Children out of school, primary by country
Children out of school are the number of primary-school-age children not enrolled in primary or secondary school.
Countries reporting
197
Highest
9.07 million
Nigeria
Lowest
3.92
Turks and Caicos Islands
Median
17,643
Years covered
56
1970–2025
Data points
4,752
What the numbers show
Children out of school, primary is currently reported for 197 countries. The highest value is 9.07 million in Nigeria; the lowest is 3.92 in Turks and Caicos Islands.
The median across all reporting countries is 17,643, and the mean is 298,834.
Over the past decade 99 countries rose and 92 fell. The largest increase was in Turkey (up 7,822.9%), and the largest decrease in United Arab Emirates (down 99.6%).
Children out of school, primary: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nigeria | 9.07 million | 2023 | down 11.9% | rising |
| 2 | China | 8.25 million | 1997 | up 114.8% | rising |
| 3 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 5.23 million | 1999 | up 157.7% | volatile |
| 4 | Ethiopia | 4.24 million | 2024 | up 31.0% | falling |
| 5 | Sudan | 3.17 million | 2019 | up 14.8% | flat |
| 6 | Angola | 2.28 million | 2023 | up 371.7% | volatile |
| 7 | Tanzania | 2.01 million | 2024 | up 20.1% | falling |
| 8 | Niger | 1.88 million | 2024 | up 41.9% | rising |
| 9 | Philippines | 1.62 million | 2024 | up 17.7% | rising |
| 10 | Yemen | 1.55 million | 2016 | up 21.8% | falling |
| 11 | Burkina Faso | 1.36 million | 2024 | up 31.6% | rising |
| 12 | Mali | 1.19 million | 2023 | down 2.2% | rising |
| 13 | United States | 965,853 | 2022 | up 35.7% | volatile |
| 14 | Bangladesh | 918,575 | 2024 | up 71.3% | volatile |
| 15 | Chad | 855,041 | 2024 | up 49.7% | rising |
| 16 | Somalia | 803,231 | 1980 | — | rising |
| 17 | Senegal | 675,615 | 2024 | up 23.6% | falling |
| 18 | Burundi | 661,724 | 2025 | up 234.4% | falling |
| 19 | Cote d'Ivoire | 650,800 | 2024 | down 42.0% | falling |
| 20 | Syria | 581,845 | 2024 | down 24.1% | volatile |
| 21 | Egypt | 559,709 | 2024 | down 67.6% | falling |
| 22 | Iraq | 498,693 | 2007 | down 45.7% | rising |
| 23 | Kenya | 468,923 | 2023 | down 62.5% | volatile |
| 24 | South Africa | 448,146 | 2023 | down 33.8% | falling |
| 25 | Malaysia | 404,724 | 2024 | up 76.6% | rising |
| 26 | Honduras | 346,452 | 2024 | up 24.9% | rising |
| 27 | Zimbabwe | 332,314 | 2024 | up 18.3% | rising |
| 28 | Liberia | 327,280 | 2022 | up 1,137.9% | rising |
| 29 | Brazil | 316,818 | 2024 | down 52.7% | falling |
| 30 | Uganda | 310,010 | 2013 | — | volatile |
| 31 | Guinea | 308,947 | 2020 | down 35.3% | falling |
| 32 | Central African Republic | 306,334 | 2012 | down 26.2% | rising |
| 33 | Mauritania | 291,098 | 2024 | up 64.6% | rising |
| 34 | Colombia | 289,295 | 2022 | up 323.9% | volatile |
| 35 | Indonesia | 250,575 | 2025 | down 73.9% | volatile |
| 36 | Ghana | 235,313 | 2024 | down 40.1% | volatile |
| 37 | Benin | 213,285 | 2022 | up 209.6% | volatile |
| 38 | Guatemala | 201,342 | 2024 | down 8.1% | falling |
| 39 | Ukraine | 193,775 | 2024 | down 3.0% | rising |
| 40 | Russia | 187,975 | 2023 | up 2.4% | volatile |
