Key Takeaways
- Globally, primary completion rate was 87% in 2022, but only 67% in low-income countries
- Lower secondary completion rate worldwide stood at 75% in 2022, with gender gaps persisting
- Upper secondary completion rate globally was 52% in 2022 for the relevant age group
- In 2022, the global primary net enrolment rate reached 89.3%, an increase from 82.9% in 2000, representing 130 million more children in school
- Sub-Saharan Africa's primary net enrolment rate was 80.2% in 2022, compared to the global average of 89.3%, leaving 28 million children out of school
- South Asia's primary net enrolment rate improved to 92.1% in 2022 from 78.5% in 2000, driven by policy reforms
- Global gender parity index for primary enrolment was 0.97 in 2022, nearing parity
- Lower secondary gender parity index globally was 0.95 in 2022, with girls slightly underrepresented
- Tertiary gender parity index reached 1.05 in 2022, with more women enrolled globally
- Global adult literacy rate (15+) was 87% in 2022, up from 83% in 2010
- Youth literacy rate (15-24) globally reached 92% in 2022, with males at 94% and females 91%
- Sub-Saharan Africa's adult literacy rate was 66% in 2022, lowest globally
- Globally, 250 million children were out of school at primary and secondary levels in 2022
- 60% of out-of-school children lived in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia in 2022
- Poverty affected 40% of out-of-school primary children globally in 2022
Progress is uneven: 87% primary completion globally, but low-income countries and crises leave millions, especially girls, out of school.
Related reading
Completion Rates
Completion Rates Interpretation
More related reading
Enrollment Statistics
Enrollment Statistics Interpretation
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Gender Parity
Gender Parity Interpretation
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Literacy Rates
Literacy Rates Interpretation
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Out-of-School and Barriers
Out-of-School and Barriers Interpretation
How We Rate Confidence
Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.
Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.
AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree
Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.
AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree
All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.
AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
Marcus Engström. (2026, February 13). Global Access To Education Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/global-access-to-education-statistics
Marcus Engström. "Global Access To Education Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/global-access-to-education-statistics.
Marcus Engström. 2026. "Global Access To Education Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/global-access-to-education-statistics.
Sources & References
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- Reference 6DATAdata.oecd.org
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- Reference 9IMGimg.asercentre.org
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- Reference 10MOSPImospi.gov.in
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- Reference 11GLOBALPARTNERSHIPglobalpartnership.org
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- Reference 12ILOilo.org
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- Reference 13UNICEFunicef.org
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- Reference 14UCLucl.ac.uk
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- Reference 15IIEPiiep.unesco.org
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