School enrollment, primary (% net) in Least developed countries
Least developed countries: School enrollment, primary (% net) was 80.8% in 2018. ▲ Rising
School enrollment, primary in Least developed countries, 1970–2018
Source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % net.
Analysis
In 2018, school enrollment, primary in Least developed countries stood at 80.8%.
That represents a change of down 0.3% on the previous year and up 1.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school enrollment, primary in Least developed countries peaked at 81.6% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 39.1%, in 1971.
Least developed countries ranks 36th of 43 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 49 years of available data.
School enrollment, primary (% net) in Least developed countries, year by year
| Year | % net | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 39.5% | — |
| 1971 | 39.1% | -1.1% |
| 1972 | 42.0% | +7.4% |
| 1973 | 45.2% | +7.6% |
| 1974 | 45.1% | -0.3% |
| 1975 | 47.3% | +5.1% |
| 1976 | 49.2% | +3.8% |
| 1977 | 50.2% | +2.0% |
| 1978 | 51.3% | +2.2% |
| 1979 | 52.1% | +1.6% |
| 1980 | 53.4% | +2.5% |
| 1981 | 54.1% | +1.3% |
| 1982 | 53.4% | -1.4% |
| 1983 | 53.8% | +0.7% |
| 1984 | 53.5% | -0.5% |
| 1985 | 52.8% | -1.2% |
| 1986 | 52.9% | +0.1% |
| 1987 | 52.4% | -0.9% |
| 1988 | 54.4% | +3.9% |
| 1989 | 54.0% | -0.7% |
| 1990 | 53.2% | -1.5% |
| 1991 | 54.4% | +2.3% |
| 1992 | 54.3% | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 54.2% | -0.0% |
| 1994 | 55.0% | +1.4% |
| 1995 | 56.2% | +2.3% |
| 1996 | 56.4% | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 58.3% | +3.4% |
| 1998 | 58.4% | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 58.1% | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 60.4% | +3.9% |
| 2001 | 62.5% | +3.5% |
| 2002 | 65.6% | +5.0% |
| 2003 | 68.6% | +4.5% |
| 2004 | 71.0% | +3.4% |
| 2005 | 73.4% | +3.4% |
| 2006 | 75.6% | +2.9% |
| 2007 | 77.0% | +1.9% |
| 2008 | 79.3% | +3.0% |
| 2009 | 79.4% | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 79.0% | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 80.0% | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 80.6% | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 81.3% | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 81.6% | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 81.1% | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 81.1% | -0.0% |
| 2017 | 81.0% | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 80.8% | -0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 46.1% | 39.1% | 52.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 53.5% | 52.4% | 54.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 55.9% | 53.2% | 58.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 71.3% | 60.4% | 79.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 80.7% | 79.0% | 81.6% | 9 |
Countries ranked near Least developed countries
More education data for Least developed countries
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 75.92 million (2024)
- Population ages 15-64 57.7% (2025)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 4.43 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1441 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.04 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 171.01 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, per capita 0.064 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school enrollment, primary in Least developed countries?
- School enrollment, primary in Least developed countries was 80.8% in 2018, according to Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest school enrollment, primary recorded in Least developed countries?
- The highest recorded value was 81.6% in 2014.
- What is the lowest school enrollment, primary recorded in Least developed countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 39.1% in 1971.
- How does Least developed countries rank for school enrollment, primary?
- Least developed countries ranks 36th out of 43 groups with data for 2018.
- Is school enrollment, primary rising or falling in Least developed countries?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Least developed countries data come from?
- The figures come from Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of School enrollment, primary (% net). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Net enrollment rate is the ratio of children of official school age who are enrolled in school to the population of the corresponding official school age. 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.