Photo: Bernard Gagnon derivative work: ויקיג'אנקי · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 04 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Ethiopia: Education & Knowledge
How far does a country's schooling carry its children?
Ethiopia is placed 178th 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 22.46 (2024); Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary 62.59 (2024).
Share
Education & Knowledge
178th
of 198 countries placed
Placed from 4 of 4 key statistics
- 22.46Out-of-School Rate, Primary, 2024Out-of-school rate, primary age (%)
- 62.59Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary, 2024Children one year before primary entry age in organised learning (%)
- 15.45Upper Secondary Completion Rate, 2025Upper secondary completion rate (%)
- 2.927Government Spending on Education, 2023Government expenditure on education (% of GDP)
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Ethiopia 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 · Ethiopia’s is from 2024 · CC BY-SA 4.0
22.46
Out-of-school rate, primary age (%)
Lower is better
Ethiopia: 22.46. 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 Eastern Africa
- 0.785 Mauritius
- Land neighbours
- Eritrea 40.38 · Kenya 32.9 · Sudan 43.84 · South Sudan 64.73
Key 2 of 4
Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
Latest reading per country, 2014–2024 · Ethiopia’s is from 2024 · CC BY-SA 4.0
62.59
Children one year before primary entry age in organised learning (%)
Higher is better
Ethiopia: 62.59. 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 Eastern Africa
- 92.12 Kenya
- Land neighbours
- Eritrea 37.79 · Kenya 92.12 · Sudan 37.96 · South Sudan 9.452
Key 3 of 4
Upper Secondary Completion Rate
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY-SA 4.0
15.45
Upper secondary completion rate (%)
Higher is better
Ethiopia: 15.45. 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 Eastern Africa
- 55.96 Mauritius
- Land neighbours
- Djibouti 35.12 · Kenya 41.64 · Sudan 33.58 · Somalia 8.79 · South Sudan 2.13
Key 4 of 4
Government Spending on Education
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
2023 edition · data for 2023 · CC BY-SA 4.0
2.927
Government expenditure on education (% of GDP)
Higher is better
Ethiopia: 2.927. 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 Eastern Africa
- 4.92 Rwanda
- Land neighbours
- Kenya 3.962 · Somalia 0
02Over time
Which way Ethiopia 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
EthiopiaWorld median
Ethiopia fell from 61.55 in 2000 to 22.46 in 2024; the world median went from 8.642 to 3.691.
Every year’s figures
Year Ethiopia World median 2024 22.5 3.691 2023 23.8 3.393 2022 24.6 3.002 2021 25.7 3.330 2020 — 2.678 2019 — 2.758 2018 — 2.439 2017 — 2.907 2016 — 2.954 2015 20.2 3.052 2014 19.1 3.904 2013 — 3.413 2012 23.7 3.408 2011 24.8 3.626 2010 28.2 3.491 2009 26.2 3.577 2008 25.9 3.878 2007 31.8 4.029 2006 37.4 4.338 2005 42.3 4.571 2004 52.9 3.791 2003 55.7 4.412 2002 56.3 4.144 2001 58.0 4.051 2000 61.6 8.642 Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary
Children one year before primary entry age in organised learning (%) · higher is better
EthiopiaWorld median
Ethiopia rose from 22.93 in 2012 to 62.59 in 2024; the world median went from 85.43 to 85.9.
Every year’s figures
Year Ethiopia World median 2024 63 85.9 2023 — 87.6 2022 64 87.7 2021 41 87.0 2020 — 88.3 2019 — 88.8 2018 — 89.6 2017 — 87.4 2016 — 87.9 2015 34 88.2 2014 32 89.2 2013 — 88.0 2012 23 85.4 2011 — 86.2 2010 — 86.1 2009 — 84.8 2008 — 85.8 2007 — 86.7 2006 — 84.0 2005 — 82.2 2004 — 81.8 2003 — 78.3 2002 — 80.0 2001 — 80.8 2000 — 66.3 Upper Secondary Completion Rate
Upper secondary completion rate (%) · higher is better
EthiopiaWorld median
Ethiopia rose from 5.95 in 2000 to 15.45 in 2025; the world median went from 38 to 64.87.
