
Photo: Berit Watkin , derivative work (crop) by Globe-trotter · CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 04 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Barbados: Education & Knowledge
How far does a country's schooling carry its children?
Barbados is placed 107th of 198 countries on education & knowledge in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: Out-of-School Rate, Primary 17.6 (2024); Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary 78.17 (2024).
Share
Education & Knowledge
107th
of 198 countries placed
Placed from 4 of 4 key statistics
- 17.6Out-of-School Rate, Primary, 2024Out-of-school rate, primary age (%)
- 78.17Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary, 2024Children one year before primary entry age in organised learning (%)
- 95.71Upper Secondary Completion Rate, 2025Upper secondary completion rate (%)
- 3.775Government Spending on Education, 2023Government expenditure on education (% of GDP)
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Barbados on education & knowledge — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used — or, for a survey-based key, each country’s latest reading; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
Key 1 of 4
Out-of-School Rate, Primary
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
Latest reading per country, 2014–2024 · Barbados’s is from 2024 · CC BY-SA 4.0
17.6
Out-of-school rate, primary age (%)
Lower is better
Barbados: 17.6. Across the 192 countries at their latest reading, values run from 0.004 (United Arab Emirates) to 65.6 (Equatorial Guinea); the world median is 3.691.
- World median
- 3.691
- Best in Caribbean
- 0.133 Turks and Caicos Islands
Key 2 of 4
Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
Latest reading per country, 2014–2024 · Barbados’s is from 2024 · CC BY-SA 4.0
78.17
Children one year before primary entry age in organised learning (%)
Higher is better
Barbados: 78.17. Across the 187 countries at their latest reading, values run from 3.411 (Yemen) to 100 (United Arab Emirates); the world median is 85.9.
- World median
- 85.9
- Best in Caribbean
- 98.36 Turks and Caicos Islands
Key 3 of 4
Upper Secondary Completion Rate
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY-SA 4.0
95.71
Upper secondary completion rate (%)
Higher is better
Barbados: 95.71. Across the 164 countries in this edition, values run from 2.13 (South Sudan) to 99.27 (South Korea); the world median is 64.87.
- World median
- 64.87
- Best in Caribbean
- 95.71 Barbados
Key 4 of 4
Government Spending on Education
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
2023 edition · data for 2023 · CC BY-SA 4.0
3.775
Government expenditure on education (% of GDP)
Higher is better
Barbados: 3.775. Across the 123 countries in this edition, values run from 0 (Somalia) to 16.39 (Kiribati); the world median is 3.709.
- World median
- 3.709
- Best in Caribbean
- 7.19 Montserrat
02Over time
Which way Barbados is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Out-of-School Rate, Primary
Out-of-school rate, primary age (%) · lower is better
BarbadosWorld median
Barbados rose from 0.427 in 2000 to 17.6 in 2024; the world median went from 8.642 to 3.691.
Every year’s figures
Year Barbados World median 2024 17.60 3.691 2023 14.48 3.393 2022 12.09 3.002 2021 9.34 3.330 2020 7.67 2.678 2019 6.35 2.758 2018 6.44 2.439 2017 6.81 2.907 2016 3.94 2.954 2015 4.66 3.052 2014 5.30 3.904 2013 — 3.413 2012 — 3.408 2011 2.02 3.626 2010 1.77 3.491 2009 3.40 3.577 2008 1.93 3.878 2007 1.98 4.029 2006 1.88 4.338 2005 2.64 4.571 2004 0.61 3.791 2003 0.99 4.412 2002 1.02 4.144 2001 0.53 4.051 2000 0.43 8.642 Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary
Children one year before primary entry age in organised learning (%) · higher is better
BarbadosWorld median
Barbados fell from 90.25 in 2000 to 78.17 in 2024; the world median went from 66.32 to 85.9.
