Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Malaysia
Malaysia: Share of children in primary school age who are in school was 88.0% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Malaysia, 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 Malaysia is 88.0%, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.1% on the previous year and down 5.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children in primary school age who are in school in Malaysia peaked at 97.2% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 1820.
That places Malaysia 164th out of 209 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
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 Malaysia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 0.1% | — |
| 1825 | 0.1% | +20.0% |
| 1830 | 0.1% | +50.0% |
| 1835 | 0.1% | +33.3% |
| 1840 | 0.2% | +41.7% |
| 1845 | 0.2% | +35.3% |
| 1850 | 0.3% | +39.1% |
| 1855 | 0.4% | +37.5% |
| 1860 | 0.6% | +36.4% |
| 1865 | 0.8% | +38.3% |
| 1870 | 1.1% | +37.3% |
| 1875 | 1.6% | +36.8% |
| 1880 | 2.1% | +37.8% |
| 1885 | 2.9% | +36.7% |
| 1890 | 4.0% | +36.4% |
| 1895 | 5.5% | +35.9% |
| 1900 | 7.4% | +35.2% |
| 1905 | 9.9% | +34.2% |
| 1910 | 13.2% | +33.1% |
| 1915 | 17.3% | +31.5% |
| 1920 | 22.4% | +29.5% |
| 1925 | 28.5% | +27.3% |
| 1930 | 35.5% | +24.6% |
| 1935 | 43.3% | +21.7% |
| 1940 | 51.3% | +18.7% |
| 1945 | 59.4% | +15.7% |
| 1950 | 67.0% | +12.8% |
| 1955 | 52.3% | -21.9% |
| 1960 | 96.0% | +83.5% |
| 1965 | 90.0% | -6.2% |
| 1970 | 92.4% | +2.6% |
| 1971 | 93.2% | +0.9% |
| 1972 | 94.8% | +1.7% |
| 1975 | 91.0% | -4.0% |
| 1980 | 95.0% | +4.4% |
| 1994 | 96.1% | +1.1% |
| 1998 | 96.0% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 96.8% | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 97.2% | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 95.2% | -2.1% |
| 2002 | 92.9% | -2.3% |
| 2003 | 93.1% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 95.7% | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 96.7% | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 94.6% | -2.2% |
| 2007 | 95.5% | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 95.8% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 96.0% | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 95.4% | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 94.9% | -0.5% |
| 2012 | 94.7% | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 94.5% | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 93.0% | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 92.2% | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 92.0% | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 92.1% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 92.2% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 89.1% | -3.4% |
| 2020 | 88.2% | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 87.9% | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 87.5% | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 90.9% | +3.8% |
| 2024 | 88.0% | -3.1% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 88.0% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 96.0%, 92% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 88.0% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 97.4%, 90% of the median. (33 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Malaysia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | +83.5% | 52.3% | 96.0% |
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% | 0.4% | 2 |
| 1860s | 0.7% | 0.6% | 0.8% | 2 |
| 1870s | 1.4% | 1.1% | 1.6% | 2 |
| 1880s | 2.5% | 2.1% | 2.9% | 2 |
| 1890s | 4.7% | 4.0% | 5.5% | 2 |
| 1900s | 8.6% | 7.4% | 9.9% | 2 |
| 1910s | 15.2% | 13.2% | 17.3% | 2 |
| 1920s | 25.5% | 22.4% | 28.5% | 2 |
| 1930s | 39.4% | 35.5% | 43.3% | 2 |
| 1940s | 55.3% | 51.3% | 59.4% | 2 |
| 1950s | 59.6% | 52.3% | 67.0% | 2 |
| 1960s | 93.0% | 90.0% | 96.0% | 2 |
| 1970s | 92.8% | 91.0% | 94.8% | 4 |
| 1980s | 95.0% | 95.0% | 95.0% | 1 |
| 1990s | 96.3% | 96.0% | 96.8% | 3 |
| 2000s | 95.3% | 92.9% | 97.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 93.0% | 89.1% | 95.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 88.5% | 87.5% | 90.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
- 161 Macao 89.2% compare
- 162 Mauritania 88.7% compare
- 163 Philippines 88.4% compare
- 165 Cote d'Ivoire 87.4% compare
- 166 Ukraine 87.1% compare
- 167 Puerto Rico 86.7% compare
More education data for Malaysia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 217,105 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 475,967 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 460,041 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.64 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.06 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.2 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0859 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of children in primary school age who are in school in Malaysia?
- Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Malaysia was 88.0% 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 Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 97.2% in 2000.
- What is the lowest share of children in primary school age who are in school recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 1820.
- How does Malaysia rank for share of children in primary school age who are in school?
- Malaysia ranks 164th out of 209 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children in primary school age who are in school rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malaysia 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.