Photo: Maksym Kozlenko · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 04 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Fiji: Education & Knowledge
How far does a country's schooling carry its children?
Fiji is placed 85th 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 2.393 (2024); Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary 89.52 (2024).
Share
Education & Knowledge
85th
of 198 countries placed
Placed from 4 of 4 key statistics
- 2.393Out-of-School Rate, Primary, 2024Out-of-school rate, primary age (%)
- 89.52Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary, 2024Children one year before primary entry age in organised learning (%)
- 58.98Upper Secondary Completion Rate, 2025Upper secondary completion rate (%)
- 4.247Government Spending on Education, 2023Government expenditure on education (% of GDP)
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Fiji 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 · Fiji’s is from 2024 · CC BY-SA 4.0
2.393
Out-of-school rate, primary age (%)
Lower is better
Fiji: 2.393. 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 Melanesia
- 2.393 Fiji
Key 2 of 4
Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
Latest reading per country, 2014–2024 · Fiji’s is from 2024 · CC BY-SA 4.0
89.52
Children one year before primary entry age in organised learning (%)
Higher is better
Fiji: 89.52. 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 Melanesia
- 89.52 Fiji
Key 3 of 4
Upper Secondary Completion Rate
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY-SA 4.0
58.98
Upper secondary completion rate (%)
Higher is better
Fiji: 58.98. 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 Melanesia
- 58.98 Fiji
Key 4 of 4
Government Spending on Education
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
2023 edition · data for 2023 · CC BY-SA 4.0
4.247
Government expenditure on education (% of GDP)
Higher is better
Fiji: 4.247. 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 Melanesia
- 8.293 Solomon Islands
02Over time
Which way Fiji 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
FijiWorld median
Fiji fell from 6.358 in 2000 to 2.393 in 2024; the world median went from 8.642 to 3.691.
Every year’s figures
Year Fiji World median 2024 2.39 3.691 2023 — 3.393 2022 — 3.002 2021 — 3.330 2020 2.83 2.678 2019 — 2.758 2018 2.46 2.439 2017 2.92 2.907 2016 2.00 2.954 2015 5.11 3.052 2014 8.02 3.904 2013 11.16 3.413 2012 9.88 3.408 2011 11.02 3.626 2010 — 3.491 2009 11.96 3.577 2008 11.92 3.878 2007 10.94 4.029 2006 8.96 4.338 2005 — 4.571 2004 5.46 3.791 2003 8.36 4.412 2002 5.12 4.144 2001 4.65 4.051 2000 6.36 8.642 Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary
Children one year before primary entry age in organised learning (%) · higher is better
FijiWorld median
Fiji rose from 43.26 in 2004 to 89.52 in 2024; the world median went from 81.77 to 85.9.
Every year’s figures
Year Fiji World median 2024 89.52 85.9 2023 96.83 87.6 2022 90.55 87.7 2021 89.54 87.0 2020 96.84 88.3 2019 98.56 88.8 2018 97.18 89.6 2017 81.25 87.4 2016 53.35 87.9 2015 — 88.2 2014 — 89.2 2013 — 88.0 2012 — 85.4 2011 — 86.2 2010 — 86.1 2009 — 84.8 2008 — 85.8 2007 — 86.7 2006 43.95 84.0 2005 — 82.2 2004 43.26 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
FijiWorld median
Fiji rose from 22.19 in 2000 to 58.98 in 2025; the world median went from 38 to 64.87.
Every year’s figures
Year Fiji World median 2025 59 64.9 2024 57 65.0 2023 56 64.2 2022 54 63.6 2021 53 62.9 2020 51 62.2 2019 50 61.5 2018 48 60.9 2017 47 60.5 2016 45 60.1 2015 43 58.9 2014 41 57.0 2013 39 54.7 2012 37 52.4 2011 36 50.9 2010 35 49.5 2009 34 48.5 2008 33 47.4 2007 31 46.2 2006 30 45.0 2005 28 43.8 2004 27 42.9 2003 26 41.6 2002 25 40.3 2001 23 39.0 2000 22 38.0 Government Spending on Education
Government expenditure on education (% of GDP) · higher is better
FijiWorld median
Fiji fell from 5.878 in 2000 to 4.247 in 2023; the world median went from 3.886 to 3.709.
