While the global primary net enrollment rate has reached nearly 90%, the stark reality remains that 244 million children and youth are still denied their right to education, highlighting both incredible progress and persistent inequality in learning access worldwide.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the global primary net enrolment rate reached 89.7%, up from 80.1% in 2000
- Worldwide, 62 million primary-aged children were out of school in 2021, representing 9% of the primary school-age population
- In sub-Saharan Africa, the primary net enrolment rate stood at 80.2% in 2020, compared to 99.1% in Europe and Northern America
- Global adult literacy rate for ages 15-24 was 92.5% in 2020, with females at 91.2% and males at 94.0%
- In sub-Saharan Africa, youth literacy rate (15-24) stood at 75.1% in 2022, up from 68.4% in 2010
- Worldwide, 773 million adults lacked basic literacy skills in 2021, representing 14% of the global adult population
- Globally, primary completion rate was 87.2% in 2022
- In sub-Saharan Africa, lower secondary completion rate stood at 48.5% for 2021 cohort
- Worldwide, 91% of primary-aged children reached grade 5 in 2020, up from 81% in 2000
- PISA 2022 average reading score was 476 points globally across 81 countries
- In mathematics, Shanghai-China topped PISA 2022 with 578 points, global average 472
- TIMSS 2019 grade 4 math average was 489 internationally, with Singapore at 625
- Global government expenditure on education averaged 4.5% of GDP in 2021
- OECD countries spent USD 10,463 per student on primary/secondary in 2020
- Worldwide, 69% of education budgets allocated to primary/secondary in 2022
Despite progress, millions of children globally remain out of school and unable to read proficiently.
Access and Enrollment
1In 2022, the global primary net enrolment rate reached 89.7%, up from 80.1% in 2000
Verified2Worldwide, 62 million primary-aged children were out of school in 2021, representing 9% of the primary school-age population
Verified3In sub-Saharan Africa, the primary net enrolment rate stood at 80.2% in 2020, compared to 99.1% in Europe and Northern America
Verified4Globally, 244 million children and youth were out of school at primary and secondary levels in 2021
Directional5The lower secondary net enrolment rate worldwide was 84.5% in 2022, with a gender parity index of 0.97
Single source6In South Asia, female primary enrolment rates improved to 92.3% in 2021 from 74.5% in 2000
Verified7Upper secondary net enrolment globally hit 64.2% in 2020, varying from 10.4% in sub-Saharan Africa to 95.6% in East Asia
Verified8128 million girls worldwide were out of school in 2021, accounting for 52% of all out-of-school children
Verified9In low-income countries, primary gross enrolment ratio was 105.3% in 2022 due to over-age enrolment
Directional10Global pre-primary enrolment reached 52.5% in 2021, with OECD countries at 96.8%
Single source11In 2020, 85% of countries achieved at least 90% primary adjusted net enrolment rate
Verified12Rural-urban enrolment gap in primary education averaged 12 percentage points in developing regions in 2019
Verified13Globally, refugee children enrolment in primary school was 77% in 2022, secondary at 34%
Verified14In Latin America and the Caribbean, secondary net enrolment rose to 87.6% in 2021
Directional15Worldwide, children with disabilities have 50% lower primary enrolment rates than non-disabled peers in 2020
Single source16Arab States primary net enrolment rate was 93.4% in 2022, with girls at 94.1%
Verified17In Eastern and South-eastern Asia, upper secondary enrolment reached 89.7% in 2020
Verified18Global indigenous children primary enrolment lagged 15 points behind national averages in 2019
Verified19Least developed countries had 72.5% primary net enrolment in 2021
Directional20In 2022, 60% of out-of-school children lived in conflict-affected countries
Single source21Central and Southern Asia secondary gross enrolment ratio was 78.9% in 2020
Verified22Globally, boys' primary enrolment exceeded girls' by 0.9 percentage points in low-income countries in 2021
Verified23Pacific Islands primary net enrolment averaged 92.1% in 2019
Verified24In 2020, migrant children primary enrolment was 85% in host countries
Directional25Sub-Saharan Africa saw 33 million girls out of primary school in 2021
Single source26Global tertiary gross enrolment ratio climbed to 40.3% in 2021
Verified27In high-income countries, pre-primary enrolment was 97.2% in 2022
Verified28Worldwide, nomadic children enrolment rates were below 40% in primary in 2019
Verified29Eastern Europe and Central Asia upper secondary enrolment at 91.4% in 2020
Directional30In 2022, 95% of countries reported improved gender parity in primary enrolment
Single sourceAccess and Enrollment Interpretation
While we're globally patting ourselves on the back for bringing primary enrolment to nearly 90%, a closer look reveals a tale of two planets—one where virtually every child is in a classroom and another where we’ve built a massive, intractable queue of 244 million young people, disproportionately girls and those in conflict zones, waiting for their basic right to an education.
