School enrollment, primary (% gross) in Arab World
Arab World: School enrollment, primary (% gross) was 91.6% in 2024. ▲ Rising
School enrollment, primary in Arab World, 1970–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % gross.
Analysis
In 2024, school enrollment, primary in Arab World stood at 91.6%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 4.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school enrollment, primary in Arab World peaked at 92.1% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 69.8%, in 1979.
That places Arab World 43rd out of 45 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
School enrollment, primary (% gross) in Arab World, year by year
| Year | % gross | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 74.4% | — |
| 1971 | 69.9% | -6.1% |
| 1972 | 71.2% | +1.9% |
| 1973 | 72.3% | +1.6% |
| 1974 | 72.8% | +0.6% |
| 1975 | 74.3% | +2.0% |
| 1976 | 75.8% | +2.0% |
| 1977 | 76.4% | +0.9% |
| 1978 | 76.8% | +0.5% |
| 1979 | 69.8% | -9.1% |
| 1980 | 79.1% | +13.4% |
| 1981 | 79.0% | -0.2% |
| 1982 | 79.6% | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 80.2% | +0.8% |
| 1984 | 81.0% | +1.0% |
| 1985 | 80.8% | -0.2% |
| 1986 | 81.5% | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 82.4% | +1.1% |
| 1988 | 83.1% | +0.8% |
| 1989 | 83.1% | -0.1% |
| 1990 | 84.0% | +1.2% |
| 1991 | 84.7% | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 82.2% | -3.0% |
| 1993 | 82.7% | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 85.0% | +2.8% |
| 1995 | 83.7% | -1.5% |
| 1996 | 85.8% | +2.4% |
| 1997 | 86.6% | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 86.9% | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 87.7% | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 88.1% | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 88.6% | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 89.5% | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 90.3% | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 90.5% | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 90.2% | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 91.5% | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 91.2% | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 91.5% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 91.4% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 91.7% | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 90.8% | -1.0% |
| 2012 | 92.1% | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 88.7% | -3.8% |
| 2014 | 87.8% | -1.0% |
| 2015 | 87.7% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 87.9% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 88.3% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 88.8% | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 89.1% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 89.6% | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 89.5% | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 88.1% | -1.6% |
| 2023 | 91.1% | +3.3% |
| 2024 | 91.6% | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 73.4% | 69.8% | 76.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 81.0% | 79.0% | 83.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 84.9% | 82.2% | 87.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 90.3% | 88.1% | 91.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 89.3% | 87.7% | 92.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 90.0% | 88.1% | 91.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Arab World
More education data for Arab World
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 40.79 million (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1129 units per person (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 2.58 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.7891 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 55.62 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 32.0% (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 63.3% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school enrollment, primary in Arab World?
- School enrollment, primary in Arab World was 91.6% in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest school enrollment, primary recorded in Arab World?
- The highest recorded value was 92.1% in 2012.
- What is the lowest school enrollment, primary recorded in Arab World?
- The lowest recorded value was 69.8% in 1979.
- How does Arab World rank for school enrollment, primary?
- Arab World ranks 43rd out of 45 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school enrollment, primary rising or falling in Arab World?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Arab World data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of School enrollment, primary (% gross). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
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. Primary education provides children with basic reading, writing, and mathematics skills along with an elementary understanding of such subjects as history, geography, natural science, social science, art, and music.