Every year’s figures
Year Barbados World median 2024 78.2 85.9 2023 70.5 87.6 2022 72.8 87.7 2021 78.6 87.0 2020 80.3 88.3 2019 85.1 88.8 2018 89.2 89.6 2017 96.4 87.4 2016 87.7 87.9 2015 97.7 88.2 2014 92.3 89.2 2013 — 88.0 2012 — 85.4 2011 89.4 86.2 2010 95.9 86.1 2009 82.8 84.8 2008 97.9 85.8 2007 92.7 86.7 2006 96.1 84.0 2005 88.0 82.2 2004 86.4 81.8 2003 95.6 78.3 2002 97.2 80.0 2001 89.6 80.8 2000 90.2 66.3 Upper Secondary Completion Rate
Upper secondary completion rate (%) · higher is better
BarbadosWorld median
Barbados rose from 89.22 in 2000 to 95.71 in 2025; the world median went from 38 to 64.87.
Every year’s figures
Year Barbados World median 2025 95.7 64.9 2024 95.5 65.0 2023 95.4 64.2 2022 95.2 63.6 2021 95.0 62.9 2020 94.8 62.2 2019 94.6 61.5 2018 94.4 60.9 2017 94.2 60.5 2016 93.9 60.1 2015 93.7 58.9 2014 93.5 57.0 2013 93.3 54.7 2012 93.0 52.4 2011 92.8 50.9 2010 92.5 49.5 2009 92.2 48.5 2008 91.9 47.4 2007 91.7 46.2 2006 91.4 45.0 2005 91.2 43.8 2004 90.8 42.9 2003 90.5 41.6 2002 90.1 40.3 2001 89.7 39.0 2000 89.2 38.0 Government Spending on Education
Government expenditure on education (% of GDP) · higher is better
BarbadosWorld median
Barbados fell from 4.716 in 2000 to 3.775 in 2023; the world median went from 3.886 to 3.709.
Every year’s figures
Year Barbados World median 2023 3.775 3.7092 2022 4.140 4.0570 2021 4.498 4.2611 2020 3.865 4.4056 2019 3.722 4.1407 2018 5.404 4.2159 2017 3.956 4.1401 2016 4.197 4.2342 2015 5.160 4.2386 2014 5.360 4.2005 2013 4.503 4.3493 2012 4.588 4.0348 2011 — 3.9987 2010 6.053 4.1396 2009 5.110 4.6638 2008 4.921 4.4226 2007 5.221 4.1717 2006 — 4.0593 2005 5.670 4.0557 2004 6.024 3.9745 2003 6.246 4.1595 2002 5.881 4.0173 2001 6.055 4.1002 2000 4.716 3.8861
03In context
Barbados beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 198 countries on education & knowledge, never a place within the region.
Barbados and Caribbean
Barbados has no land border, so the table compares it with its sub-region. Standing among all 198; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.
| Country | Standing | Out-of-School Rate, PrimaryOut-of-school rate, primary age (%) | Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before PrimaryChildren one year before primary entry age in organised learning (%) | Upper Secondary Completion RateUpper secondary completion rate (%) | Government Spending on EducationGovernment expenditure on education (% of GDP) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11th | 0.59 | 98.04 | — | 6.4583 | |
| =41st | 1.755 | 96.09 | — | — | |
| 43rd | 4.341 | 94.69 | 92 | 5.6545 | |
| =48th | 0.133 | 98.36 | — | 2.6877 | |
| 50th | 3.952 | 98.03 | — | 4.6942 | |
| 69th | 4.684 | 97.06 | 74.13 | — | |
| 86th | 1.711 | 94.08 | — | 3.1051 | |
| 93rd | 7.164 | 96.69 | 84.85 | 3.2336 | |
| 96th | 6.686 | 72.92 | — | 7.1902 | |
| 97th | 7.012 | 91.73 | 94.25 | 2.7421 | |
| 98th | 4.928 | 93.47 | 64.68 | 3.7606 | |
| 107th | 17.6 | 78.17 | 95.71 | 3.7754 | |
| 110th | 4.941 | 74.96 | — | 5.1254 | |
| 118th | 13.25 | 89.02 | — | 4.2690 | |
| =123rd | 6.781 | — | — | 3.9236 | |
| 128th | 27.89 | 77.65 | — | 5.3007 | |
| 130th | 5.169 | 96.16 | — | 1.5702 | |
| 161st | 26.97 | 82.84 | — | 3.1728 | |
| =176th | 15.88 | 47.25 | — | 2.7419 | |
| 181st | — | 76.02 | 18.48 | 0.9646 | |
| not placed | — | 89.69 | — | — | |
| not placed | — | — | — | 3.4973 | |
| not placed | — | — | — | — | |
| not placed | — | — | — | — |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Caribbean
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 198.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines11th
Aruba=41st
Jamaica43rd
Turks and Caicos Islands=48th
Dominica50th
