Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Share of children in primary school age who are in school was 89.5% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Zimbabwe, 1820–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Zimbabwe recorded 89.5% for share of children in primary school age who are in school in 2024.
The figure is down 1.5% on the previous year and down 0.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children in primary school age who are in school in Zimbabwe peaked at 99.9% in 1982 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1820.
That places Zimbabwe 158th out of 209 countries with data for 2024, putting it 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 Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 0.0% | — |
| 1825 | 0.0% | — |
| 1830 | 0.0% | — |
| 1835 | 0.0% | — |
| 1840 | 0.0% | — |
| 1845 | 0.0% | — |
| 1850 | 0.0% | — |
| 1855 | 0.0% | — |
| 1860 | 0.0% | — |
| 1865 | 0.0% | — |
| 1870 | 0.0% | — |
| 1875 | 0.0% | — |
| 1880 | 0.0% | — |
| 1885 | 0.0% | — |
| 1890 | 0.0% | — |
| 1895 | 0.8% | — |
| 1900 | 2.4% | +191.4% |
| 1905 | 5.1% | +116.1% |
| 1910 | 9.6% | +88.4% |
| 1915 | 20.5% | +113.1% |
| 1920 | 31.4% | +53.1% |
| 1925 | 48.6% | +55.0% |
| 1930 | 65.9% | +35.5% |
| 1935 | 58.9% | -10.6% |
| 1940 | 51.9% | -11.9% |
| 1945 | 58.9% | +13.6% |
| 1950 | 66.0% | +12.0% |
| 1955 | 80.4% | +21.8% |
| 1960 | 74.4% | -7.4% |
| 1965 | 85.3% | +14.6% |
| 1970 | 57.4% | -32.7% |
| 1975 | 56.6% | -1.3% |
| 1980 | 68.2% | +20.6% |
| 1982 | 99.9% | +46.4% |
| 1984 | 99.5% | -0.4% |
| 1986 | 98.8% | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 86.5% | -12.5% |
| 1999 | 91.1% | +5.3% |
| 2000 | 94.7% | +4.0% |
| 2001 | 98.5% | +4.0% |
| 2002 | 95.7% | -2.9% |
| 2003 | 94.4% | -1.4% |
| 2012 | 91.5% | -3.1% |
| 2013 | 90.1% | -1.6% |
| 2014 | 89.6% | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 81.2% | -9.3% |
| 2016 | 82.3% | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 80.6% | -2.1% |
| 2018 | 81.2% | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 81.6% | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 83.1% | +1.8% |
| 2021 | 90.6% | +9.0% |
| 2022 | 91.8% | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 90.9% | -1.0% |
| 2024 | 89.5% | -1.5% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 89.5% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 93.7%, 95% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 89.5% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 84.5%, 1.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Zimbabwe 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | +191.4% | 0.8% | 2.4% |
| 1905 | +116.1% | 2.4% | 5.1% |
| 1915 | +113.1% | 9.6% | 20.5% |
| 1910 | +88.4% | 5.1% | 9.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1820s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1830s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1840s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1850s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1860s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1870s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1880s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1890s | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.8% | 2 |
| 1900s | 3.7% | 2.4% | 5.1% | 2 |
| 1910s | 15.0% | 9.6% | 20.5% | 2 |
| 1920s | 40.0% | 31.4% | 48.6% | 2 |
| 1930s | 62.4% | 58.9% | 65.9% | 2 |
| 1940s | 55.4% | 51.9% | 58.9% | 2 |
| 1950s | 73.2% | 66.0% | 80.4% | 2 |
| 1960s | 79.8% | 74.4% | 85.3% | 2 |
| 1970s | 57.0% | 56.6% | 57.4% | 2 |
| 1980s | 91.6% | 68.2% | 99.9% | 4 |
| 1990s | 88.8% | 86.5% | 91.1% | 2 |
| 2000s | 95.8% | 94.4% | 98.5% | 4 |
| 2010s | 84.8% | 80.6% | 91.5% | 8 |
| 2020s | 89.2% | 83.1% | 91.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
More education data for Zimbabwe
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 42,585 (2013)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 12,514 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 328,055 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 322,698 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 957,461 (2013)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.94 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.4866 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1767 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of children in primary school age who are in school in Zimbabwe?
- Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Zimbabwe was 89.5% 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 Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 99.9% in 1982.
- What is the lowest share of children in primary school age who are in school recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1820.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for share of children in primary school age who are in school?
- Zimbabwe ranks 158th out of 209 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children in primary school age who are in school rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zimbabwe 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.