Every year’s figures
Year Fiji World median 2023 4.247 3.7092 2022 3.938 4.0570 2021 4.853 4.2611 2020 5.805 4.4056 2019 5.153 4.1407 2018 4.797 4.2159 2017 4.651 4.1401 2016 4.836 4.2342 2015 4.809 4.2386 2014 3.770 4.2005 2013 3.883 4.3493 2012 4.462 4.0348 2011 4.173 3.9987 2010 — 4.1396 2009 4.498 4.6638 2008 4.254 4.4226 2007 5.895 4.1717 2006 5.655 4.0593 2005 5.167 4.0557 2004 6.209 3.9745 2003 — 4.1595 2002 6.276 4.0173 2001 5.643 4.1002 2000 5.878 3.8861
03In context
Fiji 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.
Fiji and Melanesia
Fiji 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fiji | 85th | 2.393 | 89.52 | 58.98 | 4.247 |
 Vanuatu | 106th | 2.531 | 80.62 | 11.32 | 7.581 |
 Solomon Islands | 134th | 30.14 | 53.64 | — | 8.293 |
 Papua New Guinea | 172nd | 4.003 | 65.31 | 14.24 | 0.782 |
 New Caledonia | not placed | — | — | — | — |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Melanesia
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 198.
Placed either side on education & knowledge
The countries immediately above and below Fiji in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Fiji is ahead of the world, and behind
21 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 median12
Statistics on which Fiji does better than the middle country measured.
School Life ExpectancyUIS · 2024 · world median 14.5917.2614.59▼ Worsened since 1971
Fiji: 17.26 · 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 15th of 77 · derived.
Intergenerational Persistence in EducationWorld Bank Group · 2017 · world median 0.4460.3690.446No earlier reading
Fiji: 0.369 · 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 119th of 153 · derived, 1st = worst.
Tertiary Enrolment RatioUIS · 2024 · world median 52.7775.0152.77▼ Worsened since 2014
Fiji: 75.01 · 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 23rd of 95 · derived.
Minimum Proficiency in Mathematics, End of PrimaryUIS · 2023 · world median 43.866.4343.8No earlier reading
Fiji: 66.43 · world median 43.8 · Pupils at the end of primary reaching minimum proficiency in mathematics (%). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 1.8 to 93.42; higher is better.
Wealth Parity Index, Lower Secondary CompletionUIS · 2024 · world median 0.5290.8170.529No earlier reading
Fiji: 0.817 · 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.
Lower Secondary Completion RateUIS · 2025 · world median 89.2195.7489.21No real change since 2015
Fiji: 95.74 · 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 58th of 164 · derived.
Primary Completion RateUIS · 2025 · world median 97.4398.9297.43No real change since 2015
Fiji: 98.92 · 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 62nd of 165 · derived.
Secondary School EnrolmentUIS · 2024 · world median 93.1998.0993.19▲ Improved since 2014
Fiji: 98.09 · 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 43rd of 109 · derived.
Pupils per Qualified Teacher, PrimaryUIS · 2024 · world median 20.6718.120.67▲ Improved since 2019
Fiji: 18.1 · 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 56th of 92 · derived, 1st = worst.
Mean Years of SchoolingUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 9.93310.379.933▼ Worsened since 2013
Fiji: 10.37 · 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 84th of 193 · derived.
Expected Years of SchoolingUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 13.3413.8513.34▲ Improved since 2013
Fiji: 13.85 · 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 90th of 195 · derived.
Academic Freedom IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.6190.6360.619▲ Improved since 2015
Fiji: 0.636 · 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 85th of 176 · derived.
Behind the world median8
Statistics on which Fiji does worse than the middle country measured.
Gender Parity Index, Tertiary EnrolmentUIS · 2024 · world median 1.2441.2231.244▼ Worsened since 2014
Fiji: 1.223 · 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 42nd of 95 · derived.
Minimum Proficiency in Reading, End of PrimaryUIS · 2023 · world median 60.0859.5560.08No earlier reading
Fiji: 59.55 · world median 60.08 · Pupils at the end of primary reaching minimum proficiency in reading (%). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 2 to 98.78; higher is better.
Primary Schools with Internet for TeachingUIS · 2024 · world median 98.6689.6698.66▲ Improved since 2023
Fiji: 89.66 · world median 98.66 · Primary schools with internet access for teaching (%). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 100; higher is better.