Cuba69th
Antigua and Barbuda86th
Trinidad and Tobago93rd
Montserrat96th
Saint Lucia97th
Dominican Republic98th
Barbados107th
Grenada110th
Puerto Rico118th
Sint Maarten=123rd
Curaçao128th
Cayman Islands130th
British Virgin Islands161st
Bahamas=176th
Haiti181st
Anguillanot placed
Saint Kitts and Nevisnot placed
Saint Martinnot placed
United States Virgin Islandsnot placed
Placed either side on education & knowledge
The countries immediately above and below Barbados in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Barbados is ahead of the world, and behind
19 more statistics filed under education & knowledge, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median13
Statistics on which Barbados does better than the middle country measured.
Youth Literacy RateUIS · 2024 · world median 98.2210098.22No earlier reading
Barbados: 100 · world median 98.22 · 15–24 year-olds who can read and write (%). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 36.7 to 100; higher is better.
Pupils per Qualified Teacher, PrimaryUIS · 2024 · world median 20.6710.2520.67▲ Improved since 2014
Barbados: 10.25 · world median 20.67 · Primary pupils per qualified teacher (headcount basis). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 8.244 to 284.7; lower is better.
Position 89th of 92 · derived, 1st = worst.
Lower Secondary Completion RateUIS · 2025 · world median 89.2199.5589.21No real change since 2015
Barbados: 99.55 · world median 89.21 · Lower secondary completion rate (%). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 13.73 to 100; higher is better.
Position 10th of 164 · derived.
Academic Freedom IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.6190.9040.619▲ Improved since 2015
Barbados: 0.904 · world median 0.619 · Academic freedom index (0–1). V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.019 to 0.978; higher is better.
Position 17th of 176 · derived.
Wealth Parity Index, Lower Secondary CompletionUIS · 2024 · world median 0.5290.9670.529No earlier reading
Barbados: 0.967 · world median 0.529 · Adjusted wealth parity index, lower secondary completion (poorest vs richest fifth; 1 = parity). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.032 to 1.022; higher is better.
Adult Literacy RateUIS · 2024 · world median 93.9999.2793.99No earlier reading
Barbados: 99.27 · world median 93.99 · Adults 15+ who can read and write (%). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 26.83 to 100; higher is better.
Position 26th of 172 · derived.
Expected Years of SchoolingUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 13.3416.6313.34No real change since 2013
Barbados: 16.63 · world median 13.34 · Expected years of schooling. UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 5.635 to 21.69; higher is better.
Position 33rd of 195 · derived.
Government Funding per Primary StudentUIS · 2022 · world median 17.8122.5417.81▲ Improved since 2016
Barbados: 22.54 · world median 17.81 · Government funding per primary student (% of GDP per capita). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 3.771 to 34.57; higher is better.
Position 13th of 68 · derived.
Secondary School EnrolmentUIS · 2024 · world median 93.19104.3793.19▼ Worsened since 2014
Barbados: 104.37 · world median 93.19 · Gross secondary enrolment ratio (%). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 19.87 to 158.55; higher is better.
Position 26th of 109 · derived.
Out-of-School Rate, Lower Secondary AgeUIS · 2024 · world median 6.3432.2566.343▲ Improved since 2014
Barbados: 2.256 · world median 6.343 · Out-of-school rate, lower secondary age (%). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.011 to 79.71; lower is better.
