School enrollment, primary (% gross) in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: School enrollment, primary (% gross) was 91.5% in 2023. ▼ Falling
School enrollment, primary in Sri Lanka, 1970–2023
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % gross.
Analysis
In 2023, school enrollment, primary in Sri Lanka stood at 91.5%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.6% on the previous year and down 5.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school enrollment, primary in Sri Lanka peaked at 123.7% in 1985 and was at its lowest, 83.2%, in 1976.
That places Sri Lanka 171st out of 205 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 51 years of available data.
School enrollment, primary (% gross) in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % gross | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 104.5% | — |
| 1971 | 105.4% | +0.9% |
| 1972 | 95.1% | -9.8% |
| 1973 | 92.4% | -2.9% |
| 1974 | 86.9% | -5.9% |
| 1975 | 83.8% | -3.6% |
| 1976 | 83.2% | -0.7% |
| 1977 | 87.8% | +5.6% |
| 1978 | 110.7% | +26.1% |
| 1979 | 114.0% | +3.0% |
| 1980 | 118.7% | +4.1% |
| 1981 | 122.0% | +2.7% |
| 1982 | 122.5% | +0.4% |
| 1983 | 122.3% | -0.1% |
| 1984 | 123.1% | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 123.7% | +0.6% |
| 1986 | 123.6% | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 106.8% | -13.7% |
| 1988 | 107.2% | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 108.7% | +1.4% |
| 1990 | 110.4% | +1.6% |
| 1991 | 113.8% | +3.1% |
| 1992 | 114.8% | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 116.8% | +1.8% |
| 1994 | 117.2% | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 120.0% | +2.4% |
| 1996 | 112.0% | -6.7% |
| 1998 | 107.3% | -4.2% |
| 2001 | 102.9% | -4.1% |
| 2002 | 100.6% | -2.2% |
| 2003 | 97.2% | -3.4% |
| 2004 | 92.2% | -5.2% |
| 2005 | 94.2% | +2.2% |
| 2006 | 94.2% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 94.3% | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 94.2% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 92.7% | -1.6% |
| 2010 | 97.5% | +5.1% |
| 2011 | 97.2% | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 97.1% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 97.2% | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 97.4% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 97.5% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 96.9% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 96.6% | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 95.9% | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 95.5% | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 95.2% | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 94.5% | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 93.0% | -1.6% |
| 2023 | 91.5% | -1.6% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 91.5% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 101.1%, 90% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 91.5% is below the median for South Asia, which is 108.8%, 84% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where School enrollment, primary (% gross) in Sri Lanka 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.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | +26.1% | 87.8% | 110.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 96.4% | 83.2% | 114.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 117.9% | 106.8% | 123.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 114.0% | 107.3% | 120.0% | 8 |
| 2000s | 95.8% | 92.2% | 102.9% | 9 |
| 2010s | 96.9% | 95.5% | 97.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 93.5% | 91.5% | 95.2% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More education data for Sri Lanka
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 155,543 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 224,799 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 214,300 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.54 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.58 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -2.89 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0715 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school enrollment, primary in Sri Lanka?
- School enrollment, primary in Sri Lanka was 91.5% in 2023, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest school enrollment, primary recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 123.7% in 1985.
- What is the lowest school enrollment, primary recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 83.2% in 1976.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for school enrollment, primary?
- Sri Lanka ranks 171st out of 205 countries with data for 2023.
- Is school enrollment, primary rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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.