School enrollment, primary (% gross) in China
China: School enrollment, primary (% gross) was 99.6% in 2024. ▼ Falling
School enrollment, primary in China, 1970–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % gross.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school enrollment, primary in China is 99.6%, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 2.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school enrollment, primary in China peaked at 134.0% in 1987 and was at its lowest, 96.3%, in 2015.
That places China 112th out of 205 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 49 years of available data.
School enrollment, primary (% gross) in China, year by year
| Year | % gross | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 120.8% | — |
| 1971 | 112.4% | -6.9% |
| 1972 | 107.2% | -4.6% |
| 1973 | 108.2% | +1.0% |
| 1974 | 106.4% | -1.7% |
| 1975 | 112.5% | +5.7% |
| 1976 | 117.8% | +4.8% |
| 1977 | 115.7% | -1.8% |
| 1978 | 111.0% | -4.1% |
| 1979 | 110.0% | -0.9% |
| 1980 | 108.8% | -1.0% |
| 1981 | 110.8% | +1.8% |
| 1982 | 111.9% | +1.0% |
| 1983 | 115.2% | +2.9% |
| 1984 | 118.0% | +2.5% |
| 1985 | 125.4% | +6.2% |
| 1986 | 131.1% | +4.6% |
| 1987 | 134.0% | +2.2% |
| 1988 | 131.6% | -1.8% |
| 1989 | 127.5% | -3.1% |
| 1990 | 120.9% | -5.2% |
| 1991 | 117.8% | -2.6% |
| 1992 | 115.0% | -2.4% |
| 1993 | 112.7% | -2.0% |
| 1994 | 111.2% | -1.4% |
| 1995 | 111.6% | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 110.5% | -1.0% |
| 1997 | 110.2% | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 109.9% | -0.3% |
| 2001 | 115.7% | +5.3% |
| 2006 | 105.2% | -9.1% |
| 2007 | 105.4% | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 106.2% | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 105.6% | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 104.2% | -1.3% |
| 2011 | 103.3% | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 103.2% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 101.2% | -1.9% |
| 2014 | 96.9% | -4.3% |
| 2015 | 96.3% | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 96.9% | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 97.5% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 97.8% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 97.8% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 98.8% | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 99.2% | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 100.1% | +0.9% |
| 2023 | 99.2% | -0.9% |
| 2024 | 99.6% | +0.5% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 99.6% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 101.1%, 99% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 99.6% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 100.7%, 99% of the median. (35 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 112.2% | 106.4% | 120.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 121.4% | 108.8% | 134.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 113.3% | 109.9% | 120.9% | 9 |
| 2000s | 107.6% | 105.2% | 115.7% | 5 |
| 2010s | 99.5% | 96.3% | 104.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 99.4% | 98.8% | 100.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
More education data for China
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 7.41 million (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 7,020 (2021)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 21.58 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 19.36 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 97.98 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 108.57 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.9587 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0771 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school enrollment, primary in China?
- School enrollment, primary in China was 99.6% in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest school enrollment, primary recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 134.0% in 1987.
- What is the lowest school enrollment, primary recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 96.3% in 2015.
- How does China rank for school enrollment, primary?
- China ranks 112th out of 205 countries with data for 2024.
- Is school enrollment, primary rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this China 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 49 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.