Primary, secondary and tertiary education enrollment and completion rates in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Primary, secondary and tertiary education enrollment and completion rates was 112.2% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Primary, secondary and tertiary education enrollment and completion rates in Afghanistan, 1970–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, primary, secondary and tertiary education enrollment and completion rates in Afghanistan stood at 112.2%. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 4.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary, secondary and tertiary education enrollment and completion rates in Afghanistan peaked at 112.2% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 20.1%, in 1982.
That places Afghanistan 33rd out of 217 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Primary, secondary and tertiary education enrollment and completion rates in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 31.7% | — |
| 1971 | 32.5% | +2.8% |
| 1972 | 33.0% | +1.3% |
| 1973 | 33.4% | +1.4% |
| 1974 | 34.0% | +1.6% |
| 1975 | 34.9% | +2.7% |
| 1976 | 35.7% | +2.4% |
| 1977 | 36.5% | +2.1% |
| 1978 | 37.7% | +3.3% |
| 1980 | 43.8% | +16.3% |
| 1981 | 49.5% | +12.9% |
| 1982 | 20.1% | -59.3% |
| 1984 | 24.6% | +22.4% |
| 1985 | 25.1% | +2.0% |
| 1986 | 26.7% | +6.2% |
| 1988 | 34.1% | +27.7% |
| 1989 | 31.8% | -6.6% |
| 1990 | 31.0% | -2.7% |
| 1991 | 31.6% | +2.0% |
| 1993 | 34.0% | +7.4% |
| 1994 | 44.8% | +31.9% |
| 1995 | 47.7% | +6.4% |
| 1998 | 33.0% | -30.8% |
| 1999 | 26.3% | -20.3% |
| 2000 | 21.5% | -18.4% |
| 2001 | 22.1% | +3.2% |
| 2002 | 73.4% | +231.5% |
| 2003 | 95.3% | +29.9% |
| 2004 | 105.5% | +10.6% |
| 2005 | 99.5% | -5.7% |
| 2006 | 102.3% | +2.8% |
| 2007 | 99.3% | -2.9% |
| 2008 | 104.4% | +5.2% |
| 2009 | 99.7% | -4.5% |
| 2010 | 103.5% | +3.8% |
| 2011 | 101.5% | -1.9% |
| 2012 | 106.6% | +5.0% |
| 2013 | 107.9% | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 109.8% | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 106.8% | -2.8% |
| 2016 | 106.8% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 106.5% | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 107.7% | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 109.1% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 112.2% | +2.9% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 112.2% is above the median for low income countries, which is 96.8%, 1.2× the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 112.2% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 97.6%, 1.1× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Primary, secondary and tertiary education enrollment and completion rates in Afghanistan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | +231.5% | 22.1% | 73.4% |
| 1982 | -59.3% | 49.5% | 20.1% |
| 1998 | -30.8% | 47.7% | 33.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 34.4% | 31.7% | 37.7% | 9 |
| 1980s | 32.0% | 20.1% | 49.5% | 8 |
| 1990s | 35.5% | 26.3% | 47.7% | 7 |
| 2000s | 82.3% | 21.5% | 105.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 106.6% | 101.5% | 109.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 112.2% | 112.2% | 112.2% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More education data for Afghanistan
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 88,020 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 343,942 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 13,837 (2003)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 10,383 (2003)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.43 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 7.51 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 3.56 % change on previous year (2019)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1811 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is primary, secondary and tertiary education enrollment and completion rates in Afghanistan?
- Primary, secondary and tertiary education enrollment and completion rates in Afghanistan was 112.2% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest primary, secondary and tertiary education enrollment and completion rates recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 112.2% in 2023.
- What is the lowest primary, secondary and tertiary education enrollment and completion rates recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.1% in 1982.
- How does Afghanistan rank for primary, secondary and tertiary education enrollment and completion rates?
- Afghanistan ranks 33rd out of 217 countries with data for 2023.
- Is primary, secondary and tertiary education enrollment and completion rates rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Primary, secondary and tertiary education enrollment and completion rates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Number of children of any age group who are enrolled in primary education, expressed as a percentage of the total population of the official primary school age.