Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Liberia
Liberia: Share of children in primary school age who are in school was 61.7% in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Liberia, 1820–2022
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Liberia recorded 61.7% for share of children in primary school age who are in school in 2022.
The figure is down 4.4% on the previous year and down 35.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children in primary school age who are in school in Liberia peaked at 96.1% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 1820.
That places Liberia 200th out of 209 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1820s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 2 |
| 1830s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 2 |
| 1840s | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.7% | 2 |
| 1850s | 0.9% | 0.8% | 1.0% | 2 |
| 1860s | 1.5% | 1.3% | 1.7% | 2 |
| 1870s | 2.4% | 2.1% | 2.6% | 2 |
| 1880s | 3.8% | 3.3% | 4.2% | 2 |
| 1890s | 6.5% | 5.2% | 7.8% | 2 |
| 1900s | 14.0% | 12.8% | 15.2% | 2 |
| 1910s | 16.2% | 14.7% | 17.6% | 2 |
| 1920s | 8.5% | 6.1% | 10.9% | 2 |
| 1930s | 9.6% | 8.8% | 10.4% | 2 |
| 1940s | 8.7% | 7.9% | 9.4% | 2 |
| 1950s | 17.6% | 15.9% | 19.2% | 2 |
| 1960s | 32.0% | 27.6% | 36.5% | 2 |
| 1970s | 52.5% | 49.8% | 55.2% | 2 |
| 1980s | 67.6% | 67.6% | 67.6% | 1 |
| 1990s | 44.2% | 44.2% | 44.2% | 1 |
| 2000s | 40.4% | 40.4% | 40.4% | 1 |
| 2010s | 84.8% | 73.6% | 96.1% | 5 |
| 2020s | 65.0% | 61.7% | 68.6% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Liberia
- 197 Burkina Faso 65.7% compare
- 198 Angola 63.2% compare
- 199 Central African Republic 62.1% compare
- 201 Eritrea 59.6% compare
- 202 Niger 59.6% compare
- 203 Cape Verde 58.2% compare
More education data for Liberia
- Duration of pre-primary education 3 years (2025)
- Official entrance age to pre-primary education 3 years (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 57.6% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 39.1% (2025)
- Lower secondary school starting age 12 years (2025)
- Primary school starting age 6 years (2025)
- School enrollment, primary 66.6% (2022)
- Primary education, teachers 37,210 (2022)
- Fertility rate vs. average years of schooling 3.86 live births per woman (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, female 67.4% (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of children in primary school age who are in school in Liberia?
- Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Liberia was 61.7% in 2022, 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 Liberia?
- The highest recorded value was 96.1% in 2011.
- What is the lowest share of children in primary school age who are in school recorded in Liberia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 1820.
- How does Liberia rank for share of children in primary school age who are in school?
- Liberia ranks 200th out of 209 countries with data for 2022.
- Is share of children in primary school age who are in school rising or falling in Liberia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 35.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Liberia 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
The share of children of primary school age (typically 6–11 years) who are enrolled in primary education.