Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Poland
Poland: Share of children in primary school age who are in school was 99.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
99.9%
Change on year
up 0.0%
World rank
8th
of 209 countries
All-time high
100.0%
in 1950
All-time low
17.8%
in 1820
Years of data
55
1820–2024
Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Poland, 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 Poland is 99.9%, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children in primary school age who are in school in Poland peaked at 100.0% in 1950 and was at its lowest, 17.8%, in 1820.
That places Poland 8th out of 209 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Poland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 17.8% | — |
| 1825 | 19.4% | +9.0% |
| 1830 | 21.1% | +8.9% |
| 1835 | 22.9% | +8.6% |
| 1840 | 24.8% | +8.5% |
| 1845 | 26.9% | +8.2% |
| 1850 | 29.0% | +8.0% |
| 1855 | 31.3% | +7.8% |
| 1860 | 33.6% | +7.5% |
| 1865 | 36.0% | +7.2% |
| 1870 | 38.5% | +6.9% |
| 1875 | 41.1% | +6.6% |
| 1880 | 43.7% | +6.4% |
| 1885 | 46.3% | +6.1% |
| 1890 | 49.0% | +5.8% |
| 1895 | 51.7% | +5.5% |
| 1900 | 54.4% | +5.2% |
| 1905 | 57.0% | +4.9% |
| 1910 | 59.6% | +4.6% |
| 1915 | 62.2% | +4.3% |
| 1920 | 64.7% | +4.0% |
| 1925 | 70.1% | +8.3% |
| 1930 | 81.7% | +16.7% |
| 1935 | 99.0% | +21.1% |
| 1940 | 86.0% | -13.1% |
| 1945 | 83.6% | -2.8% |
| 1950 | 100.0% | +19.6% |
| 1955 | 90.6% | -9.4% |
| 1960 | 92.2% | +1.8% |
| 1965 | 88.0% | -4.6% |
| 1970 | 95.0% | +8.0% |
| 1975 | 96.0% | +1.1% |
| 1980 | 98.0% | +2.1% |
| 2001 | 99.1% | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 99.0% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 99.0% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 98.9% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 98.8% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 98.6% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 98.1% | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 97.6% | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 97.2% | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 97.2% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 96.9% | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 96.6% | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 96.2% | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 95.8% | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 95.1% | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 95.4% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 96.6% | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 98.5% | +2.0% |
| 2021 | 100.0% | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 99.9% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 99.9% | +0.0% |
Poland compared with similar countries
- Poland's 99.9% is above the median for high income countries, which is 98.2%, 1.0× the median. (74 countries reporting)
- Poland's 99.9% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 98.6%, 1.0× the median. (51 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1820s | 18.6% | 17.8% | 19.4% | 2 |
| 1830s | 22.0% | 21.1% | 22.9% | 2 |
| 1840s | 25.9% | 24.8% | 26.9% | 2 |
| 1850s | 30.1% | 29.0% | 31.3% | 2 |
| 1860s | 34.8% | 33.6% | 36.0% | 2 |
| 1870s | 39.8% | 38.5% | 41.1% | 2 |
| 1880s | 45.0% | 43.7% | 46.3% | 2 |
| 1890s | 50.3% | 49.0% | 51.7% | 2 |
| 1900s | 55.7% | 54.4% | 57.0% | 2 |
| 1910s | 60.9% | 59.6% | 62.2% | 2 |
| 1920s | 67.4% | 64.7% | 70.1% | 2 |
| 1930s | 90.4% | 81.7% | 99.0% | 2 |
| 1940s | 84.8% | 83.6% | 86.0% | 2 |
| 1950s | 95.3% | 90.6% | 100.0% | 2 |
| 1960s | 90.1% | 88.0% | 92.2% | 2 |
| 1970s | 95.5% | 95.0% | 96.0% | 2 |
| 1980s | 98.0% | 98.0% | 98.0% | 1 |
| 2000s | 98.5% | 97.2% | 99.1% | 9 |
| 2010s | 96.2% | 95.1% | 97.2% | 8 |
| 2020s | 99.7% | 98.5% | 100.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Poland
More education data for Poland
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 322,900 (2025)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 15,398 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 776,213 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 735,804 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.33 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.60 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.04 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0438 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of children in primary school age who are in school in Poland?
- Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Poland was 99.9% 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 Poland?
- The highest recorded value was 100.0% in 1950.
- What is the lowest share of children in primary school age who are in school recorded in Poland?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.8% in 1820.
- How does Poland rank for share of children in primary school age who are in school?
- Poland ranks 8th out of 209 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children in primary school age who are in school rising or falling in Poland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Poland 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.