Learning-Adjusted Years of SchoolWorld Bank Group · 2020 · world median 7.9416.9517.941No earlier reading
Fiji: 6.951 · 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 107th of 172 · derived.
Qualified Teachers in Primary EducationUIS · 2024 · world median 93.6689.1593.66▼ Worsened since 2019
Fiji: 89.15 · 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.
Primary Schools with ElectricityUIS · 2024 · world median 10096.51100▼ Worsened since 2016
Fiji: 96.51 · 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.
Harmonized Test ScoresWorld Bank Group · 2020 · world median 414.32383.34414.32No earlier reading
Fiji: 383.34 · 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 125th of 172 · derived.
Pre-Primary Net Enrolment RateUIS · 2024 · world median 65.9334.4465.93▲ Improved since 2016
Fiji: 34.44 · 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 95th of 120 · derived.
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 2,2404722,240Moved since 2022
Fiji: 472 · 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 Fiji
Adult Literacy Rate, Bachelor's or Higher Attainment (last 2021), Female Share of Researchers, Female Share of STEM Graduates (last 2019), Government Funding per Primary Student (last 2013), Inbound Mobility Rate, Tertiary (last 2004), Learning Poverty, Minimum Proficiency in Mathematics, End of Lower Secondary, Minimum Proficiency in Reading, End of Lower Secondary, Nobel Prize Laureates by Country of Birth, Out-of-School Rate, Lower Secondary Age (last 2023), Outbound Mobility Ratio, Tertiary (last 2019), PISA Mathematics Performance, PISA Reading Performance, PISA Science Performance, Research and Development Spending, Researchers per Million Inhabitants, Share of Graduates from ICT Programmes (last 2019), Trust in Scientists, Upper Secondary Attainment (last 2017) and Youth Literacy Rate. 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 Fiji’s 16 topics
Education & Knowledge is Fiji’s 8th best-placed topic of 16. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Peace & Security19th of 1774/4 keys
- Environment & Sustainability36th of 1864/4 keys
- Energyjoint 42nd of 1652/3 keys
- Governance & Institutions50th of 1944/4 keys
- Food & Agriculture57th of 1843/4 keys
- Economy & Innovation56th of 1762/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Libertiesjoint 79th of 1984/4 keys
- Education & Knowledge85th of 1984/4 keys
- Development & Human Capitaljoint 85th of 1963/3 keys
- Poverty & Inequality80th of 1593/3 keys
- Gender & Equality102nd of 1833/4 keys
- Risk & Resilience108th of 1933/4 keys
- Mobility & Trade105th of 1774/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeing125th of 2003/4 keys
- Digital & Technology137th of 1984/4 keys
- Work & Labour130th of 1824/4 keys
06The top of the list
Who leads on education & knowledge
The three countries placed highest of 198, and the leaders Fiji 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 Oceania
Australia18th3/4 keysHighest in Melanesia
Fiji85th4/4 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
Fiji 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 Fiji rank on education & knowledge?
Fiji is placed 85th 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 Fiji?
2.393 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 Fiji?
89.52 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 Fiji’s education & knowledge figures changed?
Out-of-School Rate, Primary fell from 6.358 in 2000 to 2.393 in 2024; Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary rose from 43.26 in 2004 to 89.52 in 2024; Upper Secondary Completion Rate rose from 22.19 in 2000 to 58.98 in 2025; Government Spending on Education fell from 5.878 in 2000 to 4.247 in 2023.
Which education & knowledge statistics are missing for Fiji?
No current reading is published for Fiji on Adult Literacy Rate, Bachelor's or Higher Attainment, Female Share of Researchers, Female Share of STEM Graduates, Government Funding per Primary Student, Inbound Mobility Rate, Tertiary, Learning Poverty, Minimum Proficiency in Mathematics, End of Lower Secondary, Minimum Proficiency in Reading, End of Lower Secondary, Nobel Prize Laureates by Country of Birth, Out-of-School Rate, Lower Secondary Age, Outbound Mobility Ratio, Tertiary, PISA Mathematics Performance, PISA Reading Performance, PISA Science Performance, Research and Development Spending, Researchers per Million Inhabitants, Share of Graduates from ICT Programmes, Trust in Scientists, Upper Secondary Attainment and Youth Literacy Rate. 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 21 statistics on this page come from 5 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
Fiji’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Fiji (banner) — Maksym Kozlenko, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 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). Fiji: Education & Knowledge — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/fiji/education