Share of the population with lower secondary education in Malaysia
Malaysia: Share of the population with lower secondary education was 80.6% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Share of the population with lower secondary education in Malaysia, 1980–2022
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of the population with lower secondary education in Malaysia is 80.6%, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 10 years on record.
The figure is up 4.9% on the previous year and up 18.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population with lower secondary education in Malaysia peaked at 80.6% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 21.3%, in 1980.
That places Malaysia 62nd out of 135 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 10 years of available data.
Share of the population with lower secondary education in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 21.3% | — |
| 1991 | 36.8% | +73.2% |
| 1996 | 49.7% | +35.0% |
| 2000 | 56.5% | +13.6% |
| 2005 | 46.5% | -17.7% |
| 2009 | 66.9% | +44.0% |
| 2010 | 68.2% | +1.9% |
| 2016 | 74.2% | +8.8% |
| 2019 | 76.8% | +3.5% |
| 2022 | 80.6% | +4.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 21.3% | 21.3% | 21.3% | 1 |
| 1990s | 43.3% | 36.8% | 49.7% | 2 |
| 2000s | 56.6% | 46.5% | 66.9% | 3 |
| 2010s | 73.1% | 68.2% | 76.8% | 3 |
| 2020s | 80.6% | 80.6% | 80.6% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
More education data for Malaysia
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.64 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 0.5628 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 273,792 (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 7.51 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.29 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate -1.71 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.35 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 2.83 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 936,008 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual -2.2 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the population with lower secondary education in Malaysia?
- Share of the population with lower secondary education in Malaysia was 80.6% in 2022, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population with lower secondary education recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 80.6% in 2022.
- What is the lowest share of the population with lower secondary education recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.3% in 1980.
- How does Malaysia rank for share of the population with lower secondary education?
- Malaysia ranks 62nd out of 135 countries with data for 2022.
- Is share of the population with lower secondary education rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malaysia data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of the population with lower secondary education. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Share of adults aged 25 and older who have completed lower secondary education or higher.