Photo: Photo taken by Government of Kiribati employee in the course of their work · CC BY 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 04 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Kiribati: Education & Knowledge
How far does a country's schooling carry its children?
Kiribati is placed 116th of 198 countries on education & knowledge in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: Out-of-School Rate, Primary 8.71 (2024); Upper Secondary Completion Rate 21.42 (2025).
Share
Education & Knowledge
116th
of 198 countries placed
Placed from 3 of 4 key statistics
- 8.71Out-of-School Rate, Primary, 2024Out-of-school rate, primary age (%)
- —Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary, 2024No reading for this country
- 21.42Upper Secondary Completion Rate, 2025Upper secondary completion rate (%)
- 16.39Government Spending on Education, 2023Government expenditure on education (% of GDP)
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Kiribati 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 · Kiribati’s is from 2024 · CC BY-SA 4.0
8.71
Out-of-school rate, primary age (%)
Lower is better
Kiribati: 8.71. 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 Micronesia
- 1.334 Palau
Key 2 of 4
Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
Latest reading per country, 2014–2024 · CC BY-SA 4.0
No reading
Children one year before primary entry age in organised learning (%)
Higher is better
UIS publishes no reading from 2014–2024 for Kiribati, so the standing rests on the other keys.
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 Micronesia
- 93.45 Nauru
Key 3 of 4
Upper Secondary Completion Rate
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY-SA 4.0
21.42
Upper secondary completion rate (%)
Higher is better
Kiribati: 21.42. 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 Micronesia
- 49.35 Nauru
Key 4 of 4
Government Spending on Education
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
2023 edition · data for 2023 · CC BY-SA 4.0
16.39
Government expenditure on education (% of GDP)
Higher is better
Kiribati: 16.39. 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 Micronesia
- 16.39 Kiribati
02Over time
Which way Kiribati 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
KiribatiWorld median
Kiribati rose from 2.544 in 2000 to 8.71 in 2024; the world median went from 8.642 to 3.691.
Every year’s figures
Year Kiribati World median 2024 8.71 3.691 2023 8.47 3.393 2022 4.38 3.002 2021 2.51 3.330 2020 2.05 2.678 2019 — 2.758 2018 — 2.439 2017 1.39 2.907 2016 1.06 2.954 2015 0.93 3.052 2014 0.41 3.904 2013 — 3.413 2012 — 3.408 2011 — 3.626 2010 — 3.491 2009 — 3.577 2008 — 3.878 2007 — 4.029 2006 — 4.338 2005 — 4.571 2004 — 3.791 2003 — 4.412 2002 — 4.144 2001 — 4.051 2000 2.54 8.642 Upper Secondary Completion Rate
Upper secondary completion rate (%) · higher is better
KiribatiWorld median
Kiribati rose from 6.12 in 2000 to 21.42 in 2025; the world median went from 38 to 64.87.
Every year’s figures
Year Kiribati World median 2025 21.4 64.9 2024 20.6 65.0 2023 19.9 64.2 2022 19.1 63.6 2021 18.3 62.9 2020 17.6 62.2 2019 16.9 61.5 2018 16.1 60.9 2017 15.3 60.5 2016 14.5 60.1 2015 13.8 58.9 2014 13.1 57.0 2013 12.4 54.7 2012 11.9 52.4 2011 11.3 50.9 2010 10.8 49.5 2009 10.4 48.5 2008 9.9 47.4 2007 9.4 46.2 2006 9.0 45.0 2005 8.5 43.8 2004 8.1 42.9 2003 7.5 41.6 2002 7.0 40.3 2001 6.5 39.0 2000 6.1 38.0 Government Spending on Education
Government expenditure on education (% of GDP) · higher is better
KiribatiWorld median
Kiribati rose from 10.04 in 2000 to 16.39 in 2023; the world median went from 3.886 to 3.709.
Every year’s figures
Year Kiribati World median 2023 16.391 3.7092 2022 14.786 4.0570 2021 13.987 4.2611 2020 16.230 4.4056 2019 14.520 4.1407 2018 12.920 4.2159 2017 11.476 4.1401 2016 11.646 4.2342 2015 10.768 4.2386 2014 11.513 4.2005 2013 12.090 4.3493 2012 12.499 4.0348 2011 — 3.9987 2010 — 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 11.649 4.1002 2000 10.042 3.8861
03In context
Kiribati 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.