Position 86th of 116 · derived, 1st = worst.
Primary Completion RateUIS · 2025 · world median 97.4399.4597.43▼ Worsened since 2015
Barbados: 99.45 · world median 97.43 · Primary completion rate (%). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 7.94 to 100; higher is better.
Position 47th of 165 · derived.
Tertiary Enrolment RatioUIS · 2024 · world median 52.7753.5852.77▼ Worsened since 2014
Barbados: 53.58 · world median 52.77 · Gross enrolment ratio, tertiary (%). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 2.566 to 141.86; higher is better.
Position 45th of 95 · derived.
Gender Parity Index, Tertiary EnrolmentUIS · 2024 · world median 1.2441.511.244▼ Worsened since 2014
Barbados: 1.51 · world median 1.244 · Adjusted gender parity index, tertiary gross enrolment (1 = parity). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.74 to 1.83; higher is better.
Position 87th of 95 · derived.
Behind the world median4
Statistics on which Barbados does worse than the middle country measured.
Mean Years of SchoolingUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 9.9339.9289.933▼ Worsened since 2013
Barbados: 9.928 · world median 9.933 · Mean years of schooling (adults 25+). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 1.412 to 14.3; higher is better.
Position 98th of 193 · derived.
Pre-Primary Net Enrolment RateUIS · 2024 · world median 65.9365.665.93▼ Worsened since 2014
Barbados: 65.6 · world median 65.93 · Net enrolment rate, pre-primary (%). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1.779 to 99.85; higher is better.
Position 62nd of 120 · derived.
School Life ExpectancyUIS · 2024 · world median 14.5913.5714.59▼ Worsened since 1971
Barbados: 13.57 · world median 14.59 · School life expectancy, primary to tertiary (years). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 7.478 to 21.01; higher is better.
Position 51st of 77 · derived.
Qualified Teachers in Primary EducationUIS · 2024 · world median 93.6675.8893.66▲ Improved since 2014
Barbados: 75.88 · world median 93.66 · Primary teachers with the minimum qualifications their country requires (%). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 100; higher is better.
Level with the median, or no median to compare1
Primary Schools with ElectricityUIS · 2024 · world median 100100100No real change since 2016
Barbados: 100 · world median 100 · Primary schools with access to electricity (%). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1.246 to 100; higher is better.
No better end1
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Scholarly ArticlesOurResearch · 2025 · world median 2,2403532,240No real change since 2022
Barbados: 353 · world median 2,240 · Articles with at least one author at an institution in the country (full counting). OpenAlex (OurResearch), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1 to 1,094,890.
No current reading for Barbados
Bachelor's or Higher Attainment, Female Share of Researchers, Female Share of STEM Graduates (last 2011), Harmonized Test Scores, Inbound Mobility Rate, Tertiary (last 2011), Intergenerational Persistence in Education, Learning Poverty, Learning-Adjusted Years of School, Minimum Proficiency in Mathematics, End of Lower Secondary, Minimum Proficiency in Mathematics, End of Primary, Minimum Proficiency in Reading, End of Lower Secondary, Minimum Proficiency in Reading, End of Primary, Nobel Prize Laureates by Country of Birth, Outbound Mobility Ratio, Tertiary (last 2011), PISA Mathematics Performance, PISA Reading Performance, PISA Science Performance, Primary Schools with Internet for Teaching, Research and Development Spending, Researchers per Million Inhabitants, Share of Graduates from ICT Programmes (last 2011), Trust in Scientists and Upper Secondary Attainment (last 2000). Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing
05Country Index 2026
Education & Knowledge among Barbados’s 16 topics
Education & Knowledge is Barbados’s 11th best-placed topic of 16. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Peace & Securityjoint 7th of 1772/4 keys
- Risk & Resilience30th of 1933/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Libertiesjoint 38th of 1984/4 keys
- Governance & Institutions45th of 1944/4 keys
- Work & Labourjoint 54th of 1824/4 keys
- Food & Agriculture58th of 1844/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeing78th of 2002/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital79th of 1963/3 keys
- Gender & Equality82nd of 1833/4 keys
- Poverty & Inequality76th of 1592/3 keys
- Education & Knowledge107th of 1984/4 keys
- Economy & Innovation96th of 1762/4 keys
- Mobility & Tradejoint 128th of 1773/4 keys
- Energy130th of 1652/3 keys
- Digital & Technology157th of 1983/4 keys
- Environment & Sustainability174th of 1863/4 keys
06The top of the list
Who leads on education & knowledge
The three countries placed highest of 198, and the leaders Barbados can most readily be measured against.
