Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Hong Kong
Hong Kong: Share of children in primary school age who are in school was 98.6% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Hong Kong, 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 Hong Kong is 98.6%, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and down 0.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children in primary school age who are in school in Hong Kong peaked at 99.9% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1820.
That places Hong Kong 58th out of 209 countries with data for 2024, putting it 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 Hong Kong, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 0.0% | — |
| 1825 | 0.0% | — |
| 1830 | 0.0% | — |
| 1835 | 0.0% | — |
| 1840 | 0.0% | — |
| 1845 | 0.0% | — |
| 1850 | 0.0% | — |
| 1855 | 0.0% | — |
| 1860 | 0.4% | — |
| 1865 | 1.2% | +188.1% |
| 1870 | 2.6% | +112.4% |
| 1875 | 4.8% | +87.5% |
| 1880 | 8.3% | +73.0% |
| 1885 | 13.6% | +62.8% |
| 1890 | 20.9% | +53.7% |
| 1895 | 18.1% | -13.0% |
| 1900 | 15.4% | -15.0% |
| 1905 | 14.6% | -5.3% |
| 1910 | 13.8% | -5.6% |
| 1915 | 17.9% | +29.7% |
| 1920 | 22.0% | +22.9% |
| 1925 | 37.9% | +72.4% |
| 1930 | 53.8% | +42.0% |
| 1935 | 55.9% | +3.9% |
| 1940 | 44.9% | -19.7% |
| 1945 | 48.5% | +8.0% |
| 1950 | 35.9% | -25.9% |
| 1955 | 29.4% | -18.1% |
| 1960 | 59.0% | +100.5% |
| 1965 | 81.0% | +37.3% |
| 1970 | 87.0% | +7.4% |
| 1975 | 92.0% | +5.7% |
| 1980 | 95.0% | +3.3% |
| 2001 | 96.0% | +1.0% |
| 2002 | 96.3% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 98.0% | +1.7% |
| 2004 | 96.9% | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 97.9% | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 98.7% | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 98.2% | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 99.5% | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 99.6% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 99.6% | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 99.7% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 99.7% | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 99.6% | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 99.2% | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 99.1% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 99.3% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 99.8% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 99.9% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 99.9% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 99.3% | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 99.0% | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 98.8% | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 98.5% | -0.3% |
| 2024 | 98.6% | +0.1% |
Hong Kong compared with similar countries
- Hong Kong's 98.6% is above the median for high income countries, which is 98.2%, 1.0× the median. (74 countries reporting)
- Hong Kong's 98.6% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 97.4%, 1.0× the median. (33 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Hong Kong 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1865 | +188.1% | 0.4% | 1.2% |
| 1870 | +112.4% | 1.2% | 2.6% |
| 1960 | +100.5% | 29.4% | 59.0% |
| 1875 | +87.5% | 2.6% | 4.8% |
| 1880 | +73.0% | 4.8% | 8.3% |
| 1925 | +72.4% | 22.0% | 37.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1820s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1830s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1840s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1850s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1860s | 0.8% | 0.4% | 1.2% | 2 |
| 1870s | 3.7% | 2.6% | 4.8% | 2 |
| 1880s | 11.0% | 8.3% | 13.6% | 2 |
| 1890s | 19.5% | 18.1% | 20.9% | 2 |
| 1900s | 15.0% | 14.6% | 15.4% | 2 |
| 1910s | 15.8% | 13.8% | 17.9% | 2 |
| 1920s | 29.9% | 22.0% | 37.9% | 2 |
| 1930s | 54.8% | 53.8% | 55.9% | 2 |
| 1940s | 46.7% | 44.9% | 48.5% | 2 |
| 1950s | 32.7% | 29.4% | 35.9% | 2 |
| 1960s | 70.0% | 59.0% | 81.0% | 2 |
| 1970s | 89.5% | 87.0% | 92.0% | 2 |
| 1980s | 95.0% | 95.0% | 95.0% | 1 |
| 2000s | 97.9% | 96.0% | 99.6% | 9 |
| 2010s | 99.6% | 99.1% | 99.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 98.9% | 98.5% | 99.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Hong Kong
More education data for Hong Kong
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 329,780 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 65,737 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 340,877 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 72,557 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 1,605 (2024)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 31,678 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0438 units per person (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of children in primary school age who are in school in Hong Kong?
- Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Hong Kong was 98.6% 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 Hong Kong?
- The highest recorded value was 99.9% in 2019.
- What is the lowest share of children in primary school age who are in school recorded in Hong Kong?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1820.
- How does Hong Kong rank for share of children in primary school age who are in school?
- Hong Kong ranks 58th out of 209 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children in primary school age who are in school rising or falling in Hong Kong?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Hong Kong 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.