| 41 | Eritrea | 179,166 | 2022 | up 32.7% | rising |
| 42 | Cameroon | 173,924 | 2024 | down 6.4% | falling |
| 43 | Congo | 171,125 | 2023 | up 111.0% | volatile |
| 44 | Romania | 160,246 | 2023 | up 202.2% | volatile |
| 45 | Sri Lanka | 157,499 | 2023 | up 3,184.8% | volatile |
| 46 | Lebanon | 146,896 | 2024 | down 8.7% | rising |
| 47 | Vietnam | 144,562 | 2024 | up 507.3% | volatile |
| 48 | Zambia | 136,539 | 2024 | down 49.7% | rising |
| 49 | Bolivia | 136,027 | 2024 | down 12.6% | volatile |
| 50 | Madagascar | 135,621 | 2024 | up 99.3% | volatile |
| 51 | India | 134,967 | 2025 | down 97.3% | volatile |
| 52 | Equatorial Guinea | 128,846 | 2015 | up 153.1% | rising |
| 53 | Kazakhstan | 128,155 | 2025 | up 22.0% | volatile |
| 54 | Canada | 127,666 | 2023 | up 837.7% | volatile |
| 55 | Lesotho | 124,175 | 2024 | up 129.5% | falling |
| 56 | Paraguay | 105,859 | 2024 | up 875.6% | volatile |
| 57 | Ecuador | 86,090 | 2023 | up 121.4% | volatile |
| 58 | Laos | 82,273 | 2025 | up 129.1% | volatile |
| 59 | Algeria | 78,683 | 2025 | up 434.5% | volatile |
| 60 | Cambodia | 76,741 | 2024 | down 53.8% | volatile |
| 61 | Guinea-Bissau | 75,097 | 2010 | down 25.5% | flat |
| 62 | Gambia | 74,577 | 2025 | down 27.9% | rising |
| 63 | Malawi | 70,758 | 2022 | up 202.8% | volatile |
| 64 | Myanmar | 65,967 | 2010 | down 80.9% | volatile |
| 65 | Mozambique | 64,247 | 2022 | down 80.3% | volatile |
| 66 | El Salvador | 57,339 | 2024 | up 23.4% | falling |
| 67 | Dominican Republic | 56,334 | 2024 | down 35.6% | volatile |
| 68 | Palestine | 53,793 | 2023 | up 80.1% | rising |
| 69 | Nicaragua | 53,481 | 2023 | up 55.4% | falling |
| 70 | Papua New Guinea | 53,289 | 2021 | down 84.3% | volatile |
| 71 | Italy | 52,117 | 2023 | up 108.1% | volatile |
| 72 | Mexico | 46,859 | 2024 | up 10.5% | rising |
| 73 | Solomon Islands | 36,440 | 2024 | up 1,300.5% | volatile |
| 74 | Thailand | 36,067 | 2025 | down 76.9% | volatile |
| 75 | Panama | 35,837 | 2024 | up 4.8% | volatile |
| 76 | Mongolia | 35,209 | 2024 | up 170.2% | volatile |
| 77 | Spain | 34,050 | 2024 | down 54.9% | volatile |
| 78 | Tajikistan | 33,418 | 2017 | down 24.5% | rising |
| 79 | Cuba | 33,328 | 2024 | up 118.1% | volatile |
| 80 | Argentina | 32,816 | 2023 | up 1,029.7% | volatile |
| 81 | Turkey | 32,563 | 2023 | up 7,822.9% | volatile |
| 82 | Chile | 31,779 | 2024 | down 25.5% | falling |
| 83 | Libya | 30,335 | 1983 | down 68.4% | volatile |
| 84 | Israel | 28,644 | 2024 | up 652.8% | volatile |
| 85 | Cape Verde | 24,851 | 2022 | up 587.1% | volatile |
| 86 | Oman | 21,922 | 2024 | up 258.3% | volatile |
| 87 | Puerto Rico | 21,785 | 2024 | up 58.0% | falling |
| 88 | Comoros | 21,743 | 2024 | up 226.6% | volatile |
| 89 | Jordan | 21,351 | 2024 | down 67.0% | volatile |
| 90 | Georgia | 21,241 | 2024 | up 176.2% | volatile |
| 91 | Kuwait | 21,183 | 2016 | up 310.9% | volatile |
| 92 | Nepal | 21,146 | 2025 | down 22.7% | volatile |
| 93 | Belarus | 20,600 | 2024 | up 257.7% | volatile |
| 94 | Costa Rica | 19,701 | 2024 | down 52.8% | falling |
| 95 | Rwanda | 19,504 | 2024 | up 33.9% | volatile |
| 96 | Morocco | 18,988 | 2021 | down 92.9% | volatile |