Kiribati and Micronesia
Kiribati 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Marshall Islands | 57th | 1.476 | 91.61 | — | — |
 Nauru | 66th | 2.995 | 93.45 | 49.35 | 5.777 |
 Palau | 78th | 1.334 | 90.55 | — | 3.437 |
| Kiribati | 116th | 8.71 | — | 21.42 | 16.39 |
 Micronesia | 186th | 23.06 | 54.75 | — | — |
 Guam | not placed | — | — | — | — |
 Northern Mariana Islands | not placed | — | — | — | — |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Micronesia
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 198.
Placed either side on education & knowledge
The countries immediately above and below Kiribati in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Kiribati is ahead of the world, and behind
26 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 median7
Statistics on which Kiribati does better than the middle country measured.
Intergenerational Persistence in EducationWorld Bank Group · 2017 · world median 0.4460.3130.446No earlier reading
Kiribati: 0.313 · 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 133rd of 153 · derived, 1st = worst.
Pre-Primary Net Enrolment RateUIS · 2024 · world median 65.9391.9465.93▼ Worsened since 2020
Kiribati: 91.94 · 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 26th of 120 · derived.
Adult Literacy RateUIS · 2024 · world median 93.9998.6193.99No earlier reading
Kiribati: 98.61 · 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 39th of 172 · derived.
Wealth Parity Index, Lower Secondary CompletionUIS · 2024 · world median 0.5290.6920.529No earlier reading
Kiribati: 0.692 · 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.
Minimum Proficiency in Mathematics, End of PrimaryUIS · 2023 · world median 43.853.1243.8No earlier reading
Kiribati: 53.12 · 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.
Out-of-School Rate, Lower Secondary AgeUIS · 2024 · world median 6.3436.1656.343▲ Improved since 2014
Kiribati: 6.165 · 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 59th of 116 · derived, 1st = worst.
Gender Parity Index, Tertiary EnrolmentUIS · 2024 · world median 1.2441.5591.244No earlier reading
Kiribati: 1.559 · 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 89th of 95 · derived.
Behind the world median18
Statistics on which Kiribati does worse than the middle country measured.
Harmonized Test ScoresWorld Bank Group · 2020 · world median 414.32411.48414.32▲ Improved since 2017
Kiribati: 411.48 · 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 91st of 172 · derived.
Learning-Adjusted Years of SchoolWorld Bank Group · 2020 · world median 7.9417.3827.941▲ Improved since 2017
Kiribati: 7.382 · 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 96th of 172 · derived.
Mean Years of SchoolingUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 9.9339.1299.933▼ Worsened since 2013
Kiribati: 9.129 · 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 108th of 193 · derived.
Lower Secondary Completion RateUIS · 2025 · world median 89.2181.0889.21▼ Worsened since 2015
Kiribati: 81.08 · 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 94th of 164 · derived.
Pupils per Qualified Teacher, PrimaryUIS · 2024 · world median 20.6724.1520.67▲ Improved since 2014
Kiribati: 24.15 · 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 39th of 92 · derived, 1st = worst.
Primary Completion RateUIS · 2025 · world median 97.4394.3997.43▼ Worsened since 2015
Kiribati: 94.39 · 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 98th of 165 · derived.
Qualified Teachers in Primary EducationUIS · 2024 · world median 93.6689.3793.66▲ Improved since 2014
Kiribati: 89.37 · 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.
Secondary School EnrolmentUIS · 2024 · world median 93.1990.2893.19▲ Improved since 2021
Kiribati: 90.28 · 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 69th of 109 · derived.
School Life ExpectancyUIS · 2024 · world median 14.5913.4214.59No earlier reading
Kiribati: 13.42 · 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 55th of 77 · derived.
Expected Years of SchoolingUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 13.3411.8713.34No real change since 2013
Kiribati: 11.87 · 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 139th of 195 · derived.
Youth Literacy RateUIS · 2024 · world median 98.2290.4498.22No earlier reading
Kiribati: 90.44 · 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.
