Survival rate to Grade 5 of primary education, both sexes in Malawi
Malawi: Survival rate to Grade 5 of primary education, both sexes was 71.7% in 2018. ▲ Rising
Survival rate to Grade 5 of primary education, both sexes in Malawi, 1973–2018
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2018, survival rate to grade 5 of primary education, both sexes in Malawi stood at 71.7%. That is the highest value across all 37 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 41.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, survival rate to grade 5 of primary education, both sexes in Malawi peaked at 71.7% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 30.1%, in 1982.
That places Malawi 140th out of 165 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 37 years of available data.
Survival rate to Grade 5 of primary education, both sexes in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | 47.5% | — |
| 1974 | 50.5% | +6.4% |
| 1975 | 38.7% | -23.5% |
| 1976 | 36.8% | -5.0% |
| 1977 | 37.2% | +1.2% |
| 1978 | 38.9% | +4.7% |
| 1979 | 45.8% | +17.6% |
| 1980 | 37.8% | -17.6% |
| 1981 | 44.0% | +16.5% |
| 1982 | 30.1% | -31.6% |
| 1983 | 34.2% | +13.7% |
| 1984 | 46.0% | +34.4% |
| 1985 | 44.4% | -3.5% |
| 1986 | 57.1% | +28.7% |
| 1987 | 43.8% | -23.3% |
| 1988 | 60.4% | +37.8% |
| 1989 | 53.3% | -11.8% |
| 1990 | 46.3% | -13.1% |
| 1991 | 64.5% | +39.2% |
| 1992 | 41.9% | -34.9% |
| 1993 | 37.3% | -11.0% |
| 1995 | 34.2% | -8.4% |
| 1998 | 44.2% | +29.1% |
| 1999 | 48.5% | +9.8% |
| 2000 | 48.8% | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 43.9% | -10.1% |
| 2004 | 42.2% | -3.7% |
| 2005 | 44.4% | +5.2% |
| 2006 | 43.6% | -1.9% |
| 2007 | 68.2% | +56.5% |
| 2008 | 50.7% | -25.7% |
| 2009 | 60.9% | +20.1% |
| 2010 | 59.3% | -2.6% |
| 2011 | 57.7% | -2.6% |
| 2012 | 70.1% | +21.5% |
| 2013 | 64.4% | -8.1% |
| 2018 | 71.7% | +11.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 42.2% | 36.8% | 50.5% | 7 |
| 1980s | 45.1% | 30.1% | 60.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 45.3% | 34.2% | 64.5% | 7 |
| 2000s | 50.3% | 42.2% | 68.2% | 8 |
| 2010s | 64.6% | 57.7% | 71.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More education data for Malawi
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 14,528 (2019)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 1.25 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.16 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.75 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.7 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.2193 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 4.75 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is survival rate to grade 5 of primary education, both sexes in Malawi?
- Survival rate to grade 5 of primary education, both sexes in Malawi was 71.7% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest survival rate to grade 5 of primary education, both sexes recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 71.7% in 2018.
- What is the lowest survival rate to grade 5 of primary education, both sexes recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 30.1% in 1982.
- How does Malawi rank for survival rate to grade 5 of primary education, both sexes?
- Malawi ranks 140th out of 165 countries with data for 2018.
- Is survival rate to grade 5 of primary education, both sexes rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 41.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Survival rate to Grade 5 of primary education, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release