Photo: FX derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 04 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Gabon: Education & Knowledge
How far does a country's schooling carry its children?
Gabon is placed 185th 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 28.76 (2024); Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary 53.53 (2024).
Share
Education & Knowledge
185th
of 198 countries placed
Placed from 4 of 4 key statistics
- 28.76Out-of-School Rate, Primary, 2024Out-of-school rate, primary age (%)
- 53.53Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary, 2024Children one year before primary entry age in organised learning (%)
- 22.78Upper Secondary Completion Rate, 2025Upper secondary completion rate (%)
- 2.316Government Spending on Education, 2023Government expenditure on education (% of GDP)
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Gabon 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 · Gabon’s is from 2019 · CC BY-SA 4.0
28.76
Out-of-school rate, primary age (%)
Lower is better
Gabon: 28.76. 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 Middle Africa
- 2.877 São Tomé and Príncipe
- Land neighbours
- Cameroon 3.762 · Republic of the Congo 17.08 · Equatorial Guinea 65.6
Key 2 of 4
Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
Latest reading per country, 2014–2024 · Gabon’s is from 2019 · CC BY-SA 4.0
53.53
Children one year before primary entry age in organised learning (%)
Higher is better
Gabon: 53.53. 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 Middle Africa
- 54.82 São Tomé and Príncipe
- Land neighbours
- Cameroon 41.03 · Equatorial Guinea 33.56
Key 3 of 4
Upper Secondary Completion Rate
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY-SA 4.0
22.78
Upper secondary completion rate (%)
Higher is better
Gabon: 22.78. 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 Middle Africa
- 55.09 São Tomé and Príncipe
- Land neighbours
- Cameroon 22.69 · Republic of the Congo 31.98 · Equatorial Guinea 8.98
Key 4 of 4
Government Spending on Education
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
2023 edition · data for 2023 · CC BY-SA 4.0
2.316
Government expenditure on education (% of GDP)
Higher is better
Gabon: 2.316. 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 Middle Africa
- 5.029 São Tomé and Príncipe
- Land neighbours
- Cameroon 2.839 · Republic of the Congo 3.34
02Over time
Which way Gabon 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.
Upper Secondary Completion Rate
Upper secondary completion rate (%) · higher is better
GabonWorld median
Gabon rose from 12.38 in 2000 to 22.78 in 2025; the world median went from 38 to 64.87.
Every year’s figures
Year Gabon World median 2025 22.8 64.9 2024 22.5 65.0 2023 22.1 64.2 2022 21.8 63.6 2021 21.4 62.9 2020 20.9 62.2 2019 20.3 61.5 2018 19.5 60.9 2017 18.8 60.5 2016 18.2 60.1 2015 17.7 58.9 2014 17.3 57.0 2013 16.8 54.7 2012 16.3 52.4 2011 16.0 50.9 2010 15.7 49.5 2009 15.4 48.5 2008 15.2 47.4 2007 14.9 46.2 2006 14.5 45.0 2005 14.1 43.8 2004 13.7 42.9 2003 13.3 41.6 2002 12.9 40.3 2001 12.6 39.0 2000 12.4 38.0 Government Spending on Education
Government expenditure on education (% of GDP) · higher is better
GabonWorld median
Gabon fell from 3.827 in 2000 to 2.316 in 2023; the world median went from 3.886 to 3.709.
Every year’s figures
Year Gabon World median 2023 2.316 3.7092 2022 2.208 4.0570 2021 2.701 4.2611 2020 3.399 4.4056 2019 2.874 4.1407 2018 3.072 4.2159 2017 3.556 4.1401 2016 2.668 4.2342 2015 2.824 4.2386 2014 2.667 4.2005 2013 3.030 4.3493 2012 3.013 4.0348 2011 2.987 3.9987 2010 3.078 4.1396 2009 — 4.6638 2008 — 4.4226 2007 — 4.1717 2006 — 4.0593 2005 — 4.0557 2004 — 3.9745 2003 — 4.1595 2002 — 4.0173 2001 — 4.1002 2000 3.827 3.8861
03In context
Gabon 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.
Gabon 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Republic of the Congo | 164th | 17.08 | — | 31.98 | 3.34 |
 Cameroon | 165th | 3.762 | 41.03 | 22.69 | 2.839 |
| Gabon | 185th | 28.76 | 53.53 | 22.78 | 2.316 |
 Equatorial Guinea | 196th | 65.6 | 33.56 | 8.98 | — |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Middle 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 Gabon in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Gabon is ahead of the world, and behind
17 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 median4
Statistics on which Gabon does better than the middle country measured.
Harmonized Test ScoresWorld Bank Group · 2020 · world median 414.32456.13414.32▲ Improved since 2017
Gabon: 456.13 · 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 51st of 172 · derived.
Minimum Proficiency in Reading, End of PrimaryUIS · 2023 · world median 60.0876.360.08No earlier reading
Gabon: 76.3 · 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.
Intergenerational Persistence in EducationWorld Bank Group · 2017 · world median 0.4460.420.446No earlier reading
Gabon: 0.42 · 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 90th of 153 · derived, 1st = worst.
Learning PovertyWorld Bank Group and UNESCO Institute for Statistics · 2023 · world median 34.0230.6834.02No earlier reading
Gabon: 30.68 · 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 67th of 125 · derived, 1st = worst.
Behind the world median10
Statistics on which Gabon does worse than the middle country measured.
Mean Years of SchoolingUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 9.9339.6869.933▲ Improved since 2013
Gabon: 9.686 · 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 100th of 193 · derived.
