School enrollment, preprimary in Bangladesh

Bangladesh: School enrollment, preprimary was 36.4% in 2021. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2021)
36.4%
Change on year
down 20.2%
World rank
142nd
of 197 countries
All-time high
78.3%
in 1988
All-time low
0.2%
in 1972
Years of data
21
1972–2021

School enrollment, preprimary in Bangladesh, 1972–2021

0204060801972199620211972: 0.221 % gross1973: 0.363 % gross1988: 78.3 % gross1998: 21.8 % gross1999: 19 % gross2000: 17.7 % gross2001: 17 % gross2002: 14.7 % gross2003: 12 % gross2004: 11.4 % gross2005: 11.4 % gross2009: 11.2 % gross2010: 13.1 % gross2011: 25.6 % gross2013: 32.8 % gross2015: 32.4 % gross2016: 35.5 % gross2017: 41.7 % gross2018: 40.8 % gross2020: 45.6 % gross2021: 36.4 % gross

Source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % gross.

Analysis

In 2021, school enrollment, preprimary in Bangladesh stood at 36.4%.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 20.2% on the previous year and up 42.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, school enrollment, preprimary in Bangladesh peaked at 78.3% in 1988 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 1972.

That places Bangladesh 142nd out of 197 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

School enrollment, preprimary in Bangladesh, year by year

Annual values for School enrollment, preprimary (% gross) in Bangladesh, 1972 to 2021.
Year % gross Change
1972 0.2%
1973 0.4% +64.6%
1988 78.3% +21480.4%
1998 21.8% -72.2%
1999 19.0% -12.7%
2000 17.7% -7.3%
2001 17.0% -3.6%
2002 14.7% -13.8%
2003 12.0% -18.5%
2004 11.4% -4.6%
2005 11.4% -0.3%
2009 11.2% -1.3%
2010 13.1% +16.9%
2011 25.6% +95.2%
2013 32.8% +28.3%
2015 32.4% -1.5%
2016 35.5% +9.8%
2017 41.7% +17.5%
2018 40.8% -2.2%
2020 45.6% +11.7%
2021 36.4% -20.2%

Bangladesh compared with similar countries

  • Bangladesh's 36.4% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 38.5%, 94% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
  • Bangladesh's 36.4% is below the median for South Asia, which is 61.9%, 59% of the median. (6 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where School enrollment, preprimary in Bangladesh 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.

YearChange FromTo
1988 +21480.4% 0.4% 78.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 0.3% 0.2% 0.4% 2
1980s 78.3% 78.3% 78.3% 1
1990s 20.4% 19.0% 21.8% 2
2000s 13.6% 11.2% 17.7% 7
2010s 31.7% 13.1% 41.7% 7
2020s 41.0% 36.4% 45.6% 2

Countries ranked near Bangladesh

  1. 139 Kyrgyzstan 38.5% compare
  2. 140 Puerto Rico 37.5% compare
  3. 141 Namibia 36.5% compare
  4. 143 Cameroon 35.6% compare
  5. 144 Belize 34.2% compare
  6. 145 Honduras 33.8% compare

See the full ranking of 242 places →

More education data for Bangladesh

All data for Bangladesh →

Frequently asked questions

What is school enrollment, preprimary in Bangladesh?
School enrollment, preprimary in Bangladesh was 36.4% in 2021, according to Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest school enrollment, preprimary recorded in Bangladesh?
The highest recorded value was 78.3% in 1988.
What is the lowest school enrollment, preprimary recorded in Bangladesh?
The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 1972.
How does Bangladesh rank for school enrollment, preprimary?
Bangladesh ranks 142nd out of 197 countries with data for 2021.
Is school enrollment, preprimary rising or falling in Bangladesh?
Over the last ten years it is up 42.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Bangladesh data come from?
The figures come from Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of School enrollment, preprimary (% gross). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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School enrollment, preprimary in Bangladesh. Statizoid, drawing on Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/school-enrollment-preprimary-percent-gross/bangladesh/

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About this data

Indicator
School enrollment, preprimary (% gross)
Unit
% gross
Source
Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
242 places, 8,291 data points, 1970–2022
Last refreshed

Gross enrollment ratio is the ratio of total enrollment, regardless of age, to the population of the age group that officially corresponds to the level of education shown. Preprimary education refers to programs at the initial stage of organized instruction, designed primarily to introduce very young children to a school-type environment and to provide a bridge between home and school.