Survival rate to Grade 4 of primary education, both sexes in Zambia
Zambia: Survival rate to Grade 4 of primary education, both sexes was 82.3% in 2012. ▼ Falling
Survival rate to Grade 4 of primary education, both sexes in Zambia, 1971–2012
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
Zambia recorded 82.3% for survival rate to grade 4 of primary education, both sexes in 2012.
The figure is down 3.1% on the previous year and down 14.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, survival rate to grade 4 of primary education, both sexes in Zambia peaked at 97.2% in 1978 and was at its lowest, 78.8%, in 2008.
That places Zambia 142nd out of 180 countries with data for 2012, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 20 years of available data.
Survival rate to Grade 4 of primary education, both sexes in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 95.2% | — |
| 1972 | 94.5% | -0.7% |
| 1973 | 95.8% | +1.3% |
| 1974 | 90.4% | -5.7% |
| 1975 | 96.1% | +6.3% |
| 1976 | 96.9% | +0.9% |
| 1977 | 96.5% | -0.4% |
| 1978 | 97.2% | +0.7% |
| 1979 | 97.0% | -0.2% |
| 1980 | 96.4% | -0.7% |
| 1985 | 94.8% | -1.6% |
| 1998 | 85.9% | -9.4% |
| 1999 | 88.4% | +2.9% |
| 2001 | 95.8% | +8.4% |
| 2005 | 90.4% | -5.6% |
| 2006 | 90.8% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 91.9% | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 78.8% | -14.2% |
| 2009 | 85.0% | +7.8% |
| 2012 | 82.3% | -3.1% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 82.3% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 87.7%, 94% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 82.3% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 81.5%, 1.0× the median. (43 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 95.5% | 90.4% | 97.2% | 9 |
| 1980s | 95.6% | 94.8% | 96.4% | 2 |
| 1990s | 87.1% | 85.9% | 88.4% | 2 |
| 2000s | 88.8% | 78.8% | 95.8% | 6 |
| 2010s | 82.3% | 82.3% | 82.3% | 1 |
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 survival rate to grade 4 of primary education, both sexes in Zambia?
- Survival rate to grade 4 of primary education, both sexes in Zambia was 82.3% in 2012, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest survival rate to grade 4 of primary education, both sexes recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 97.2% in 1978.
- What is the lowest survival rate to grade 4 of primary education, both sexes recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 78.8% in 2008.
- How does Zambia rank for survival rate to grade 4 of primary education, both sexes?
- Zambia ranks 142nd out of 180 countries with data for 2012.
- Is survival rate to grade 4 of primary education, both sexes rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Survival rate to Grade 4 of primary education, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of a cohort of students enrolled in the first grade of primary education in a given school year who are expected to reach grade 4, regardless of repetition. Divide the total number of students belonging to a school-cohort who reached each successive grade of primary education by the number of students in the school-cohort i.e. those originally enrolled in the first grade of primary education, and multiply the result by 100. The survival rate is calculated on the basis of the reconstructed cohort method, which uses data on enrolment and repeaters for two consecutive years.