Every year’s figures
Year Ethiopia World median 2025 15.4 64.9 2024 15.1 65.0 2023 14.8 64.2 2022 14.5 63.6 2021 14.1 62.9 2020 13.8 62.2 2019 13.4 61.5 2018 13.0 60.9 2017 12.6 60.5 2016 12.3 60.1 2015 11.9 58.9 2014 11.6 57.0 2013 11.2 54.7 2012 10.7 52.4 2011 10.3 50.9 2010 9.8 49.5 2009 9.2 48.5 2008 8.6 47.4 2007 8.1 46.2 2006 7.7 45.0 2005 7.4 43.8 2004 7.1 42.9 2003 6.7 41.6 2002 6.3 40.3 2001 6.1 39.0 2000 5.9 38.0 Government Spending on Education
Government expenditure on education (% of GDP) · higher is better
EthiopiaWorld median
Ethiopia fell from 3.886 in 2000 to 2.927 in 2023; the world median went from 3.886 to 3.709.
Every year’s figures
Year Ethiopia World median 2023 2.927 3.7092 2022 3.736 4.0570 2021 4.065 4.2611 2020 4.091 4.4056 2019 4.481 4.1407 2018 5.220 4.2159 2017 5.499 4.1401 2016 5.062 4.2342 2015 4.738 4.2386 2014 4.602 4.2005 2013 4.499 4.3493 2012 5.567 4.0348 2011 5.486 3.9987 2010 4.497 4.1396 2009 4.422 4.6638 2008 5.408 4.4226 2007 5.451 4.1717 2006 5.491 4.0593 2005 — 4.0557 2004 — 3.9745 2003 — 4.1595 2002 3.632 4.0173 2001 3.700 4.1002 2000 3.886 3.8861
03In context
Ethiopia 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.
Ethiopia and the countries it borders
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Kenyacompare | 137th | 32.9 | 92.12 | 41.64 | 3.962 |
| Ethiopia | 178th | 22.46 | 62.59 | 15.45 | 2.927 |
 Sudan | =190th | 43.84 | 37.96 | 33.58 | — |
 Eritreacompare | 194th | 40.38 | 37.79 | — | — |
 Somalia | 197th | — | — | 8.79 | 0 |
 South Sudan | 198th | 64.73 | 9.452 | 2.13 | — |
 Djibouti | not placed | — | — | 35.12 | — |
| Somaliland | not placed | — | — | — | — |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Eastern Africa
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 198.
Placed either side on education & knowledge
The countries immediately above and below Ethiopia in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Ethiopia is ahead of the world, and behind
20 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.
Behind the world median16
Statistics on which Ethiopia does worse than the middle country measured.
Intergenerational Persistence in EducationWorld Bank Group · 2017 · world median 0.4460.4720.446No earlier reading
Ethiopia: 0.472 · world median 0.446 · Correlation between own and parents' years of schooling, born 1980–89 (0–1). World Bank Group, 2017 edition, data for 2017.
Published values in that edition run from 0.123 to 0.66; lower is better.
Position 66th of 153 · derived, 1st = worst.
Academic Freedom IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.6190.3370.619▲ Improved since 2015
Ethiopia: 0.337 · 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 120th of 176 · derived.
Pre-Primary Net Enrolment RateUIS · 2024 · world median 65.9340.6665.93▲ Improved since 2014
Ethiopia: 40.66 · 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 89th of 120 · derived.
Researchers per Million InhabitantsUIS · 2024 · world median 701.9589.04701.95No earlier reading
Ethiopia: 89.04 · world median 701.95 · Researchers per million inhabitants (full-time equivalent). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1.446 to 18,130; higher is better.