1United Arab Emirates
Western Asia
1st of 198 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Unknown author · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
2Greece
Southern Europe
2nd of 198 · 3 of 4 keys
Photo: User:Ggia derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
3Poland
Eastern Europe
3rd of 198 · 3 of 4 keys
Photo: Ralf Lotys (Sicherlich) · CC BY 3.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest placed on all 4 keys
Moldova7th4/4 keys
Highest in Americas
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines11th3/4 keys
This page
Barbados107th4/4 keys
Positions out of 198 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Questions
Barbados on education & knowledge: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does Barbados rank on education & knowledge?
Barbados is placed 107th of 198 countries on Education & Knowledge in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics (Out-of-School Rate, Primary, Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary, Upper Secondary Completion Rate and Government Spending on Education). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest Out-of-School Rate, Primary figure for Barbados?
17.6 in 2024 (out-of-school rate, primary age (%)), according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). The world median in the same edition was 3.691.
What is the latest Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary figure for Barbados?
78.17 in 2024 (children one year before primary entry age in organised learning (%)), according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). The world median in the same edition was 85.9.
How have Barbados’s education & knowledge figures changed?
Out-of-School Rate, Primary rose from 0.427 in 2000 to 17.6 in 2024; Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary fell from 90.25 in 2000 to 78.17 in 2024; Upper Secondary Completion Rate rose from 89.22 in 2000 to 95.71 in 2025; Government Spending on Education fell from 4.716 in 2000 to 3.775 in 2023.
Which education & knowledge statistics are missing for Barbados?
No current reading is published for Barbados on Bachelor's or Higher Attainment, Female Share of Researchers, Female Share of STEM Graduates, Harmonized Test Scores, Inbound Mobility Rate, Tertiary, Intergenerational Persistence in Education, Learning Poverty, Learning-Adjusted Years of School, Minimum Proficiency in Mathematics, End of Lower Secondary, Minimum Proficiency in Mathematics, End of Primary, Minimum Proficiency in Reading, End of Lower Secondary, Minimum Proficiency in Reading, End of Primary, Nobel Prize Laureates by Country of Birth, Outbound Mobility Ratio, Tertiary, PISA Mathematics Performance, PISA Reading Performance, PISA Science Performance, Primary Schools with Internet for Teaching, Research and Development Spending, Researchers per Million Inhabitants, Share of Graduates from ICT Programmes, Trust in Scientists and Upper Secondary Attainment. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
08Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
How much children actually learn is only partly covered. International test scores exist for a limited group of countries, and they are published here as context rather than used as a key, because a key must describe most of the world. Universities, research, and youth and adult literacy also appear as context.
How the Education & Knowledge standing is decided
A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 4 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 4 keys to be placed.
The education & knowledge method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built
The key statistics and their licences
- Out-of-School Rate, Primary — UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), CC BY-SA 4.0
- Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary — UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), CC BY-SA 4.0
- Upper Secondary Completion Rate — UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), CC BY-SA 4.0
- Government Spending on Education — UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), CC BY-SA 4.0
The other 19 statistics on this page come from 4 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Barbados’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Barbados (banner) — Berit Watkin , derivative work (crop) by Globe-trotter, CC BY 2.0
- United Arab Emirates — Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Greece — User:Ggia derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Poland — Ralf Lotys (Sicherlich), CC BY 3.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Barbados: Education & Knowledge — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/barbados/education