School enrollment, primary (% gross) in Malaysia
Malaysia: School enrollment, primary (% gross) was 90.4% in 2024. ▼ Falling
School enrollment, primary in Malaysia, 1970–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % gross.
Analysis
In 2024, school enrollment, primary in Malaysia stood at 90.4%.
The figure is down 1.2% on the previous year and down 7.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school enrollment, primary in Malaysia peaked at 104.1% in 1978 and was at its lowest, 89.8%, in 2022.
That places Malaysia 173rd out of 205 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 48 years of available data.
School enrollment, primary (% gross) in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | % gross | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 93.0% | — |
| 1975 | 101.4% | +9.0% |
| 1977 | 102.7% | +1.3% |
| 1978 | 104.1% | +1.3% |
| 1979 | 103.9% | -0.2% |
| 1980 | 103.4% | -0.5% |
| 1981 | 102.1% | -1.2% |
| 1982 | 101.5% | -0.6% |
| 1983 | 101.3% | -0.2% |
| 1984 | 100.0% | -1.2% |
| 1985 | 99.7% | -0.3% |
| 1987 | 97.7% | -2.0% |
| 1988 | 97.4% | -0.3% |
| 1989 | 96.8% | -0.6% |
| 1990 | 95.9% | -0.9% |
| 1991 | 95.7% | -0.3% |
| 1992 | 95.7% | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 96.0% | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 96.1% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 96.6% | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 97.3% | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 96.3% | -1.0% |
| 1999 | 95.7% | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 97.5% | +1.9% |
| 2001 | 95.4% | -2.1% |
| 2002 | 92.9% | -2.6% |
| 2003 | 93.4% | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 96.0% | +2.8% |
| 2005 | 97.1% | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 97.8% | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 98.4% | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 98.7% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 98.8% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 98.9% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 98.9% | -0.0% |
| 2012 | 98.7% | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 98.9% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 97.2% | -1.8% |
| 2015 | 95.6% | -1.6% |
| 2016 | 96.2% | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 96.3% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 95.8% | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 94.3% | -1.5% |
| 2020 | 93.2% | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 92.6% | -0.6% |
| 2022 | 89.8% | -3.0% |
| 2023 | 91.5% | +1.9% |
| 2024 | 90.4% | -1.2% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 90.4% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 101.1%, 89% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 90.4% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 100.7%, 90% of the median. (35 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 101.0% | 93.0% | 104.1% | 5 |
| 1980s | 100.0% | 96.8% | 103.4% | 9 |
| 1990s | 96.1% | 95.7% | 97.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 96.6% | 92.9% | 98.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 97.1% | 94.3% | 98.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 91.5% | 89.8% | 93.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
More education data for Malaysia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 217,105 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 475,967 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 460,041 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.64 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.06 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.2 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0859 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school enrollment, primary in Malaysia?
- School enrollment, primary in Malaysia was 90.4% in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest school enrollment, primary recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 104.1% in 1978.
- What is the lowest school enrollment, primary recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 89.8% in 2022.
- How does Malaysia rank for school enrollment, primary?
- Malaysia ranks 173rd out of 205 countries with data for 2024.
- Is school enrollment, primary rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malaysia 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.