| 97 | Kyrgyzstan | 18,854 | 2025 | down 17.3% | falling |
| 98 | Uzbekistan | 18,501 | 2025 | down 64.2% | volatile |
| 99 | Venezuela | 17,643 | 2023 | down 91.6% | falling |
| 100 | Saudi Arabia | 17,458 | 2024 | down 89.5% | volatile |
| 101 | Guyana | 17,362 | 2023 | up 5,873.2% | volatile |
| 102 | Bulgaria | 14,529 | 2024 | up 71.2% | volatile |
| 103 | Tunisia | 14,015 | 2023 | up 80.7% | volatile |
| 104 | Belgium | 13,226 | 2023 | down 1.2% | rising |
| 105 | East Timor | 13,085 | 2023 | up 5.9% | falling |
| 106 | Sierra Leone | 12,746 | 2015 | — | volatile |
| 107 | Suriname | 10,697 | 2024 | down 4.2% | rising |
| 108 | Hungary | 10,500 | 2024 | down 16.8% | volatile |
| 109 | New Zealand | 10,396 | 2024 | up 207.7% | rising |
| 110 | Ireland | 10,313 | 2022 | up 3,407.8% | volatile |
| 111 | Jamaica | 9,419 | 2024 | down 68.9% | volatile |
| 112 | Togo | 9,263 | 2024 | down 91.2% | falling |
| 113 | Trinidad and Tobago | 9,223 | 2024 | up 26.5% | falling |
| 114 | Iran | 9,163 | 2023 | down 94.0% | volatile |
| 115 | Germany | 8,820 | 2024 | down 74.3% | falling |
| 116 | Serbia | 8,749 | 2024 | up 155.6% | volatile |
| 117 | Qatar | 8,638 | 2024 | up 14.5% | volatile |
| 118 | Bhutan | 8,385 | 2024 | down 6.0% | volatile |
| 119 | France | 8,155 | 2024 | down 85.5% | volatile |
| 120 | Eswatini | 7,275 | 2022 | down 69.9% | falling |
| 121 | Finland | 6,433 | 2024 | up 36.3% | rising |
| 122 | Norway | 6,077 | 2024 | up 242.6% | volatile |
| 123 | Bahrain | 5,993 | 2024 | up 1,015.3% | falling |
| 124 | Netherlands | 5,698 | 2023 | up 150.6% | rising |
| 125 | Peru | 5,359 | 2019 | down 80.3% | volatile |
| 126 | Austria | 5,200 | 2024 | up 23.8% | falling |
| 127 | Belize | 4,953 | 2024 | up 2,057.5% | volatile |
| 128 | Czechia | 4,700 | 2023 | down 3.2% | volatile |
| 129 | Macao | 4,608 | 2024 | up 314.8% | volatile |
| 130 | Bahamas | 4,585 | 2024 | up 331.3% | volatile |
| 131 | Hong Kong | 4,491 | 2024 | up 85.1% | volatile |
| 132 | Sweden | 4,270 | 2024 | down 48.1% | volatile |
| 133 | Namibia | 4,230 | 2024 | up 3.8% | volatile |
| 134 | Japan | 4,225 | 2023 | down 94.5% | volatile |
| 135 | North Macedonia | 4,151 | 2023 | up 7.3% | volatile |
| 136 | Denmark | 3,868 | 2024 | up 35.7% | volatile |
| 137 | Haiti | 3,719 | 2016 | — | falling |
| 138 | Latvia | 3,481 | 2024 | up 53.9% | rising |
| 139 | Barbados | 3,420 | 2024 | up 194.1% | volatile |
| 140 | United Kingdom | 3,326 | 2023 | down 96.0% | volatile |
| 141 | Micronesia (country) | 3,301 | 2024 | up 72.8% | rising |
| 142 | Estonia | 3,091 | 2024 | up 59.9% | rising |
| 143 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2,933 | 2023 | down 85.5% | volatile |
| 144 | Australia | 2,833 | 2024 | up 91.4% | volatile |
| 145 | Portugal | 2,741 | 2023 | up 89.8% | volatile |
| 146 | Croatia | 2,642 | 2023 | up 28.9% | rising |
| 147 | Slovakia | 2,535 | 2024 | down 81.6% | rising |
| 148 | Fiji | 2,471 | 2024 | down 71.8% | falling |
| 149 | Slovenia | 1,904 | 2023 | down 13.7% | falling |
| 150 | Botswana | 1,869 | 2022 | down 93.4% | falling |
| 151 | Armenia | 1,710 | 2024 | down 86.3% | rising |
