Photo: User:Kentstander derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY 2.5 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 04 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Lesotho: Education & Knowledge
How far does a country's schooling carry its children?
Lesotho is placed 154th 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 32.17 (2024); Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary 30.51 (2024).
Share
Education & Knowledge
154th
of 198 countries placed
Placed from 4 of 4 key statistics
- 32.17Out-of-School Rate, Primary, 2024Out-of-school rate, primary age (%)
- 30.51Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary, 2024Children one year before primary entry age in organised learning (%)
- 28.44Upper Secondary Completion Rate, 2025Upper secondary completion rate (%)
- 7.29Government Spending on Education, 2023Government expenditure on education (% of GDP)
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Lesotho 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 · Lesotho’s is from 2024 · CC BY-SA 4.0
32.17
Out-of-school rate, primary age (%)
Lower is better
Lesotho: 32.17. 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 Southern Africa
- 0.535 Botswana
- Land neighbours
- South Africa 6.064
Key 2 of 4
Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
Latest reading per country, 2014–2024 · Lesotho’s is from 2020 · CC BY-SA 4.0
30.51
Children one year before primary entry age in organised learning (%)
Higher is better
Lesotho: 30.51. 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 Southern Africa
- 92.8 Namibia
- Land neighbours
- South Africa 78.78
Key 3 of 4
Upper Secondary Completion Rate
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY-SA 4.0
28.44
Upper secondary completion rate (%)
Higher is better
Lesotho: 28.44. 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 Southern Africa
- 65.38 Botswana
- Land neighbours
- South Africa 54.12
Key 4 of 4
Government Spending on Education
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
2023 edition · data for 2023 · CC BY-SA 4.0
7.29
Government expenditure on education (% of GDP)
Higher is better
Lesotho: 7.29. 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 Southern Africa
- 7.29 Lesotho
- Land neighbours
- South Africa 6.123
02Over time
Which way Lesotho 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
LesothoWorld median
Lesotho rose from 25.49 in 2000 to 32.17 in 2024; the world median went from 8.642 to 3.691.
Every year’s figures
Year Lesotho World median 2024 32.172 3.691 2023 30.697 3.393 2022 29.385 3.002 2021 30.323 3.330 2020 24.305 2.678 2019 22.853 2.758 2018 20.200 2.439 2017 14.812 2.907 2016 16.151 2.954 2015 16.660 3.052 2014 15.938 3.904 2013 14.553 3.413 2012 14.765 3.408 2011 14.874 3.626 2010 15.187 3.491 2009 15.876 3.577 2008 15.188 3.878 2007 15.950 4.029 2006 13.990 4.338 2005 16.661 4.571 2004 18.205 3.791 2003 17.960 4.412 2002 20.419 4.144 2001 23.188 4.051 2000 25.493 8.642 Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary
Children one year before primary entry age in organised learning (%) · higher is better
LesothoWorld median
Lesotho fell from 35 in 2005 to 30.51 in 2020; the world median went from 82.21 to 88.32.
Every year’s figures
Year Lesotho World median 2024 — 85.9 2023 — 87.6 2022 — 87.7 2021 — 87.0 2020 30.5 88.3 2019 32.3 88.8 2018 33.4 89.6 2017 37.7 87.4 2016 36.3 87.9 2015 37.8 88.2 2014 32.8 89.2 2013 39.6 88.0 2012 — 85.4 2011 — 86.2 2010 — 86.1 2009 — 84.8 2008 — 85.8 2007 — 86.7 2006 — 84.0 2005 35.0 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
LesothoWorld median
Lesotho rose from 13.3 in 2000 to 28.44 in 2025; the world median went from 38 to 64.87.
Every year’s figures
Year Lesotho World median 2025 28.4 64.9 2024 27.7 65.0 2023 27.1 64.2 2022 26.5 63.6 2021 26.1 62.9 2020 25.7 62.2 2019 25.2 61.5 2018 24.6 60.9 2017 24.0 60.5 2016 23.4 60.1 2015 22.7 58.9 2014 21.9 57.0 2013 21.1 54.7 2012 20.4 52.4 2011 19.6 50.9 2010 18.7 49.5 2009 18.0 48.5 2008 17.5 47.4 2007 17.3 46.2 2006 16.6 45.0 2005 15.8 43.8 2004 14.9 42.9 2003 14.3 41.6 2002 13.9 40.3 2001 13.6 39.0 2000 13.3 38.0 Government Spending on Education
Government expenditure on education (% of GDP) · higher is better
LesothoWorld median
Lesotho fell from 10.09 in 2000 to 7.29 in 2023; the world median went from 3.886 to 3.709.