Position 116th of 145 · derived.
Wealth Parity Index, Lower Secondary CompletionUIS · 2024 · world median 0.5290.1610.529No earlier reading
Ethiopia: 0.161 · 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.
Youth Literacy RateUIS · 2024 · world median 98.2284.6998.22No earlier reading
Ethiopia: 84.69 · 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 20.6751.7220.67No real change since 2015
Ethiopia: 51.72 · 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 12th of 92 · derived, 1st = worst.
Adult Literacy RateUIS · 2024 · world median 93.9960.4693.99No earlier reading
Ethiopia: 60.46 · 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 152nd of 172 · derived.
Harmonized Test ScoresWorld Bank Group · 2020 · world median 414.32348.2414.32▼ Worsened since 2017
Ethiopia: 348.2 · world median 414.32 · Harmonized test score (TIMSS-equivalent points; 300 = minimum, 625 = advanced attainment). World Bank Group, 2020 edition, data for 2020.
Published values in that edition run from 304.92 to 575.27; higher is better.
Position 153rd of 172 · derived.
Learning PovertyWorld Bank Group and UNESCO Institute for Statistics · 2023 · world median 34.0290.3934.02No earlier reading
Ethiopia: 90.39 · world median 34.02 · 10-year-olds who cannot read and understand a simple text (%). World Bank Group and UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 2.331 to 98.5; lower is better.
Position 14th of 125 · derived, 1st = worst.
Primary Completion RateUIS · 2025 · world median 97.4364.5797.43No real change since 2015
Ethiopia: 64.57 · 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 148th of 165 · derived.
Expected Years of SchoolingUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 13.349.21813.34▲ Improved since 2013
Ethiopia: 9.218 · 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 176th of 195 · derived.
Learning-Adjusted Years of SchoolWorld Bank Group · 2020 · world median 7.9414.3497.941▼ Worsened since 2017
Ethiopia: 4.349 · world median 7.941 · Learning-adjusted years of school (0–14). World Bank Group, 2020 edition, data for 2020.
Published values in that edition run from 2.207 to 12.81; higher is better.
Position 159th of 172 · derived.
Lower Secondary Completion RateUIS · 2025 · world median 89.2129.5289.21No real change since 2015
Ethiopia: 29.52 · 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 154th of 164 · derived.
Out-of-School Rate, Lower Secondary AgeUIS · 2024 · world median 6.34354.776.343No real change since 2014
Ethiopia: 54.77 · 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 5th of 116 · derived, 1st = worst.
Mean Years of SchoolingUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 9.9332.4039.933No real change since 2013
Ethiopia: 2.403 · 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 188th of 193 · derived.
No better end4
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 2,24014,0162,240No real change since 2022
Ethiopia: 14,016 · 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.
Nobel Prize Laureates by Country of BirthNobel Prize Outreach · 2025 · world median 212No earlier reading
Ethiopia: 1 · world median 2 · Laureates born in the country, 1901 to date (people). Nobel Prize Outreach, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1 to 296.
Trust in ScientistsWellcome Trust · 2020 · world median 34.3518.834.35Moved since 2018
Ethiopia: 18.8 · world median 34.35 · People aged 15+ who trust scientists in their country 'a lot' (%). Wellcome Trust, 2020 edition, data for 2020.
Published values in that edition run from 9.335 to 72.35.
Female Share of ResearchersUIS · 2024 · world median 38.1711.5138.17No earlier reading
Ethiopia: 11.51 · world median 38.17 · Researchers who are women (% of headcount; 50 = parity). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 76.54.
