School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in Malawi
Malawi: School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes was 525,748 number in 2020. ▲ Rising
School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in Malawi, 1970–2020
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in Malawi is 525,748 number, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 51 years on record.
That represents a change of up 4.5% on the previous year and up 38.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in Malawi peaked at 525,748 number in 2020 and was at its lowest, 112,618 number, in 1970.
That places Malawi 50th out of 204 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.
School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in Malawi, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 112,618 number | — |
| 1971 | 115,439 number | +2.5% |
| 1972 | 119,158 number | +3.2% |
| 1973 | 123,559 number | +3.7% |
| 1974 | 128,103 number | +3.7% |
| 1975 | 132,249 number | +3.2% |
| 1976 | 136,296 number | +3.1% |
| 1977 | 141,180 number | +3.6% |
| 1978 | 146,695 number | +3.9% |
| 1979 | 152,098 number | +3.7% |
| 1980 | 156,587 number | +3.0% |
| 1981 | 160,305 number | +2.4% |
| 1982 | 164,643 number | +2.7% |
| 1983 | 169,968 number | +3.2% |
| 1984 | 176,592 number | +3.9% |
| 1985 | 184,478 number | +4.5% |
| 1986 | 194,330 number | +5.3% |
| 1987 | 206,431 number | +6.2% |
| 1988 | 219,597 number | +6.4% |
| 1989 | 230,799 number | +5.1% |
| 1990 | 237,155 number | +2.8% |
| 1991 | 238,335 number | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 238,448 number | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 237,753 number | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 238,536 number | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 243,341 number | +2.0% |
| 1996 | 254,049 number | +4.4% |
| 1997 | 239,882 number | -5.6% |
| 1998 | 279,354 number | +16.5% |
| 1999 | 292,005 number | +4.5% |
| 2000 | 300,796 number | +3.0% |
| 2001 | 306,654 number | +1.9% |
| 2002 | 313,592 number | +2.3% |
| 2003 | 321,026 number | +2.4% |
| 2004 | 328,907 number | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 337,811 number | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 347,274 number | +2.8% |
| 2007 | 357,142 number | +2.8% |
| 2008 | 367,541 number | +2.9% |
| 2009 | 378,517 number | +3.0% |
| 2010 | 378,517 number | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 389,826 number | +3.0% |
| 2012 | 400,491 number | +2.7% |
| 2013 | 412,341 number | +3.0% |
| 2014 | 424,439 number | +2.9% |
| 2015 | 437,494 number | +3.1% |
| 2016 | 452,910 number | +3.5% |
| 2017 | 470,436 number | +3.9% |
| 2018 | 486,736 number | +3.5% |
| 2019 | 502,890 number | +3.3% |
| 2020 | 525,748 number | +4.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 130,740 number | 112,618 number | 152,098 number | 10 |
| 1980s | 186,373 number | 156,587 number | 230,799 number | 10 |
| 1990s | 249,886 number | 237,155 number | 292,005 number | 10 |
| 2000s | 335,926 number | 300,796 number | 378,517 number | 10 |
| 2010s | 435,608 number | 378,517 number | 502,890 number | 10 |
| 2020s | 525,748 number | 525,748 number | 525,748 number | 1 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More education data for Malawi
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 14,528 (2019)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 1.25 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.16 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.75 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.7 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.2193 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 4.75 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in Malawi?
- School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in Malawi was 525,748 number in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 525,748 number in 2020.
- What is the lowest school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 112,618 number in 1970.
- How does Malawi rank for school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes?
- Malawi ranks 50th out of 204 countries with data for 2020.
- Is school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 38.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population of the age-group theoretically corresponding to the last grade of primary school as indicated by theoretical entrance age and duration.