Proportion of youth not in education, employment or training, by sex in Zambia
Zambia: Proportion of youth not in education, employment or training, by sex was 26.7% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Proportion of youth not in education, employment or training, by sex in Zambia, 2008–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
In 2024, proportion of youth not in education, employment or training, by sex in Zambia stood at 26.7%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.7% on the previous year and down 35.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of youth not in education, employment or training, by sex in Zambia peaked at 41.4% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 12.9%, in 2008.
Zambia ranks 17th of 129 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 10 years of available data.
Proportion of youth not in education, employment or training, by sex in Zambia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 12.9% | — |
| 2015 | 41.4% | +219.7% |
| 2017 | 29.3% | -29.1% |
| 2018 | 32.8% | +11.9% |
| 2019 | 32.5% | -0.9% |
| 2020 | 31.1% | -4.6% |
| 2021 | 31.4% | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 29.4% | -6.3% |
| 2023 | 28.9% | -1.5% |
| 2024 | 26.7% | -7.7% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 26.7% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 23.8%, 1.1× the median. (22 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 26.7% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 25.9%, 1.0× the median. (19 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 12.9% | 12.9% | 12.9% | 1 |
| 2010s | 34.0% | 29.3% | 41.4% | 4 |
| 2020s | 29.5% | 26.7% | 31.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More education data for Zambia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 42,585 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 169,961 (2013)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.39 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.49 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.55 % change on previous year (2017)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.2106 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 4.49 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of youth not in education, employment or training, by sex in Zambia?
- Proportion of youth not in education, employment or training, by sex in Zambia was 26.7% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest proportion of youth not in education, employment or training, by sex recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 41.4% in 2015.
- What is the lowest proportion of youth not in education, employment or training, by sex recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.9% in 2008.
- How does Zambia rank for proportion of youth not in education, employment or training, by sex?
- Zambia ranks 17th out of 129 countries with data for 2024.
- Is proportion of youth not in education, employment or training, by sex rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 35.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of youth not in education, employment or training, by sex and age - 13th ICLS (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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