Completion and Attainment
1Globally, primary completion rate was 87.2% in 2022
Verified2In sub-Saharan Africa, lower secondary completion rate stood at 48.5% for 2021 cohort
Verified3Worldwide, 91% of primary-aged children reached grade 5 in 2020, up from 81% in 2000
Verified4Southern Asia upper secondary completion rate reached 72.1% in 2022
Directional5Global tertiary completion rate (gross graduation ratio) was 39.4% in 2021
Single source6In OECD countries, upper secondary attainment for 25-34 year-olds was 86.5% in 2022
Verified7Least developed countries primary completion rate averaged 70.3% in 2020
Verified8Latin America secondary completion rose to 75.6% in 2021
Verified9Globally, gender parity in primary completion was 0.98 in 2022
Directional10East Asia and Pacific tertiary gross graduation ratio hit 45.2% in 2020
Single source11Sub-Saharan Africa girls' primary completion was 82.4% vs 88.1% boys in 2021
Verified12In high-income countries, 50.3% of 25-64 year-olds had tertiary education in 2022
Verified13Central and Southern Asia lower secondary completion at 65.7% in 2020
Verified14Worldwide, over-age primary students comprised 22% of enrolment in 2019
Directional15Arab States upper secondary completion rate was 68.9% in 2022
Single source16Global share of population with at least secondary education (25+) was 68.4% in 2021
Verified17In Europe, 40.2% of adults had bachelor's or equivalent in 2020
Verified18Low-income countries tertiary attainment for 25-34 was 2.1% in 2022
Verified19Pacific Islands primary completion averaged 88.5% in 2019
Directional20Globally, vocational secondary completion represented 25% of upper secondary in 2021
Single source21Indigenous peoples' secondary completion lagged 25 points in Latin America 2020
Verified22In 2022, 85% of countries met SDG target for primary completion parity
Verified23Rural secondary completion in developing world was 55% vs 75% urban in 2021
Verified24Global doctoral graduation ratio was 1.4% in 2020
Directional25Females surpassed males in tertiary completion in 70% of countries in 2022
Single source26Conflict-affected countries secondary completion averaged 45% in 2021
VerifiedCompletion and Attainment Interpretation
The global report card shows promising, if uneven, progress—we’ve mostly gotten kids into the schoolhouse door worldwide, but the staircase to higher education remains steep, cracked, and perilously dependent on your zip code, gender, and the stability of your homeland.
Learning Outcomes
1PISA 2022 average reading score was 476 points globally across 81 countries
Verified2In mathematics, Shanghai-China topped PISA 2022 with 578 points, global average 472
Verified3TIMSS 2019 grade 4 math average was 489 internationally, with Singapore at 625
Verified4Global PIRLS 2021 reading score for grade 4 averaged 492, Sweden highest at 549
Directional585% of low-income country grade 2 students couldn't read basic text in 2021
Single source6In sub-Saharan Africa, 89% of children couldn't read by grade 3 in 2020
Verified7OECD PISA science average fell to 485 in 2022 from 489 in 2018
Verified8Globally, 53% of children in low/middle-income countries fail minimum proficiency by end primary
Verified9Singapore led TIMSS 2019 grade 8 science with 608 points, international avg 489
Directional10Gender gap in PISA math narrowed to 5 points favoring boys in 2022
Single source11In Latin America, PISA 2022 reading avg was 444, 32 points below OECD
Verified12617 million children worldwide unable to achieve minimum proficiency in reading/math 2021
Verified13East Asia PISA math avg 536 in 2022, highest regionally
Verified14COVID-19 caused 0.57 years learning loss globally per student by 2022
Directional15Finland PISA reading score dropped to 490 in 2022 from 520 in 2009
Single source1692% of grade 5 students in India couldn't read grade 2 text in 2022 ASER
Verified17Global early grade reading assessment showed 70% non-proficient in 2020
Verified18Estonia topped PISA 2022 with math 510, science 526, reading 511
Verified19Sub-Saharan Africa learning poverty rate at 91% in 2021
Directional20PISA 2022 equity index showed high inequality in 40 countries
Single source21TIMSS 2019 gender gap in grade 8 math was 7 points favoring girls in avg
Verified22Global minimum proficiency in reading end of primary estimated at 52% achieving
Verified23Japan PISA math 536, but reading declined to 516 in 2022
Verified24Rural-urban learning gap averaged 25 PISA points in developing countries 2022
DirectionalLearning Outcomes Interpretation
While the world obsesses over the top performers hitting statistical home runs, the sobering reality is that far too many children, especially in low-income countries, are striking out before they even step up to bat in basic reading and math.