| 152 | Kiribati | 1,596 | 2024 | up 2,521.5% | volatile |
| 153 | Brunei | 1,438 | 2024 | up 200.2% | volatile |
| 154 | New Caledonia | 1,409 | 1991 | down 27.3% | falling |
| 155 | Poland | 1,392 | 2024 | down 98.5% | volatile |
| 156 | South Korea | 1,383 | 2024 | down 98.3% | volatile |
| 157 | Vanuatu | 1,261 | 2024 | up 1,676.1% | volatile |
| 158 | French Polynesia | 1,103 | 1996 | down 61.7% | falling |
| 159 | British Virgin Islands | 1,080 | 2024 | up 377.9% | volatile |
| 160 | Saint Lucia | 1,033 | 2024 | down 28.4% | volatile |
| 161 | Sao Tome and Principe | 969 | 2017 | down 52.0% | volatile |
| 162 | Switzerland | 787 | 2024 | up 1,233.9% | volatile |
| 163 | Malta | 738 | 2023 | up 202.5% | volatile |
| 164 | Seychelles | 699 | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 165 | Samoa | 626 | 2024 | up 1,041.7% | volatile |
| 166 | Greece | 622 | 2023 | down 95.7% | volatile |
| 167 | Mauritius | 618.43 | 2024 | down 89.6% | volatile |
| 168 | Albania | 617 | 2024 | down 13.1% | volatile |
| 169 | Iceland | 599 | 2023 | up 66.9% | rising |
| 170 | Moldova | 588 | 2024 | up 122.9% | volatile |
| 171 | Grenada | 534.64 | 2024 | down 1.2% | volatile |
| 172 | Singapore | 504 | 2023 | up 1,963.6% | volatile |
| 173 | Maldives | 417.76 | 2024 | down 78.6% | flat |
| 174 | Tonga | 354.15 | 2022 | down 24.0% | volatile |
| 175 | Cyprus | 247 | 2023 | down 72.0% | volatile |
| 176 | Cayman Islands | 234 | 2024 | up 165.9% | volatile |
| 177 | Dominica | 230 | 2023 | down 6.1% | volatile |
| 178 | Lithuania | 156 | 2024 | up 126.1% | volatile |
| 179 | Azerbaijan | 152 | 2024 | down 95.8% | volatile |
| 180 | Aruba | 148 | 2014 | down 16.4% | volatile |
| 181 | Bermuda | 142 | 2012 | down 34.3% | volatile |
| 182 | Antigua and Barbuda | 132.91 | 2023 | down 49.5% | volatile |
| 183 | Nauru | 119 | 2025 | up 3.5% | volatile |
| 184 | Luxembourg | 111 | 2024 | down 89.9% | falling |
| 185 | Andorra | 102 | 2024 | down 76.7% | falling |
| 186 | Uruguay | 97.51 | 2023 | down 91.7% | volatile |
| 187 | San Marino | 91 | 2024 | down 34.1% | volatile |
| 188 | Montenegro | 80 | 2023 | down 76.1% | volatile |
| 189 | Marshall Islands | 77.84 | 2024 | down 88.7% | volatile |
| 190 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 68.03 | 2017 | down 75.9% | volatile |
| 191 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 48 | 2008 | down 61.0% | volatile |
| 192 | Gibraltar | 42.77 | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 193 | United Arab Emirates | 21.01 | 2024 | down 99.6% | volatile |
| 194 | Palau | 18.08 | 2024 | down 35.4% | volatile |
| 195 | Liechtenstein | 16 | 2021 | down 33.3% | volatile |
| 196 | Tuvalu | 7.07 | 2024 | down 72.8% | volatile |
| 197 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 3.92 | 2024 | down 98.9% | volatile |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- Lower middle income 46.40 million
- Middle income 36.69 million
- Low income 30.06 million
- Upper middle income 9.28 million
- High income 2.06 million
About this data
Children out of school are the number of primary-school-age children not enrolled in primary or secondary school.