Primary Schools with ElectricityUIS · 2024 · world median 10087.63100▲ Improved since 2020
Kiribati: 87.63 · 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.
Primary Schools with Internet for TeachingUIS · 2024 · world median 98.6613.498.66▲ Improved since 2020
Kiribati: 13.4 · 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.
Minimum Proficiency in Reading, End of PrimaryUIS · 2023 · world median 60.0813.7560.08No earlier reading
Kiribati: 13.75 · 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.
Upper Secondary AttainmentUIS · 2023 · world median 65.7613.9465.76▼ Worsened since 2018
Kiribati: 13.94 · world median 65.76 · Adults 25+ who completed upper secondary or higher (%). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 5.26 to 97.89; higher is better.
Position 91st of 95 · derived.
Tertiary Enrolment RatioUIS · 2024 · world median 52.774.96152.77No earlier reading
Kiribati: 4.961 · 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 93rd of 95 · derived.
Bachelor's or Higher AttainmentUIS · 2023 · world median 19.861.75619.86No real change since 2015
Kiribati: 1.756 · world median 19.86 · Adults 25+ who completed a bachelor's degree or higher (%). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 1.135 to 52.72; higher is better.
Position 89th of 90 · derived.
Inbound Mobility Rate, TertiaryUIS · 2024 · world median 5.49405.494No earlier reading
Kiribati: 0 · world median 5.494 · Inbound mobility rate, tertiary (%). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 87.12; higher is better.
Position 75th of 75 · 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 2,24012,240No real change since 2022
Kiribati: 1 · 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 Kiribati
Academic Freedom Index, Female Share of Researchers, Female Share of STEM Graduates, Government Funding per Primary Student (last 2001), 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, Outbound Mobility Ratio, Tertiary, Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary, PISA Mathematics Performance, PISA Reading Performance, PISA Science Performance, Research and Development Spending, Researchers per Million Inhabitants, Share of Graduates from ICT Programmes and Trust in Scientists. 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 Kiribati’s 12 topics
Education & Knowledge is Kiribati’s 6th best-placed topic of 12. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Poverty & Inequality12th of 1592/3 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties29th of 1983/4 keys
- Gender & Equality47th of 1832/4 keys
- Risk & Resilience101st of 1933/4 keys
- Energy92nd of 1652/3 keys
- Education & Knowledge116th of 1983/4 keys
- Food & Agriculture126th of 1842/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeing141st of 2004/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital139th of 1963/3 keys
- Governance & Institutions157th of 1942/4 keys
- Digital & Technology173rd of 1983/4 keys
- Economy & Innovation162nd of 1762/4 keys
No standing on Work & Labour, Environment & Sustainability, Peace & Security, Mobility & Trade: 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 Kiribati 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 Micronesia
Marshall Islands57th2/4 keysThis page
Kiribati116th3/4 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
Kiribati 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 Kiribati rank on education & knowledge?
Kiribati is placed 116th of 198 countries on Education & Knowledge in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 4 key statistics (Out-of-School Rate, 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 Kiribati?
8.71 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 Upper Secondary Completion Rate figure for Kiribati?
21.42 in 2025 (upper secondary completion rate (%)), according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). The world median in the same edition was 64.87.
How have Kiribati’s education & knowledge figures changed?
Out-of-School Rate, Primary rose from 2.544 in 2000 to 8.71 in 2024; Upper Secondary Completion Rate rose from 6.12 in 2000 to 21.42 in 2025; Government Spending on Education rose from 10.04 in 2000 to 16.39 in 2023.
Which education & knowledge statistics are missing for Kiribati?
No current reading is published for Kiribati on Academic Freedom Index, Female Share of Researchers, Female Share of STEM Graduates, Government Funding per Primary Student, 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, Outbound Mobility Ratio, Tertiary, Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary, PISA Mathematics Performance, PISA Reading Performance, PISA Science Performance, Research and Development Spending, Researchers per Million Inhabitants, Share of Graduates from ICT Programmes and Trust in Scientists. 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 26 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
Kiribati’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Kiribati (banner) — Photo taken by Government of Kiribati employee in the course of their work, CC BY 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). Kiribati: Education & Knowledge — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/kiribati/education