Countries With the Highest Out of School, Primary
Every country with a figure for out of school, primary, ranked from highest to lowest. The top three are Equatorial Guinea (65.6%), South Sudan (64.7%) and Sudan (43.8%). The middle country of the 194 has 3.79%.
What this measures
Children out of school (% of primary school age), in % of primary-age children. Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. For this measure, higher is worse.
Children of primary-school age not enrolled at any level. Treated as measuring the same thing as gross primary enrolment, which is on the site. They are two ways of asking whether children are in school, so their agreement is not a finding.
The full ranking
Each country’s latest figure, from 2010–2025. The year beside each value says when it was measured.
| Rank | Country | Out of school, primary | Year | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Equatorial Guinea | 65.6% | 2015 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 2 | South Sudan | 64.7% | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 3 | Sudan | 43.8% | 2019 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 4 | Cabo Verde | 41.8% | 2022 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 5 | Niger | 40.4% | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 6 | Eritrea | 40.4% | 2022 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 7 | Liberia | 38.3% | 2022 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 8 | Central African Republic | 37.9% | 2012 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 9 | Angola | 36.8% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 10 | Burkina Faso | 34.3% | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 11 | Mali | 34% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 12 | Kenya | 32.9% | 2022 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 13 | Lesotho | 32.2% | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 14 | Yemen, Rep. | 30.6% | 2016 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 15 | Guinea-Bissau | 30.5% | 2010 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 16 | Solomon Islands | 30.1% | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 17 | Gabon | 28.8% | 2019 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 18 | Curacao | 27.9% | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 19 | British Virgin Islands | 27% | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 20 | Honduras | 26.6% | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 21 | Burundi | 26.5% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 22 | Chad | 24.8% | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 23 | Senegal | 24.5% | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 24 | Nigeria | 24.3% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 25 | Micronesia, Fed. Sts. | 23.1% | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 26 | Lebanon | 22.5% | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 27 | Ethiopia | 22.5% | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 28 | Syrian Arab Republic | 21.8% | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 29 | Comoros | 20.6% | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 30 | Guyana | 18% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 31 | Pakistan | 17.9% | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 32 | Barbados | 17.6% | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 33 | Congo, Rep. | 17.1% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 34 | Gambia, The | 16.9% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 35 | Tanzania | 16.4% | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 36 | Suriname | 16.2% | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 37 | Bahamas, The | 15.9% | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 38 | Romania | 15.6% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 39 | Guinea | 14.7% | 2020 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 40 | Paraguay | 13.3% | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 41 | Puerto Rico (US) | 13.3% | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 42 | Ukraine | 12.9% | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 43 | Cote d'Ivoire | 12.6% | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 44 | Malaysia | 12% | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 45 | Philippines | 11.6% | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 46 | Mauritania | 11.3% | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 47 | Macao SAR, China | 10.8% | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 48 | Belize | 10.7% | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 49 | Zimbabwe | 10.5% | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 50 | Bhutan | 10.5% | 2024 | South Asia |
| 51 | Lao PDR | 10.4% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 52 | Benin | 9.61% | 2022 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 53 | West Bank and Gaza | 9.56% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 54 | Bolivia | 9.25% | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 55 | Sri Lanka | 9.14% | 2023 | South Asia |
| 56 | Kiribati | 8.71% | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 57 | El Salvador | 8.66% | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 58 | Mongolia | 8.56% | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 59 | Guatemala | 8.43% | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 60 | Kazakhstan | 7.91% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 61 | Panama | 7.7% | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 62 | Kuwait | 7.47% | 2016 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 63 | Colombia | 7.32% | 2022 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 64 | Trinidad and Tobago | 7.16% | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 65 | St. Lucia | 7.01% | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 66 | Timor-Leste | 6.88% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 67 | Seychelles | 6.8% | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 68 | Sint Maarten (Dutch part) | 6.78% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 69 | Nicaragua | 6.66% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 70 | Naoero | 6.6% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 71 | Georgia | 6.17% | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 72 | San Marino | 6.13% | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 73 | South Africa | 6.06% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 74 | Bulgaria | 5.9% | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 75 | Bangladesh | 5.86% | 2024 | South Asia |
| 76 | Oman | 5.76% | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 77 | Cayman Islands | 5.17% | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 78 | Canada | 4.99% | 2023 | North America |
| 79 | Grenada | 4.94% | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 80 | Russian Federation | 4.94% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 81 | Dominican Republic | 4.93% | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 82 | Ghana | 4.77% | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 83 | Bahrain | 4.75% | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 84 | Ecuador | 4.72% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 85 | Cuba | 4.68% | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 86 | Qatar | 4.62% | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 87 | Belarus | 4.49% | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 88 | Costa Rica | 4.49% | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 89 | Jamaica | 4.34% | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 90 | Turkmenistan | 4.31% | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 91 | Tajikistan | 4.15% | 2017 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 92 | Uganda | 4.12% | 2013 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 93 | Papua New Guinea | 4% | 2021 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 94 | United States | 3.98% | 2022 | North America |