Wealth Parity Index, Lower Secondary CompletionUIS · 2024 · world median 0.5290.4240.529No earlier reading
Gabon: 0.424 · 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 93.9988.8693.99No earlier reading
Gabon: 88.86 · 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 105th of 172 · derived.
Academic Freedom IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.6190.4280.619▼ Worsened since 2015
Gabon: 0.428 · 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 112th of 176 · derived.
Youth Literacy RateUIS · 2024 · world median 98.2293.9898.22No earlier reading
Gabon: 93.98 · 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.
Expected Years of SchoolingUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 13.3412.4813.34▼ Worsened since 2013
Gabon: 12.48 · 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 128th of 195 · derived.
Minimum Proficiency in Mathematics, End of PrimaryUIS · 2023 · world median 43.822.943.8No earlier reading
Gabon: 22.9 · 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.
Learning-Adjusted Years of SchoolWorld Bank Group · 2020 · world median 7.9416.0257.941▼ Worsened since 2017
Gabon: 6.025 · 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 127th of 172 · derived.
Lower Secondary Completion RateUIS · 2025 · world median 89.2146.5389.21No real change since 2015
Gabon: 46.53 · 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 133rd of 164 · derived.
Primary Completion RateUIS · 2025 · world median 97.4374.2597.43No real change since 2015
Gabon: 74.25 · 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 136th of 165 · derived.
No better end3
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 2,2404142,240No real change since 2022
Gabon: 414 · 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.
Female Share of ResearchersUIS · 2024 · world median 38.1728.1838.17No earlier reading
Gabon: 28.18 · 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.
Trust in ScientistsWellcome Trust · 2020 · world median 34.3510.4134.35Moved since 2018
Gabon: 10.41 · 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.
No current reading for Gabon
Bachelor's or Higher Attainment, Female Share of STEM Graduates, Gender Parity Index, Tertiary Enrolment (last 2003), Government Funding per Primary Student (last 2011), Inbound Mobility Rate, Tertiary (last 2003), 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 2019), Out-of-School Rate, Primary (last 2019), Outbound Mobility Ratio, Tertiary (last 2003), Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary (last 2019), PISA Mathematics Performance, PISA Reading Performance, PISA Science Performance, Pre-Primary Net Enrolment Rate (last 2019), Primary Schools with Electricity (last 2019), Primary Schools with Internet for Teaching (last 2019), Pupils per Qualified Teacher, Primary, Qualified Teachers in Primary Education (last 2019), Research and Development Spending (last 2009), Researchers per Million Inhabitants, School Life Expectancy (last 2001), Secondary School Enrolment (last 2019), Share of Graduates from ICT Programmes, Tertiary Enrolment Ratio (last 2003) and Upper Secondary Attainment. 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 Gabon’s 16 topics
Education & Knowledge is Gabon’s 15th best-placed topic of 16. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Environment & Sustainability21st of 1862/4 keys
- Peace & Security70th of 1774/4 keys
- Gender & Equality80th of 1834/4 keys
- Energy93rd of 1653/3 keys
- Digital & Technology114th of 1984/4 keys
- Economy & Innovationjoint 110th of 1764/4 keys
- Poverty & Inequality102nd of 1593/3 keys
- Risk & Resilience124th of 1934/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties131st of 1984/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeing139th of 2003/4 keys
- Development & Human Capitaljoint 140th of 1962/3 keys
- Food & Agriculture139th of 1843/4 keys
- Governance & Institutionsjoint 160th of 1944/4 keys
- Mobility & Trade160th of 1773/4 keys
- Education & Knowledge185th of 1984/4 keys
- Work & Labour177th of 1824/4 keys
06The top of the list
Who leads on education & knowledge
The three countries placed highest of 198, and the leaders Gabon 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 Middle Africa
São Tomé and Príncipe=114th4/4 keysThis page
Gabon185th4/4 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
Gabon 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 Gabon rank on education & knowledge?
Gabon is placed 185th 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 Gabon?
28.76 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 Gabon?
53.53 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 Gabon compare with Cameroon on education & knowledge?
Cameroon is placed 165th of 198, and Gabon 185th. Out-of-School Rate, Primary: Cameroon 3.762, Gabon 28.76; Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary: Cameroon 41.03, Gabon 53.53; Upper Secondary Completion Rate: Cameroon 22.69, Gabon 22.78; Government Spending on Education: Cameroon 2.839, Gabon 2.316.
How have Gabon’s education & knowledge figures changed?
Upper Secondary Completion Rate rose from 12.38 in 2000 to 22.78 in 2025; Government Spending on Education fell from 3.827 in 2000 to 2.316 in 2023.
Which education & knowledge statistics are missing for Gabon?
No current reading is published for Gabon 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 Reading, End of Lower Secondary, Nobel Prize Laureates by Country of Birth, Out-of-School Rate, Lower Secondary Age, Out-of-School Rate, Primary, Outbound Mobility Ratio, Tertiary, Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary, PISA Mathematics Performance, PISA Reading Performance, PISA Science Performance, Pre-Primary Net Enrolment Rate, Primary Schools with Electricity, Primary Schools with Internet for Teaching, Pupils per Qualified Teacher, Primary, Qualified Teachers in Primary Education, Research and Development Spending, Researchers per Million Inhabitants, 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 17 statistics on this page come from 7 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
Gabon’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Gabon (banner) — FX derivative work: Jjtkk, 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). Gabon: Education & Knowledge — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/gabon/education