Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Syria
Syria: Share of children in primary school age who are in school was 78.2% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
78.2%
Change on year
up 6.2%
World rank
182nd
of 209 countries
All-time high
99.1%
in 2011
All-time low
0.0%
in 1820
Years of data
78
1820–2024
Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Syria, 1820–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Syria recorded 78.2% for share of children in primary school age who are in school in 2024.
The figure is up 6.2% on the previous year and up 21.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children in primary school age who are in school in Syria peaked at 99.1% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1820.
Syria ranks 182nd 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 Syria, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 0.0% | — |
| 1825 | 0.0% | +50.0% |
| 1830 | 0.0% | +33.3% |
| 1835 | 0.1% | +50.0% |
| 1840 | 0.1% | +33.3% |
| 1845 | 0.1% | +50.0% |
| 1850 | 0.2% | +33.3% |
| 1855 | 0.2% | +37.5% |
| 1860 | 0.3% | +40.9% |
| 1865 | 0.4% | +38.7% |
| 1870 | 0.6% | +37.2% |
| 1875 | 0.8% | +39.0% |
| 1880 | 1.1% | +39.0% |
| 1885 | 1.6% | +37.7% |
| 1890 | 2.2% | +38.2% |
| 1895 | 3.0% | +37.8% |
| 1900 | 4.1% | +37.1% |
| 1905 | 5.6% | +36.8% |
| 1910 | 7.6% | +35.8% |
| 1915 | 10.3% | +34.9% |
| 1920 | 13.7% | +33.7% |
| 1925 | 18.1% | +31.9% |
| 1930 | 23.5% | +29.8% |
| 1935 | 24.9% | +5.9% |
| 1940 | 28.3% | +13.6% |
| 1945 | 34.8% | +23.1% |
| 1950 | 60.0% | +72.2% |
| 1955 | 55.0% | -8.3% |
| 1960 | 55.8% | +1.5% |
| 1965 | 67.0% | +20.0% |
| 1970 | 70.0% | +4.5% |
| 1971 | 71.5% | +2.1% |
| 1973 | 80.0% | +11.9% |
| 1974 | 82.0% | +2.5% |
| 1975 | 82.2% | +0.2% |
| 1976 | 83.6% | +1.8% |
| 1977 | 83.7% | +0.1% |
| 1978 | 82.0% | -2.0% |
| 1979 | 82.1% | +0.2% |
| 1980 | 83.5% | +1.7% |
| 1981 | 84.1% | +0.7% |
| 1982 | 84.8% | +0.9% |
| 1983 | 85.7% | +1.1% |
| 1984 | 87.9% | +2.5% |
| 1985 | 89.5% | +1.9% |
| 1986 | 91.3% | +2.0% |
| 1987 | 95.0% | +4.0% |
| 1988 | 95.2% | +0.2% |
| 1989 | 95.9% | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 95.9% | -0.1% |
| 1991 | 96.0% | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 96.4% | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 96.4% | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 96.6% | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 95.2% | -1.4% |
| 1996 | 93.9% | -1.4% |
| 1997 | 92.7% | -1.3% |
| 1998 | 93.3% | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 94.0% | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 93.8% | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 93.6% | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 95.0% | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 98.0% | +3.2% |
| 2004 | 98.4% | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 98.5% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 98.6% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 98.6% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 98.7% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 98.8% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 98.8% | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 99.1% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 99.0% | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 64.1% | -35.2% |
| 2020 | 66.6% | +3.8% |
| 2021 | 65.4% | -1.8% |
| 2022 | 68.9% | +5.4% |
| 2023 | 73.7% | +6.9% |
| 2024 | 78.2% | +6.2% |
Syria compared with similar countries
- Syria's 78.2% is above the median for low income countries, which is 69.5%, 1.1× the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Syria's 78.2% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 95.4%, 82% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Syria 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | +72.2% | 34.8% | 60.0% |
| 1825 | +50.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1835 | +50.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 1845 | +50.0% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 1860 | +40.9% | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| 2013 | -35.2% | 99.0% | 64.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1820s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1830s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 2 |
| 1840s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 2 |
| 1850s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 2 |
| 1860s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 2 |
| 1870s | 0.7% | 0.6% | 0.8% | 2 |
| 1880s | 1.4% | 1.1% | 1.6% | 2 |
| 1890s | 2.6% | 2.2% | 3.0% | 2 |
| 1900s | 4.9% | 4.1% | 5.6% | 2 |
| 1910s | 8.9% | 7.6% | 10.3% | 2 |
| 1920s | 15.9% | 13.7% | 18.1% | 2 |
| 1930s | 24.2% | 23.5% | 24.9% | 2 |
| 1940s | 31.6% | 28.3% | 34.8% | 2 |
| 1950s | 57.5% | 55.0% | 60.0% | 2 |
| 1960s | 61.4% | 55.8% | 67.0% | 2 |
| 1970s | 79.7% | 70.0% | 83.7% | 9 |
| 1980s | 89.3% | 83.5% | 95.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 95.0% | 92.7% | 96.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 97.2% | 93.6% | 98.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 90.3% | 64.1% | 99.1% | 4 |
| 2020s | 70.5% | 65.4% | 78.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Syria
More education data for Syria
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 54,596 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 90,421 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 75,782 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 72,747 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.36 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.17 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.0055 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.088 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of children in primary school age who are in school in Syria?
- Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Syria was 78.2% 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 Syria?
- The highest recorded value was 99.1% in 2011.
- What is the lowest share of children in primary school age who are in school recorded in Syria?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1820.
- How does Syria rank for share of children in primary school age who are in school?
- Syria ranks 182nd out of 209 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children in primary school age who are in school rising or falling in Syria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Syria 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.
Download this data
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About this data
Share of children of primary school age (typically 6–11 years) who are enrolled in primary education.