Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Malta
Malta: Share of children in primary school age who are in school was 97.4% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
97.4%
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
88th
of 209 countries
All-time high
100.0%
in 1940
All-time low
2.8%
in 1820
Years of data
46
1820–2023
Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Malta, 1820–2023
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 Malta is 97.4%, measured in 2023.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and down 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children in primary school age who are in school in Malta peaked at 100.0% in 1940 and was at its lowest, 2.8%, in 1820.
Malta ranks 88th 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 Malta, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 2.8% | — |
| 1825 | 3.4% | +22.8% |
| 1830 | 4.2% | +22.4% |
| 1835 | 5.1% | +22.4% |
| 1840 | 6.2% | +22.0% |
| 1845 | 7.5% | +21.6% |
| 1850 | 9.2% | +21.4% |
| 1855 | 11.1% | +20.9% |
| 1860 | 13.3% | +20.4% |
| 1865 | 15.9% | +19.7% |
| 1870 | 19.0% | +19.1% |
| 1875 | 22.4% | +18.2% |
| 1880 | 26.3% | +17.3% |
| 1885 | 30.6% | +16.4% |
| 1890 | 35.3% | +15.2% |
| 1895 | 48.2% | +36.4% |
| 1900 | 61.0% | +26.7% |
| 1905 | 69.5% | +13.9% |
| 1910 | 78.0% | +12.2% |
| 1915 | 72.9% | -6.5% |
| 1920 | 67.8% | -7.0% |
| 1925 | 79.1% | +16.6% |
| 1930 | 90.3% | +14.2% |
| 1935 | 95.2% | +5.3% |
| 1940 | 100.0% | +5.1% |
| 1945 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 76.0% | -24.0% |
| 1965 | 79.0% | +3.9% |
| 1970 | 88.0% | +11.4% |
| 1975 | 84.0% | -4.5% |
| 1980 | 87.0% | +3.6% |
| 2011 | 99.9% | +14.9% |
| 2012 | 99.7% | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 99.0% | -0.8% |
| 2014 | 98.7% | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 98.8% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 98.8% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 98.8% | -0.0% |
| 2018 | 99.4% | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 98.5% | -0.9% |
| 2020 | 97.7% | -0.8% |
| 2021 | 97.4% | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 97.0% | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 97.4% | +0.3% |
Malta compared with similar countries
- Malta's 97.4% is below the median for high income countries, which is 98.2%, 99% of the median. (74 countries reporting)
- Malta's 97.4% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 95.4%, 1.0× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1820s | 3.1% | 2.8% | 3.4% | 2 |
| 1830s | 4.6% | 4.2% | 5.1% | 2 |
| 1840s | 6.9% | 6.2% | 7.5% | 2 |
| 1850s | 10.1% | 9.2% | 11.1% | 2 |
| 1860s | 14.6% | 13.3% | 15.9% | 2 |
| 1870s | 20.7% | 19.0% | 22.4% | 2 |
| 1880s | 28.5% | 26.3% | 30.6% | 2 |
| 1890s | 41.8% | 35.3% | 48.2% | 2 |
| 1900s | 65.3% | 61.0% | 69.5% | 2 |
| 1910s | 75.5% | 72.9% | 78.0% | 2 |
| 1920s | 73.5% | 67.8% | 79.1% | 2 |
| 1930s | 92.8% | 90.3% | 95.2% | 2 |
| 1940s | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 2 |
| 1950s | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 2 |
| 1960s | 77.5% | 76.0% | 79.0% | 2 |
| 1970s | 86.0% | 84.0% | 88.0% | 2 |
| 1980s | 87.0% | 87.0% | 87.0% | 1 |
| 2010s | 99.1% | 98.5% | 99.9% | 9 |
| 2020s | 97.4% | 97.0% | 97.7% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malta
- 85 Cook Islands 97.5% compare
- 86 New Zealand 97.4% compare
- 87 Sierra Leone 97.4% compare
- 89 Israel 97.3% compare
- 90 Latvia 97.3% compare
- 91 Hungary 97.2% compare
More education data for Malta
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 4,664 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 70 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 4,949 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 4,626 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 32,424 (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 27,337 (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.1 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0495 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of children in primary school age who are in school in Malta?
- Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Malta was 97.4% in 2023, 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 Malta?
- The highest recorded value was 100.0% in 1940.
- What is the lowest share of children in primary school age who are in school recorded in Malta?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.8% in 1820.
- How does Malta rank for share of children in primary school age who are in school?
- Malta ranks 88th out of 209 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of children in primary school age who are in school rising or falling in Malta?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malta 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.