School enrollment, secondary (% gross) in Least developed countries
Least developed countries: School enrollment, secondary (% gross) was 46.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising
School enrollment, secondary in Least developed countries, 1970–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % gross.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school enrollment, secondary in Least developed countries is 46.9%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and up 9.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school enrollment, secondary in Least developed countries peaked at 47.2% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 13.1%, in 1971.
Least developed countries ranks 37th of 45 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
School enrollment, secondary (% gross) in Least developed countries, year by year
| Year | % gross | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 13.4% | — |
| 1971 | 13.1% | -2.1% |
| 1972 | 13.5% | +3.6% |
| 1973 | 13.8% | +2.1% |
| 1974 | 13.8% | -0.4% |
| 1975 | 14.0% | +1.6% |
| 1976 | 13.8% | -1.3% |
| 1977 | 14.2% | +2.7% |
| 1978 | 14.7% | +3.5% |
| 1979 | 15.4% | +4.5% |
| 1980 | 16.4% | +6.6% |
| 1981 | 16.1% | -1.7% |
| 1982 | 16.9% | +4.8% |
| 1983 | 17.6% | +4.3% |
| 1984 | 17.9% | +1.7% |
| 1985 | 17.7% | -1.0% |
| 1986 | 17.6% | -0.6% |
| 1987 | 17.8% | +1.1% |
| 1988 | 18.0% | +1.0% |
| 1989 | 18.1% | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 17.8% | -1.8% |
| 1991 | 18.7% | +5.5% |
| 1992 | 19.4% | +3.8% |
| 1993 | 20.2% | +3.7% |
| 1994 | 21.2% | +5.1% |
| 1995 | 22.5% | +6.1% |
| 1996 | 23.4% | +4.0% |
| 1997 | 24.1% | +3.3% |
| 1998 | 25.4% | +5.2% |
| 1999 | 26.3% | +3.6% |
| 2000 | 27.4% | +4.2% |
| 2001 | 28.6% | +4.5% |
| 2002 | 29.8% | +4.0% |
| 2003 | 30.4% | +2.1% |
| 2004 | 30.8% | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 31.4% | +2.1% |
| 2006 | 32.6% | +3.8% |
| 2007 | 33.5% | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 34.7% | +3.5% |
| 2009 | 36.4% | +5.0% |
| 2010 | 38.0% | +4.5% |
| 2011 | 38.9% | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 40.4% | +3.6% |
| 2013 | 41.7% | +3.4% |
| 2014 | 42.9% | +2.7% |
| 2015 | 43.5% | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 45.1% | +3.7% |
| 2017 | 45.3% | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 46.3% | +2.2% |
| 2019 | 46.6% | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 47.1% | +1.1% |
| 2021 | 47.2% | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 47.1% | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 46.8% | -0.7% |
| 2024 | 46.9% | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 14.0% | 13.1% | 15.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 17.4% | 16.1% | 18.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 21.9% | 17.8% | 26.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 31.6% | 27.4% | 36.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 42.9% | 38.0% | 46.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 47.0% | 46.8% | 47.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Least developed countries
More education data for Least developed countries
- Population ages 0-14 38.4% (2025)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1441 units per person (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 4.43 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.04 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 171.01 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 75.92 million (2024)
- Population ages 15-64 57.7% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school enrollment, secondary in Least developed countries?
- School enrollment, secondary in Least developed countries was 46.9% in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest school enrollment, secondary recorded in Least developed countries?
- The highest recorded value was 47.2% in 2021.
- What is the lowest school enrollment, secondary recorded in Least developed countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.1% in 1971.
- How does Least developed countries rank for school enrollment, secondary?
- Least developed countries ranks 37th out of 45 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school enrollment, secondary rising or falling in Least developed countries?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Least developed countries data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of School enrollment, secondary (% 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. Secondary education completes the provision of basic education that began at the primary level, and aims at laying the foundations for lifelong learning and human development, by offering more subject- or skill-oriented instruction using more specialized teachers.