Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Philippines
Philippines: Share of children in primary school age who are in school was 88.4% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Philippines, 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 Philippines is 88.4%, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.3% on the previous year and down 1.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children in primary school age who are in school in Philippines peaked at 100.0% in 1940 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 1820.
Philippines ranks 163rd of 209 countries on this measure, 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 Philippines, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 0.2% | — |
| 1825 | 0.3% | +35.0% |
| 1830 | 0.4% | +33.3% |
| 1835 | 0.5% | +36.1% |
| 1840 | 0.7% | +32.7% |
| 1845 | 0.9% | +33.8% |
| 1850 | 1.2% | +33.3% |
| 1855 | 1.6% | +33.6% |
| 1860 | 2.1% | +32.9% |
| 1865 | 2.7% | +33.0% |
| 1870 | 3.6% | +32.5% |
| 1875 | 4.8% | +32.5% |
| 1880 | 6.3% | +31.6% |
| 1885 | 8.3% | +31.1% |
| 1890 | 10.8% | +30.4% |
| 1895 | 14.0% | +29.2% |
| 1900 | 17.9% | +27.9% |
| 1905 | 40.5% | +126.4% |
| 1910 | 59.3% | +46.6% |
| 1915 | 55.7% | -6.2% |
| 1920 | 74.0% | +33.0% |
| 1925 | 76.5% | +3.3% |
| 1930 | 73.9% | -3.3% |
| 1935 | 67.6% | -8.5% |
| 1940 | 100.0% | +47.9% |
| 1945 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 84.1% | -15.9% |
| 1965 | 100.0% | +18.9% |
| 1970 | 95.7% | -4.3% |
| 1975 | 95.0% | -0.8% |
| 1976 | 88.0% | -7.3% |
| 1979 | 88.9% | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 94.0% | +5.7% |
| 1981 | 87.9% | -6.5% |
| 1982 | 88.7% | +0.9% |
| 1983 | 88.0% | -0.8% |
| 1984 | 88.2% | +0.2% |
| 1985 | 92.1% | +4.5% |
| 1986 | 91.6% | -0.6% |
| 1987 | 91.8% | +0.2% |
| 1988 | 93.6% | +2.0% |
| 1989 | 94.8% | +1.3% |
| 1990 | 95.2% | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 91.4% | -4.0% |
| 1993 | 90.1% | -1.4% |
| 1994 | 88.3% | -2.0% |
| 1996 | 90.4% | +2.4% |
| 1998 | 87.2% | -3.6% |
| 1999 | 84.6% | -3.0% |
| 2001 | 86.1% | +1.8% |
| 2002 | 86.5% | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 86.1% | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 85.9% | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 86.5% | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 85.3% | -1.4% |
| 2007 | 85.5% | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 86.3% | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 87.9% | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 90.1% | +2.5% |
| 2015 | 89.4% | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 89.3% | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 89.4% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 89.3% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 90.9% | +1.8% |
| 2020 | 91.5% | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 87.7% | -4.2% |
| 2022 | 89.1% | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 89.5% | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 88.4% | -1.3% |
Philippines compared with similar countries
- Philippines's 88.4% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 96.0%, 92% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
- Philippines's 88.4% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 97.4%, 91% 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 Philippines 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1905 | +126.4% | 17.9% | 40.5% |
| 1940 | +47.9% | 67.6% | 100.0% |
| 1910 | +46.6% | 40.5% | 59.3% |
| 1835 | +36.1% | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| 1825 | +35.0% | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| 1845 | +33.8% | 0.7% | 0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1820s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 2 |
| 1830s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.5% | 2 |
| 1840s | 0.8% | 0.7% | 0.9% | 2 |
| 1850s | 1.4% | 1.2% | 1.6% | 2 |
| 1860s | 2.4% | 2.1% | 2.7% | 2 |
| 1870s | 4.2% | 3.6% | 4.8% | 2 |
| 1880s | 7.3% | 6.3% | 8.3% | 2 |
| 1890s | 12.4% | 10.8% | 14.0% | 2 |
| 1900s | 29.2% | 17.9% | 40.5% | 2 |
| 1910s | 57.5% | 55.7% | 59.3% | 2 |
| 1920s | 75.3% | 74.0% | 76.5% | 2 |
| 1930s | 70.8% | 67.6% | 73.9% | 2 |
| 1940s | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 2 |
| 1950s | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 2 |
| 1960s | 92.0% | 84.1% | 100.0% | 2 |
| 1970s | 91.9% | 88.0% | 95.7% | 4 |
| 1980s | 91.1% | 87.9% | 94.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 89.6% | 84.6% | 95.2% | 7 |
| 2000s | 86.2% | 85.3% | 87.9% | 9 |
| 2010s | 89.7% | 89.3% | 90.9% | 6 |
| 2020s | 89.2% | 87.7% | 91.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Philippines
More education data for Philippines
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 495,843 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 201,568 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.06 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 983,812 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 11.87 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 13.06 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.8345 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1128 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of children in primary school age who are in school in Philippines?
- Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Philippines was 88.4% 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 Philippines?
- 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 Philippines?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 1820.
- How does Philippines rank for share of children in primary school age who are in school?
- Philippines ranks 163rd out of 209 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children in primary school age who are in school rising or falling in Philippines?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Philippines 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.