School enrollment, primary in Tanzania
Tanzania: School enrollment, primary was 81.3% in 2018. ▲ Rising
School enrollment, primary in Tanzania, 1976–2018
Source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % net.
Analysis
In 2018, school enrollment, primary in Tanzania stood at 81.3%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.7% on the previous year and down 17.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school enrollment, primary in Tanzania peaked at 98.9% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 48.4%, in 1976.
That places Tanzania 154th out of 186 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
School enrollment, primary in Tanzania, year by year
| Year | % net | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 48.4% | — |
| 1980 | 70.3% | +45.2% |
| 1981 | 69.1% | -1.7% |
| 1982 | 64.3% | -7.0% |
| 1983 | 63.1% | -1.8% |
| 1984 | 59.9% | -5.0% |
| 1985 | 57.1% | -4.7% |
| 1986 | 55.8% | -2.3% |
| 1987 | 54.4% | -2.6% |
| 1988 | 52.7% | -3.0% |
| 1989 | 52.7% | -0.1% |
| 1990 | 52.0% | -1.2% |
| 1991 | 51.4% | -1.3% |
| 1992 | 51.5% | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 50.7% | -1.5% |
| 1994 | 49.4% | -2.4% |
| 1995 | 49.3% | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 49.5% | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 49.9% | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 49.4% | -1.0% |
| 1999 | 49.9% | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 53.5% | +7.3% |
| 2001 | 58.1% | +8.6% |
| 2002 | 73.1% | +25.7% |
| 2003 | 81.6% | +11.7% |
| 2004 | 86.1% | +5.6% |
| 2005 | 90.9% | +5.5% |
| 2006 | 96.7% | +6.5% |
| 2008 | 98.9% | +2.2% |
| 2010 | 92.2% | -6.7% |
| 2012 | 87.5% | -5.1% |
| 2013 | 84.0% | -4.1% |
| 2014 | 83.3% | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 83.5% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 83.6% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 81.3% | -2.7% |
Tanzania compared with similar countries
- Tanzania's 81.3% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 90.3%, 90% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Tanzania's 81.3% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 83.9%, 97% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where School enrollment, primary in Tanzania 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | +45.2% | 48.4% | 70.3% |
| 2002 | +25.7% | 58.1% | 73.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 48.4% | 48.4% | 48.4% | 1 |
| 1980s | 59.9% | 52.7% | 70.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 50.3% | 49.3% | 52.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 79.9% | 53.5% | 98.9% | 8 |
| 2010s | 85.1% | 81.3% | 92.2% | 7 |
Countries ranked near Tanzania
More education data for Tanzania
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 106,006 (2020)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 331,605 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 851,911 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 824,648 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.83 million (2021)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 11.39 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.3307 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1661 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school enrollment, primary in Tanzania?
- School enrollment, primary in Tanzania was 81.3% 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 Tanzania?
- The highest recorded value was 98.9% in 2008.
- What is the lowest school enrollment, primary recorded in Tanzania?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.4% in 1976.
- How does Tanzania rank for school enrollment, primary?
- Tanzania ranks 154th out of 186 countries with data for 2018.
- Is school enrollment, primary rising or falling in Tanzania?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Tanzania 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.
Download this data
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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.