Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Share of children in primary school age who are in school was 90.9% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Sri Lanka, 1820–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, share of children in primary school age who are in school in Sri Lanka stood at 90.9%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.5% on the previous year and down 8.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children in primary school age who are in school in Sri Lanka peaked at 99.8% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 3.0%, in 1820.
Sri Lanka ranks 151st 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 Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 3.0% | — |
| 1825 | 3.8% | +28.1% |
| 1830 | 4.8% | +28.0% |
| 1835 | 4.7% | -3.9% |
| 1840 | 4.5% | -4.3% |
| 1845 | 4.2% | -4.7% |
| 1850 | 4.0% | -5.0% |
| 1855 | 4.9% | +21.8% |
| 1860 | 5.8% | +17.7% |
| 1865 | 6.6% | +13.8% |
| 1870 | 7.4% | +12.2% |
| 1875 | 11.9% | +61.5% |
| 1880 | 16.4% | +38.0% |
| 1885 | 20.7% | +25.9% |
| 1890 | 25.0% | +20.6% |
| 1895 | 27.8% | +11.1% |
| 1900 | 30.5% | +10.1% |
| 1905 | 36.7% | +20.0% |
| 1910 | 42.8% | +16.7% |
| 1915 | 44.0% | +2.8% |
| 1920 | 45.2% | +2.7% |
| 1925 | 46.6% | +3.3% |
| 1930 | 48.1% | +3.2% |
| 1935 | 57.3% | +19.0% |
| 1940 | 48.0% | -16.3% |
| 1945 | 62.1% | +29.5% |
| 1950 | 75.0% | +20.7% |
| 1955 | 72.5% | -3.3% |
| 1960 | 67.4% | -7.0% |
| 1965 | 66.0% | -2.1% |
| 1970 | 96.1% | +45.6% |
| 1975 | 74.8% | -22.2% |
| 1977 | 79.4% | +6.2% |
| 1980 | 95.2% | +19.8% |
| 1986 | 98.1% | +3.1% |
| 2001 | 96.8% | -1.2% |
| 2002 | 95.7% | -1.1% |
| 2003 | 94.2% | -1.6% |
| 2004 | 92.2% | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 92.0% | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 92.1% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 92.4% | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 92.4% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 91.0% | -1.5% |
| 2010 | 92.9% | +2.1% |
| 2011 | 92.8% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 92.5% | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 99.7% | +7.8% |
| 2014 | 93.6% | -6.1% |
| 2015 | 96.1% | +2.6% |
| 2016 | 96.2% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 99.7% | +3.6% |
| 2018 | 99.8% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 99.5% | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 99.3% | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 98.0% | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 92.2% | -5.9% |
| 2023 | 90.9% | -1.5% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 90.9% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 96.0%, 95% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 90.9% is below the median for South Asia, which is 96.6%, 94% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Sri Lanka 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1875 | +61.5% | 7.4% | 11.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1820s | 3.4% | 3.0% | 3.8% | 2 |
| 1830s | 4.7% | 4.7% | 4.8% | 2 |
| 1840s | 4.3% | 4.2% | 4.5% | 2 |
| 1850s | 4.5% | 4.0% | 4.9% | 2 |
| 1860s | 6.2% | 5.8% | 6.6% | 2 |
| 1870s | 9.7% | 7.4% | 11.9% | 2 |
| 1880s | 18.6% | 16.4% | 20.7% | 2 |
| 1890s | 26.4% | 25.0% | 27.8% | 2 |
| 1900s | 33.6% | 30.5% | 36.7% | 2 |
| 1910s | 43.4% | 42.8% | 44.0% | 2 |
| 1920s | 45.9% | 45.2% | 46.6% | 2 |
| 1930s | 52.7% | 48.1% | 57.3% | 2 |
| 1940s | 55.0% | 48.0% | 62.1% | 2 |
| 1950s | 73.7% | 72.5% | 75.0% | 2 |
| 1960s | 66.7% | 66.0% | 67.4% | 2 |
| 1970s | 83.4% | 74.8% | 96.1% | 3 |
| 1980s | 96.6% | 95.2% | 98.1% | 2 |
| 2000s | 93.2% | 91.0% | 96.8% | 9 |
| 2010s | 96.3% | 92.5% | 99.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 95.1% | 90.9% | 99.3% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More education data for Sri Lanka
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 155,543 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 224,799 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 214,300 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.54 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.58 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -2.89 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0715 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of children in primary school age who are in school in Sri Lanka?
- Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Sri Lanka was 90.9% 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 Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 99.8% in 2018.
- What is the lowest share of children in primary school age who are in school recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.0% in 1820.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for share of children in primary school age who are in school?
- Sri Lanka ranks 151st out of 209 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of children in primary school age who are in school rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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.