School enrollment, primary in Democratic Republic of Congo

Democratic Republic of Congo: School enrollment, primary was 117.6% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
117.6%
Change on year
down 2.1%
World rank
17th
of 205 countries
All-time high
120.1%
in 2021
All-time low
50.3%
in 1999
Years of data
40
1971–2023

School enrollment, primary in Democratic Republic of Congo, 1971–2023

02550751001251971199720231971: 96.7 % gross1972: 96.2 % gross1973: 96.2 % gross1974: 94.9 % gross1975: 93.5 % gross1976: 93.4 % gross1977: 93 % gross1978: 93.7 % gross1979: 94 % gross1980: 94.4 % gross1981: 95.1 % gross1982: 95.8 % gross1983: 96.6 % gross1984: 97.5 % gross1985: 92.2 % gross1986: 92.1 % gross1987: 79.7 % gross1988: 80.8 % gross1990: 59.3 % gross1991: 75.9 % gross1992: 74.1 % gross1993: 75.1 % gross1994: 73.3 % gross1995: 77.2 % gross1998: 62.3 % gross1999: 50.3 % gross2002: 61 % gross2007: 83.5 % gross2008: 91.9 % gross2009: 91.9 % gross2010: 92.1 % gross2011: 93.5 % gross2012: 98.2 % gross2013: 99.9 % gross2014: 103.9 % gross2015: 102.1 % gross2018: 111.5 % gross2020: 115.9 % gross2021: 120.1 % gross2023: 117.6 % gross

Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % gross.

Analysis

Democratic Republic of Congo recorded 117.6% for school enrollment, primary in 2023.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.1% on the previous year and up 17.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, school enrollment, primary in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 120.1% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 50.3%, in 1999.

Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 17th of 205 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 40 years of available data.

School enrollment, primary in Democratic Republic of Congo, year by year

Annual values for School enrollment, primary (% gross) in Democratic Republic of Congo, 1971 to 2023.
Year % gross Change
1971 96.7%
1972 96.2% -0.5%
1973 96.2% -0.1%
1974 94.9% -1.3%
1975 93.5% -1.5%
1976 93.4% -0.1%
1977 93.0% -0.5%
1978 93.7% +0.8%
1979 94.0% +0.3%
1980 94.4% +0.5%
1981 95.1% +0.7%
1982 95.8% +0.8%
1983 96.6% +0.8%
1984 97.5% +0.9%
1985 92.2% -5.4%
1986 92.1% -0.2%
1987 79.7% -13.4%
1988 80.8% +1.4%
1990 59.3% -26.6%
1991 75.9% +28.0%
1992 74.1% -2.4%
1993 75.1% +1.4%
1994 73.3% -2.4%
1995 77.2% +5.2%
1998 62.3% -19.2%
1999 50.3% -19.4%
2002 61.0% +21.4%
2007 83.5% +36.9%
2008 91.9% +10.0%
2009 91.9% +0.0%
2010 92.1% +0.2%
2011 93.5% +1.6%
2012 98.2% +5.0%
2013 99.9% +1.7%
2014 103.9% +3.9%
2015 102.1% -1.7%
2018 111.5% +9.2%
2020 115.9% +4.0%
2021 120.1% +3.6%
2023 117.6% -2.1%

Democratic Republic of Congo compared with similar countries

  • Democratic Republic of Congo's 117.6% is above the median for low income countries, which is 96.8%, 1.2× the median. (23 countries reporting)
  • Democratic Republic of Congo's 117.6% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 100.4%, 1.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where School enrollment, primary in Democratic Republic of Congo 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
2007 +36.9% 61.0% 83.5%
1991 +28.0% 59.3% 75.9%
1990 -26.6% 80.8% 59.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 94.6% 93.0% 96.7% 9
1980s 91.6% 79.7% 97.5% 9
1990s 68.4% 50.3% 77.2% 8
2000s 82.1% 61.0% 91.9% 4
2010s 100.2% 92.1% 111.5% 7
2020s 117.9% 115.9% 120.1% 3

Countries ranked near Democratic Republic of Congo

  1. 14 Myanmar 120.2% compare
  2. 15 East Timor 119.7% compare
  3. 16 Mozambique 119.2% compare
  4. 18 Morocco 116.6% compare
  5. 19 Eswatini 116.5% compare
  6. 20 New Caledonia 116.0% compare

See the full ranking of 250 places →

More education data for Democratic Republic of Congo

All data for Democratic Republic of Congo →

Frequently asked questions

What is school enrollment, primary in Democratic Republic of Congo?
School enrollment, primary in Democratic Republic of Congo was 117.6% in 2023, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest school enrollment, primary recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
The highest recorded value was 120.1% in 2021.
What is the lowest school enrollment, primary recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
The lowest recorded value was 50.3% in 1999.
How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for school enrollment, primary?
Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 17th out of 205 countries with data for 2023.
Is school enrollment, primary rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
Over the last ten years it is up 17.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Democratic Republic of Congo 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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School enrollment, primary in Democratic Republic of Congo. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/school-enrollment-primary-percent-gross/congo-dem-rep/

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About this data

Indicator
School enrollment, primary (% gross)
Unit
% gross
Source
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
250 places, 9,530 data points, 1970–2025
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. 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.