Literacy Rates
1Global adult literacy rate for ages 15-24 was 92.5% in 2020, with females at 91.2% and males at 94.0%
Verified2In sub-Saharan Africa, youth literacy rate (15-24) stood at 75.1% in 2022, up from 68.4% in 2010
Verified3Worldwide, 773 million adults lacked basic literacy skills in 2021, representing 14% of the global adult population
Verified4Southern Asia female adult literacy rate improved to 68.9% in 2020 from 47.8% in 2000
Directional5Globally, the gender parity index for youth literacy was 0.95 in 2022, indicating near equality
Single source6In least developed countries, adult literacy rate was 66.2% in 2021
Verified7Northern Africa and Western Asia youth literacy reached 93.7% in 2020
Verified867% of the world's 781 million illiterate adults were female in 2021
Verified9Latin America and the Caribbean adult literacy rate averaged 94.5% in 2022
Directional10In rural areas of developing countries, literacy rates were 20 points lower than urban in 2019
Single source11East Asia and Pacific youth literacy rate was 99.6% in 2021
Verified12Globally, indigenous peoples' literacy rates lagged 15-20 points behind national averages in 2020
Verified13Central Asia adult literacy stood at 99.8% in 2022, one of the highest globally
Verified14In conflict zones, youth literacy dropped by 30% compared to stable regions in 2021
Directional15Female literacy in South Asia reached 70.2% for ages 15+ in 2020
Single source16Worldwide, 94% of countries achieved universal youth literacy for males in 2022
Verified17Sub-Saharan Africa female youth literacy was 76.5% in 2021
Verified18Global illiterate population declined by 50 million between 2015 and 2020
Verified19In low-income countries, adult male literacy was 74.1% vs 62.3% for females in 2022
Directional20Arab States adult literacy rate hit 87.6% in 2021
Single source21Elderly literacy (65+) globally at 78.4% in 2020, varying widely by region
Verified22Pacific region youth literacy averaged 96.2% in 2019
Verified23Digital literacy among youth reached 65% globally in 2022 surveys
Verified24In Europe and Northern America, adult literacy exceeded 99% in 2021
Directional25Functional literacy in developing countries averaged 55% for adults in 2020
Single sourceLiteracy Rates Interpretation
The global literacy story is one of remarkable but frustratingly uneven progress: while we've nearly closed the youth gender gap worldwide and Central Asia hits 99.8%, the fact that two-thirds of the world's 781 million illiterate adults are women and that conflict zones see a 30% literacy drop reveals that our advances remain brittle and profoundly unequal.
Resources and Funding
1Global government expenditure on education averaged 4.5% of GDP in 2021
Verified2OECD countries spent USD 10,463 per student on primary/secondary in 2020
Verified3Worldwide, 69% of education budgets allocated to primary/secondary in 2022
Verified4Low-income countries education spending was 3.2% GDP in 2021
Directional5Sub-Saharan Africa teacher salaries consumed 78% of non-capital education budget 2020
Single source6Global pupil-teacher ratio primary averaged 23.7:1 in 2022
Verified7In high-income countries, 15.4% of GDP went to education incl. private in 2021
Verified8Developing regions had USD 50 per student annual spending in primary 2020
Verified9OECD pre-primary teacher-child ratio was 1:14 in 2022
Directional10Globally, 44% of countries met 20% national budget to education SDG in 2021
Single source11Latin America education expenditure per student secondary USD 2,800 in 2020
Verified12Aid to education totaled USD 13.2 billion in 2021, down 11% from 2010
Verified13Sub-Saharan Africa pupil-teacher ratio secondary 28:1 in 2022
Verified14Global private education spending share was 12% in 2021
Directional15Least developed countries spent 15.4% of budget on education avg 2020
Single source16OECD tertiary education expenditure USD 17,559 per student 2020
Verified17In South Asia, infrastructure spending was 5% of education budget 2021
Verified18Global trained teachers primary share 85% in 2022
Verified19Education aid to fragile states 42% of total in 2021
Directional20East Asia pupil-teacher primary ratio 17.2:1 in 2020
Single source21Worldwide, digital devices in schools reached 70% coverage by 2022
Verified22Arab States government recurrent expenditure 3.8% GDP 2021
Verified23Classroom shortages affected 1 in 5 primary students globally 2020
Verified24OECD non-salary current expenditure 35% of primary budget 2022
Directional25Global scholarships covered 5 million students in 2021
Single source26Rural schools had 30% less resources than urban globally 2021
Verified27Tertiary institutions worldwide totaled 28,000 in 2022
VerifiedResources and Funding Interpretation
These figures paint a stark portrait of global education: a world where the fortunate few enjoy well-resourced classrooms while the majority grapple with crowded benches and bare budgets, proving that the ladder of learning is still frustratingly propped up by a student's birthplace.
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