Repetition rate in Grade 1 of primary education, both sexes in Zambia
Zambia: Repetition rate in Grade 1 of primary education, both sexes was 8.7% in 2015. ◆ Volatile
Repetition rate in Grade 1 of primary education, both sexes in Zambia, 1971–2015
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
Zambia recorded 8.7% for repetition rate in grade 1 of primary education, both sexes in 2015. That is the highest value across all 26 years on record.
That represents a change of up 11.6% on the previous year and up 36.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, repetition rate in grade 1 of primary education, both sexes in Zambia peaked at 8.7% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 1979.
That places Zambia 35th out of 188 countries with data for 2015, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Repetition rate in Grade 1 of primary education, both sexes in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 0.4% | — |
| 1972 | 0.5% | +19.5% |
| 1973 | 0.5% | +2.7% |
| 1974 | 0.5% | -4.7% |
| 1975 | 0.3% | -32.6% |
| 1976 | 0.3% | -20.4% |
| 1977 | 0.3% | +15.1% |
| 1978 | 0.3% | -5.5% |
| 1979 | 0.2% | -16.0% |
| 1980 | 0.2% | +1.0% |
| 1985 | 0.5% | +129.4% |
| 1998 | 4.3% | +693.9% |
| 1999 | 4.3% | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 5.2% | +22.3% |
| 2001 | 5.3% | +2.0% |
| 2004 | 5.7% | +7.5% |
| 2005 | 6.4% | +11.3% |
| 2006 | 5.6% | -11.5% |
| 2007 | 5.3% | -5.7% |
| 2008 | 4.9% | -7.5% |
| 2009 | 5.6% | +14.4% |
| 2010 | 5.9% | +4.2% |
| 2012 | 5.3% | -10.2% |
| 2013 | 7.5% | +43.2% |
| 2014 | 7.8% | +3.8% |
| 2015 | 8.7% | +11.6% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 8.7% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 4.0%, 2.2× the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 8.7% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 7.8%, 1.1× the median. (43 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Repetition rate in Grade 1 of primary education, both sexes in Zambia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | +693.9% | 0.5% | 4.3% |
| 1985 | +129.4% | 0.2% | 0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.5% | 9 |
| 1980s | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.5% | 2 |
| 1990s | 4.3% | 4.3% | 4.3% | 2 |
| 2000s | 5.5% | 4.9% | 6.4% | 8 |
| 2010s | 7.1% | 5.3% | 8.7% | 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 repetition rate in grade 1 of primary education, both sexes in Zambia?
- Repetition rate in grade 1 of primary education, both sexes in Zambia was 8.7% in 2015, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest repetition rate in grade 1 of primary education, both sexes recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 8.7% in 2015.
- What is the lowest repetition rate in grade 1 of primary education, both sexes recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 1979.
- How does Zambia rank for repetition rate in grade 1 of primary education, both sexes?
- Zambia ranks 35th out of 188 countries with data for 2015.
- Is repetition rate in grade 1 of primary education, both sexes rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 36.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Repetition rate in Grade 1 of primary education, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of repeaters in a given grade in a given school year, expressed as a percentage of enrolment in that grade the previous school year. Divide the number of repeaters in a given grade in school year t+1 by the number of pupils from the same cohort enrolled in the same grade in the previous school year t.