Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes in Least developed countries

Least developed countries: Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes was 12.88 million number in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
12.88 million number
Change on year
down 0.3%
Rank
7th
of 42 groups
All-time high
13.84 million number
in 2009
All-time low
4.49 million number
in 1970
Years of data
50
1970–2019

Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes in Least developed countries, 1970–2019

4.0M6.0M8.0M10.0M12.0M14.0M197019942019

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

The most recent figure for repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes in Least developed countries is 12.88 million number, measured in 2019.

The figure is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 6.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes in Least developed countries peaked at 13.84 million number in 2009 and was at its lowest, 4.49 million number, in 1970.

That places Least developed countries 7th out of 42 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 years of available data.

Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes in Least developed countries, year by year

Annual values for Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number) in Least developed countries, 1970 to 2019.
Year number Change
1970 4.49 million number
1971 4.55 million number +1.2%
1972 4.87 million number +7.1%
1973 5.25 million number +7.8%
1974 5.46 million number +3.8%
1975 5.67 million number +4.0%
1976 6.03 million number +6.2%
1977 6.12 million number +1.5%
1978 6.35 million number +3.8%
1979 6.59 million number +3.7%
1980 6.86 million number +4.1%
1981 7.04 million number +2.6%
1982 7.25 million number +3.0%
1983 7.22 million number -0.4%
1984 7.12 million number -1.3%
1985 6.92 million number -2.9%
1986 7.01 million number +1.3%
1987 7.06 million number +0.8%
1988 7.32 million number +3.7%
1989 7.28 million number -0.6%
1990 7.24 million number -0.6%
1991 7.60 million number +5.0%
1992 7.41 million number -2.5%
1993 7.53 million number +1.7%
1994 8.35 million number +10.8%
1995 8.77 million number +5.1%
1996 8.84 million number +0.8%
1997 9.26 million number +4.7%
1998 9.61 million number +3.8%
1999 9.68 million number +0.7%
2000 10.14 million number +4.7%
2001 10.61 million number +4.6%
2002 11.23 million number +5.9%
2003 11.84 million number +5.4%
2004 12.48 million number +5.4%
2005 12.13 million number -2.8%
2006 12.39 million number +2.1%
2007 13.00 million number +4.9%
2008 13.17 million number +1.3%
2009 13.84 million number +5.1%
2010 13.71 million number -1.0%
2011 13.33 million number -2.8%
2012 13.51 million number +1.4%
2013 13.40 million number -0.8%
2014 12.88 million number -3.9%
2015 12.51 million number -2.8%
2016 12.61 million number +0.8%
2017 12.74 million number +1.0%
2018 12.92 million number +1.5%
2019 12.88 million number -0.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 5.54 million number 4.49 million number 6.59 million number 10
1980s 7.11 million number 6.86 million number 7.32 million number 10
1990s 8.43 million number 7.24 million number 9.68 million number 10
2000s 12.08 million number 10.14 million number 13.84 million number 10
2010s 13.05 million number 12.51 million number 13.71 million number 10

Countries ranked near Least developed countries

  1. 4 Madagascar 1.09 million number compare
  2. 5 Malawi 1.05 million number compare
  3. 6 Iraq 818,729 number compare
  4. 7 Uganda 778,349 number compare
  5. 8 Bangladesh 718,029 number compare
  6. 9 India 701,221 number compare
  7. 10 Burundi 582,744 number compare

See the full ranking of 234 places →

More education data for Least developed countries

All data for Least developed countries →

Frequently asked questions

What is repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes in Least developed countries?
Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes in Least developed countries was 12.88 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes recorded in Least developed countries?
The highest recorded value was 13.84 million number in 2009.
What is the lowest repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes recorded in Least developed countries?
The lowest recorded value was 4.49 million number in 1970.
How does Least developed countries rank for repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes?
Least developed countries ranks 7th out of 42 groups with data for 2019.
Is repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes rising or falling in Least developed countries?
Over the last ten years it is down 6.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Least developed countries data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes in Least developed countries. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 25 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/repeaters-in-primary-education-all-grades-both-sexes-number/least-developed-countries-un-classification/

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About this data

Indicator
Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
234 places, 7,144 data points, 1970–2020
Last refreshed

Number of pupils enrolled in the same grade for a second (or further) year.