Average years of schooling among adults in Lesotho
Lesotho: Average years of schooling among adults was 7.73 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Average years of schooling among adults in Lesotho, 1990–2023
Source: UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 7.73 years for average years of schooling among adults in 2023. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
That represents a change of up 21.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling among adults in Lesotho peaked at 7.73 years in 2021 and was at its lowest, 4.11 years, in 1990.
That places Lesotho 129th out of 192 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Average years of schooling among adults in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 4.11 years | — |
| 1991 | 4.2 years | +2.0% |
| 1992 | 4.28 years | +2.0% |
| 1993 | 4.36 years | +1.9% |
| 1994 | 4.44 years | +1.9% |
| 1995 | 4.53 years | +1.9% |
| 1996 | 4.62 years | +2.1% |
| 1997 | 4.72 years | +2.1% |
| 1998 | 4.81 years | +2.0% |
| 1999 | 4.91 years | +2.0% |
| 2000 | 5 years | +1.9% |
| 2001 | 5.21 years | +4.2% |
| 2002 | 5.42 years | +4.0% |
| 2003 | 5.63 years | +3.8% |
| 2004 | 5.84 years | +3.7% |
| 2005 | 6.05 years | +3.6% |
| 2006 | 5.83 years | -3.6% |
| 2007 | 5.68 years | -2.5% |
| 2008 | 5.54 years | -2.6% |
| 2009 | 5.7 years | +3.0% |
| 2010 | 5.87 years | +2.9% |
| 2011 | 6.03 years | +2.8% |
| 2012 | 6.2 years | +2.7% |
| 2013 | 6.36 years | +2.7% |
| 2014 | 6.53 years | +2.6% |
| 2015 | 6.69 years | +2.5% |
| 2016 | 6.86 years | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 7.02 years | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 7.19 years | +2.3% |
| 2019 | 7.36 years | +2.5% |
| 2020 | 7.54 years | +2.5% |
| 2021 | 7.73 years | +2.5% |
| 2022 | 7.73 years | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 7.73 years | +0.0% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 7.73 years is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 6.79 years, 1.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 7.73 years is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.96 years, 1.3× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 4.5 years | 4.11 years | 4.91 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.59 years | 5 years | 6.05 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.61 years | 5.87 years | 7.36 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.68 years | 7.54 years | 7.73 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More education data for Lesotho
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 5,672 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 30,627 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 22,924 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 23,698 (2022)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 136,497 (2017)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 309,480 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.8093 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1324 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling among adults in Lesotho?
- Average years of schooling among adults in Lesotho was 7.73 years in 2023, according to UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest average years of schooling among adults recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 7.73 years in 2021.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling among adults recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.11 years in 1990.
- How does Lesotho rank for average years of schooling among adults?
- Lesotho ranks 129th out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average years of schooling among adults rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Average years of schooling among adults. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Average number of years (excluding years spent repeating individual grades) adults over 25 years participated in formal education.