Theoretical duration of lower secondary education (years) in Malawi
Malawi: Theoretical duration of lower secondary education (years) was 4 years in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
4 years
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
18th
of 221 countries
All-time high
4 years
in 1999
All-time low
2 years
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Theoretical duration of lower secondary education in Malawi, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
The most recent figure for theoretical duration of lower secondary education in Malawi is 4 years, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 56 years on record.
That represents a change of unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, theoretical duration of lower secondary education in Malawi peaked at 4 years in 1999 and was at its lowest, 2 years, in 1970.
That places Malawi 18th out of 221 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
Theoretical duration of lower secondary education (years) in Malawi, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 2 years | — |
| 1971 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 4 years | +100.0% |
| 2000 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 4 years | +0.0% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 4 years is above the median for low income countries, which is 3 years, 1.3× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 4 years is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3 years, 1.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2 years | 2 years | 2 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 2 years | 2 years | 2 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.2 years | 2 years | 4 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 4 years | 4 years | 4 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 4 years | 4 years | 4 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 4 years | 4 years | 4 years | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 18 Albania 4 years compare
- 18 Andorra 4 years compare
- 18 United Arab Emirates 4 years compare
- 18 American Samoa 4 years compare
- 18 Australia 4 years compare
- 18 Austria 4 years compare
- 18 Benin 4 years compare
- 18 Burkina Faso 4 years compare
- 18 Bosnia and Herzegovina 4 years compare
- 18 Belize 4 years compare
- 18 Brazil 4 years compare
- 18 Bhutan 4 years compare
- 18 Central African Republic 4 years compare
- 18 Cote d'Ivoire 4 years compare
- 18 Cameroon 4 years compare
- 18 Congo 4 years compare
- 18 Cook Islands 4 years compare
- 18 Colombia 4 years compare
- 18 Comoros 4 years compare
- 18 Curacao 4 years compare
- 18 Czechia 4 years compare
- 18 Djibouti 4 years compare
- 18 Algeria 4 years compare
- 18 Ethiopia 4 years compare
- 18 Fiji 4 years compare
- 18 France 4 years compare
- 18 Gabon 4 years compare
- 18 Guinea 4 years compare
- 18 Guadeloupe 4 years compare
- 18 Equatorial Guinea 4 years compare
- 18 French Guiana 4 years compare
- 18 Croatia 4 years compare
- 18 Hungary 4 years compare
- 18 Jordan 4 years compare
- 18 Kuwait 4 years compare
- 18 Laos 4 years compare
- 18 Liechtenstein 4 years compare
- 18 Sri Lanka 4 years compare
- 18 Monaco 4 years compare
- 18 Madagascar 4 years compare
- 18 Maldives 4 years compare
- 18 North Macedonia 4 years compare
- 18 Myanmar 4 years compare
- 18 Montenegro 4 years compare
- 18 Mongolia 4 years compare
- 18 Mauritania 4 years compare
- 18 Martinique 4 years compare
- 18 New Caledonia 4 years compare
- 18 Niger 4 years compare
- 18 Niue 4 years compare
- 18 Nauru 4 years compare
- 18 New Zealand 4 years compare
- 18 Philippines 4 years compare
- 18 Papua New Guinea 4 years compare
- 18 Poland 4 years compare
- 18 French Polynesia 4 years compare
- 18 Reunion 4 years compare
- 18 Romania 4 years compare
- 18 Senegal 4 years compare
- 18 Somalia 4 years compare
- 18 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 4 years compare
- 18 Serbia 4 years compare
- 18 Suriname 4 years compare
- 18 Chad 4 years compare
- 18 Togo 4 years compare
- 18 Tonga 4 years compare
- 18 Turkey 4 years compare
- 18 Tuvalu 4 years compare
- 18 Tanzania 4 years compare
- 18 Uganda 4 years compare
- 18 Vietnam 4 years compare
- 18 Vanuatu 4 years compare
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 theoretical duration of lower secondary education in Malawi?
- Theoretical duration of lower secondary education in Malawi was 4 years in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest theoretical duration of lower secondary education recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 4 years in 1999.
- What is the lowest theoretical duration of lower secondary education recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 2 years in 1970.
- How does Malawi rank for theoretical duration of lower secondary education?
- Malawi ranks 18th out of 221 countries with data for 2025.
- Is theoretical duration of lower secondary education rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. 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 Theoretical duration of lower secondary education (years). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release