Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years) in Zambia
Zambia: Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years) was 3 years in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
3 years
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
52nd
of 221 countries
All-time high
3 years
in 1985
All-time low
2 years
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Theoretical duration of upper secondary education in Zambia, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
The most recent figure for theoretical duration of upper secondary education in Zambia is 3 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 upper secondary education in Zambia peaked at 3 years in 1985 and was at its lowest, 2 years, in 1970.
Zambia ranks 52nd of 221 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years) in Zambia, 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 | 3 years | +50.0% |
| 1986 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 3 years | +0.0% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 3 years is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 3 years, 1.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 3 years is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3 years, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2 years | 2 years | 2 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.5 years | 2 years | 3 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 52 Aruba 3 years compare
- 52 Afghanistan 3 years compare
- 52 Angola 3 years compare
- 52 Albania 3 years compare
- 52 Argentina 3 years compare
- 52 Armenia 3 years compare
- 52 Benin 3 years compare
- 52 Burkina Faso 3 years compare
- 52 Bahrain 3 years compare
- 52 Bahamas 3 years compare
- 52 Brazil 3 years compare
- 52 Central African Republic 3 years compare
- 52 Canada 3 years compare
- 52 China 3 years compare
- 52 Cote d'Ivoire 3 years compare
- 52 Cameroon 3 years compare
- 52 Congo 3 years compare
- 52 Cook Islands 3 years compare
- 52 Comoros 3 years compare
- 52 Cape Verde 3 years compare
- 52 Cuba 3 years compare
- 52 Cayman Islands 3 years compare
- 52 Cyprus 3 years compare
- 52 Germany 3 years compare
- 52 Djibouti 3 years compare
- 52 Denmark 3 years compare
- 52 Dominican Republic 3 years compare
- 52 Algeria 3 years compare
- 52 Ecuador 3 years compare
- 52 Egypt 3 years compare
- 52 Western Sahara 3 years compare
- 52 Spain 3 years compare
- 52 Estonia 3 years compare
- 52 Finland 3 years compare
- 52 Fiji 3 years compare
- 52 France 3 years compare
- 52 Gabon 3 years compare
- 52 Georgia 3 years compare
- 52 Ghana 3 years compare
- 52 Guinea 3 years compare
- 52 Guadeloupe 3 years compare
- 52 Gambia 3 years compare
- 52 Guinea-Bissau 3 years compare
- 52 Greece 3 years compare
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- 52 Laos 3 years compare
- 52 Lebanon 3 years compare
- 52 Liberia 3 years compare
- 52 Libya 3 years compare
- 52 Liechtenstein 3 years compare
- 52 Latvia 3 years compare
- 52 Macao 3 years compare
- 52 Morocco 3 years compare
- 52 Monaco 3 years compare
- 52 Moldova 3 years compare
- 52 Madagascar 3 years compare
- 52 Mexico 3 years compare
- 52 Mali 3 years compare
- 52 Mongolia 3 years compare
- 52 Mauritania 3 years compare
- 52 Martinique 3 years compare
- 52 Malaysia 3 years compare
- 52 New Caledonia 3 years compare
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- 52 Niue 3 years compare
- 52 Netherlands 3 years compare
- 52 Norway 3 years compare
- 52 New Zealand 3 years compare
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- 52 Portugal 3 years compare
- 52 Paraguay 3 years compare
- 52 Palestine 3 years compare
- 52 French Polynesia 3 years compare
- 52 Qatar 3 years compare
- 52 Reunion 3 years compare
- 52 Rwanda 3 years compare
- 52 Saudi Arabia 3 years compare
- 52 Sudan 3 years compare
- 52 Senegal 3 years compare
- 52 Saint Helena 3 years compare
- 52 El Salvador 3 years compare
- 52 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 3 years compare
- 52 Sao Tome and Principe 3 years compare
- 52 Suriname 3 years compare
- 52 Sweden 3 years compare
- 52 Sint Maarten (Dutch part) 3 years compare
- 52 Syria 3 years compare
- 52 Chad 3 years compare
- 52 Togo 3 years compare
- 52 Thailand 3 years compare
- 52 East Timor 3 years compare
- 52 Tonga 3 years compare
- 52 Tuvalu 3 years compare
- 52 Uruguay 3 years compare
- 52 United States 3 years compare
- 52 British Virgin Islands 3 years compare
- 52 United States Virgin Islands 3 years compare
- 52 Vietnam 3 years compare
- 52 Vanuatu 3 years compare
- 52 Yemen 3 years compare
- 52 South Africa 3 years compare
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 theoretical duration of upper secondary education in Zambia?
- Theoretical duration of upper secondary education in Zambia was 3 years in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest theoretical duration of upper secondary education recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 3 years in 1985.
- What is the lowest theoretical duration of upper secondary education recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 2 years in 1970.
- How does Zambia rank for theoretical duration of upper secondary education?
- Zambia ranks 52nd out of 221 countries with data for 2025.
- Is theoretical duration of upper secondary education rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Theoretical duration of upper 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