| 95 | Dominica | 3.95% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 96 | Eswatini | 3.83% | 2022 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 97 | North Macedonia | 3.79% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 98 | Cameroon | 3.76% | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 99 | Cambodia | 3.69% | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 100 | Brunei Darussalam | 3.61% | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 101 | Zambia | 3.51% | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 102 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 3.51% | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 103 | Bermuda | 3.41% | 2012 | North America |
| 104 | Madagascar | 3.4% | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 105 | Estonia | 3.39% | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 106 | Serbia | 3.33% | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 107 | Kyrgyz Republic | 2.96% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 108 | Sao Tome and Principe | 2.88% | 2017 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 109 | Hungary | 2.81% | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 110 | Latvia | 2.74% | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 111 | Israel | 2.66% | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 112 | Malta | 2.64% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 113 | New Zealand | 2.62% | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 114 | Vanuatu | 2.53% | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 115 | Andorra | 2.41% | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 116 | Fiji | 2.39% | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 117 | Tonga | 2.28% | 2022 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 118 | Brazil | 2.19% | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 119 | Chile | 2.12% | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 120 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2.1% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 121 | Malawi | 2.09% | 2022 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 122 | Italy | 2.06% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 123 | Jordan | 1.89% | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 124 | Iceland | 1.82% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 125 | Ireland | 1.81% | 2022 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 126 | Croatia | 1.81% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 127 | Samoa | 1.81% | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 128 | Finland | 1.77% | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 129 | Aruba | 1.76% | 2014 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 130 | Viet Nam | 1.73% | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 131 | Antigua and Barbuda | 1.71% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 132 | Belgium | 1.66% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 133 | Gibraltar | 1.58% | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 134 | Algeria | 1.57% | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 135 | Marshall Islands | 1.48% | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 136 | Slovenia | 1.45% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 137 | Austria | 1.43% | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 138 | Myanmar | 1.41% | 2010 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 139 | Hong Kong SAR, China | 1.4% | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 140 | Norway | 1.38% | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 141 | Palau | 1.33% | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 142 | Spain | 1.24% | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 143 | Tunisia | 1.09% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 144 | Armenia | 1.08% | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 145 | Slovak Republic | 1.06% | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 146 | Mozambique | 1% | 2022 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 147 | Rwanda | 0.97% | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 148 | Maldives | 0.946% | 2024 | South Asia |
| 149 | Denmark | 0.893% | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 150 | Sierra Leone | 0.888% | 2015 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 151 | Indonesia | 0.877% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 152 | Namibia | 0.865% | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 153 | Liechtenstein | 0.825% | 2021 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 154 | Thailand | 0.817% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 155 | Czechia | 0.809% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 156 | Mauritius | 0.785% | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 157 | Nepal | 0.762% | 2025 | South Asia |
| 158 | Argentina | 0.735% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 159 | Uzbekistan | 0.655% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 160 | Togo | 0.639% | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 161 | Turkiye | 0.603% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 162 | St. Vincent and the Grenadines | 0.59% | 2017 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 163 | Sweden | 0.57% | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 164 | Venezuela, RB | 0.554% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 165 | Tuvalu | 0.537% | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 166 | Botswana | 0.535% | 2022 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 167 | Saudi Arabia | 0.527% | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 168 | Netherlands | 0.519% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 169 | Portugal | 0.508% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 170 | Albania | 0.488% | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 171 | Morocco | 0.471% | 2021 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 172 | Moldova | 0.463% | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 173 | Cyprus | 0.425% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 174 | Mexico | 0.363% | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 175 | Germany | 0.274% | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 176 | Luxembourg | 0.256% | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 177 | Montenegro | 0.218% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 178 | Singapore | 0.212% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 179 | France | 0.204% | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 180 | Peru | 0.156% | 2019 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 181 | Switzerland | 0.143% | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 182 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 0.133% | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 183 | Lithuania | 0.13% | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 184 | Australia | 0.124% | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 185 | India | 0.119% | 2025 | South Asia |
| 186 | Greece | 0.11% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 187 | Iran, Islamic Rep. | 0.103% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 188 | Poland | 0.0917% | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 189 | United Kingdom | 0.0698% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 190 | Japan | 0.0684% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 191 | Korea, Rep. | 0.0557% | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 192 | Uruguay | 0.0355% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 193 | Azerbaijan | 0.0266% | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 194 | United Arab Emirates | 0.00387% | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
More on out of school, primary
- Countries With the Lowest Out of School, Primary
- Out of school, primary by country: trend over time and what it goes with
Related rankings
- Countries With the Highest PISA Maths
- Countries With the Highest PISA Reading
- Countries With the Highest PISA Science
- Countries With the Highest Primary Completion
- Countries With the Highest Expected Schooling
- Countries With the Highest Mean Years of Schooling
- Countries With the Highest Education Spending
- Countries With the Highest Primary Enrollment
A ranking describes countries, not the people in them, and a high or low place does not by itself say why. All country rankings.