No current reading for Ethiopia
Bachelor's or Higher Attainment (last 2022), Female Share of STEM Graduates (last 2010), Gender Parity Index, Tertiary Enrolment (last 2014), Government Funding per Primary Student (last 2014), Inbound Mobility Rate, Tertiary, 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, Outbound Mobility Ratio, Tertiary (last 2014), PISA Mathematics Performance, PISA Reading Performance, PISA Science Performance, Primary Schools with Electricity (last 2023), Primary Schools with Internet for Teaching, Qualified Teachers in Primary Education (last 2014), Research and Development Spending (last 2017), School Life Expectancy (last 2012), Secondary School Enrolment (last 2015), Share of Graduates from ICT Programmes (last 2008), Tertiary Enrolment Ratio (last 2014) and Upper Secondary Attainment (last 2022). 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 Ethiopia’s 14 topics
Education & Knowledge is Ethiopia’s 14th best-placed topic of 14. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Environment & Sustainability52nd of 1864/4 keys
- Digital & Technologyjoint 87th of 1984/4 keys
- Work & Labour116th of 1824/4 keys
- Poverty & Inequality107th of 1593/3 keys
- Gender & Equality127th of 1834/4 keys
- Governance & Institutions144th of 1944/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties151st of 1984/4 keys
- Food & Agriculture145th of 1844/4 keys
- Economy & Innovation148th of 1764/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeing173rd of 2004/4 keys
- Peace & Security155th of 1774/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital174th of 1963/3 keys
- Risk & Resilience172nd of 1934/4 keys
- Education & Knowledge178th of 1984/4 keys
No standing on Mobility & Trade, Energy: too few of those topics’ key statistics are published for this country.
06The top of the list
Who leads on education & knowledge
The three countries placed highest of 198, and the leaders Ethiopia can most readily be measured against.
1
United Arab EmiratesWestern Asia
1st of 198 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Unknown author · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
2
GreeceSouthern Europe
2nd of 198 · 3 of 4 keys
Photo: User:Ggia derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
3
PolandEastern 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 keysHighest in Africa
Tunisia=48th3/4 keysHighest in Eastern Africa
Mauritius=61st4/4 keysThis page
Ethiopia178th4/4 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
Ethiopia 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 Ethiopia rank on education & knowledge?
Ethiopia is placed 178th 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 Ethiopia?
22.46 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 Ethiopia?
62.59 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 does Ethiopia compare with Kenya on education & knowledge?
Kenya is placed 137th of 198, and Ethiopia 178th. Out-of-School Rate, Primary: Kenya 32.9, Ethiopia 22.46; Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary: Kenya 92.12, Ethiopia 62.59; Upper Secondary Completion Rate: Kenya 41.64, Ethiopia 15.45; Government Spending on Education: Kenya 3.962, Ethiopia 2.927.
How have Ethiopia’s education & knowledge figures changed?
Out-of-School Rate, Primary fell from 61.55 in 2000 to 22.46 in 2024; Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary rose from 22.93 in 2012 to 62.59 in 2024; Upper Secondary Completion Rate rose from 5.95 in 2000 to 15.45 in 2025; Government Spending on Education fell from 3.886 in 2000 to 2.927 in 2023.
Which education & knowledge statistics are missing for Ethiopia?
No current reading is published for Ethiopia on Bachelor's or Higher Attainment, Female Share of STEM Graduates, Gender Parity Index, Tertiary Enrolment, Government Funding per Primary Student, Inbound Mobility Rate, Tertiary, 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, Outbound Mobility Ratio, Tertiary, PISA Mathematics Performance, PISA Reading Performance, PISA Science Performance, Primary Schools with Electricity, Primary Schools with Internet for Teaching, Qualified Teachers in Primary Education, Research and Development Spending, School Life Expectancy, Secondary School Enrolment, Share of Graduates from ICT Programmes, Tertiary Enrolment Ratio 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 20 statistics on this page come from 8 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
Ethiopia’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Ethiopia (banner) — Bernard Gagnon derivative work: ויקיג'אנקי, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 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). Ethiopia: Education & Knowledge — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/ethiopia/education