School enrollment, primary in Zambia
Zambia: School enrollment, primary was 83.2% in 2017. ▲ Rising
School enrollment, primary in Zambia, 1972–2017
Source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % net.
Analysis
Zambia recorded 83.2% for school enrollment, primary in 2017.
That represents a change of down 8.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school enrollment, primary in Zambia peaked at 92.2% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 66.2%, in 2001.
That places Zambia 149th out of 186 countries with data for 2017, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 30 years of available data.
School enrollment, primary in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % net | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 76.3% | — |
| 1976 | 79.0% | +3.5% |
| 1977 | 79.1% | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 78.0% | -1.3% |
| 1979 | 77.5% | -0.6% |
| 1980 | 77.5% | -0.0% |
| 1981 | 77.5% | +0.1% |
| 1982 | 77.4% | -0.2% |
| 1983 | 79.0% | +2.0% |
| 1984 | 80.0% | +1.3% |
| 1986 | 81.3% | +1.6% |
| 1988 | 79.2% | -2.5% |
| 1994 | 72.8% | -8.1% |
| 1995 | 71.0% | -2.5% |
| 1998 | 68.3% | -3.8% |
| 1999 | 66.6% | -2.4% |
| 2000 | 66.3% | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 66.2% | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 68.3% | +3.2% |
| 2004 | 81.6% | +19.5% |
| 2005 | 89.7% | +10.0% |
| 2006 | 89.2% | -0.6% |
| 2007 | 90.5% | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 92.2% | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 87.3% | -5.3% |
| 2010 | 84.8% | -2.8% |
| 2011 | 87.9% | +3.7% |
| 2012 | 89.2% | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 86.6% | -2.9% |
| 2017 | 83.2% | -4.0% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 83.2% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 90.3%, 92% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 83.2% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 83.9%, 99% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 78.0% | 76.3% | 79.1% | 5 |
| 1980s | 78.9% | 77.4% | 81.3% | 7 |
| 1990s | 69.7% | 66.6% | 72.8% | 4 |
| 2000s | 81.2% | 66.2% | 92.2% | 9 |
| 2010s | 86.3% | 83.2% | 89.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More education data for Zambia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 42,585 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 169,961 (2013)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.39 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.49 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.55 % change on previous year (2017)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.2106 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 4.49 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school enrollment, primary in Zambia?
- School enrollment, primary in Zambia was 83.2% in 2017, according to Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest school enrollment, primary recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 92.2% in 2008.
- What is the lowest school enrollment, primary recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 66.2% in 2001.
- How does Zambia rank for school enrollment, primary?
- Zambia ranks 149th out of 186 countries with data for 2017.
- Is school enrollment, primary rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia 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.