Every year’s figures
Year Lesotho World median 2023 7.29 3.7092 2022 — 4.0570 2021 — 4.2611 2020 — 4.4056 2019 — 4.1407 2018 7.28 4.2159 2017 8.16 4.1401 2016 7.55 4.2342 2015 7.64 4.2386 2014 — 4.2005 2013 — 4.3493 2012 — 4.0348 2011 — 3.9987 2010 — 4.1396 2009 — 4.6638 2008 12.33 4.4226 2007 — 4.1717 2006 11.27 4.0593 2005 12.08 4.0557 2004 11.11 3.9745 2003 13.22 4.1595 2002 10.10 4.0173 2001 9.37 4.1002 2000 10.09 3.8861
03In context
Lesotho 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.
Lesotho 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 South Africa | =102nd | 6.064 | 78.78 | 54.12 | 6.123 |
| Lesotho | 154th | 32.17 | 30.51 | 28.44 | 7.29 |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Southern 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 Lesotho in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Lesotho 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 median1
Statistics on which Lesotho does better than the middle country measured.
Academic Freedom IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.6190.6430.619▲ Improved since 2015
Lesotho: 0.643 · 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 84th of 176 · derived.
Behind the world median16
Statistics on which Lesotho does worse than the middle country measured.
Youth Literacy RateUIS · 2024 · world median 98.2296.4898.22No earlier reading
Lesotho: 96.48 · 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.
Adult Literacy RateUIS · 2024 · world median 93.9990.4593.99No earlier reading
Lesotho: 90.45 · 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 102nd of 172 · derived.
Harmonized Test ScoresWorld Bank Group · 2020 · world median 414.32392.91414.32▲ Improved since 2010
Lesotho: 392.91 · 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 109th of 172 · derived.
Wealth Parity Index, Lower Secondary CompletionUIS · 2024 · world median 0.5290.230.529No earlier reading
Lesotho: 0.23 · 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.
Mean Years of SchoolingUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 9.9337.739.933▲ Improved since 2013
Lesotho: 7.73 · 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 129th of 193 · derived.
Learning-Adjusted Years of SchoolWorld Bank Group · 2020 · world median 7.9416.3147.941▲ Improved since 2010
Lesotho: 6.314 · 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 120th of 172 · derived.
Intergenerational Persistence in EducationWorld Bank Group · 2017 · world median 0.4460.5030.446No earlier reading
Lesotho: 0.503 · 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 46th of 153 · derived, 1st = worst.
Minimum Proficiency in Mathematics, End of PrimaryUIS · 2023 · world median 43.819.743.8No earlier reading
Lesotho: 19.7 · 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.
Primary Completion RateUIS · 2025 · world median 97.4379.7897.43▲ Improved since 2015
Lesotho: 79.78 · 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 124th of 165 · derived.
Expected Years of SchoolingUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 13.3410.9913.34▼ Worsened since 2013
Lesotho: 10.99 · 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 158th of 195 · derived.
Lower Secondary Completion RateUIS · 2025 · world median 89.2144.0889.21▲ Improved since 2015
Lesotho: 44.08 · 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 136th of 164 · derived.
Out-of-School Rate, Lower Secondary AgeUIS · 2024 · world median 6.34332.296.343▼ Worsened since 2014
Lesotho: 32.29 · 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 14th of 116 · derived, 1st = worst.
Researchers per Million InhabitantsUIS · 2024 · world median 701.9532.24701.95No earlier reading
Lesotho: 32.24 · 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 132nd of 145 · derived.
Minimum Proficiency in Reading, End of PrimaryUIS · 2023 · world median 60.0810.860.08No earlier reading
Lesotho: 10.8 · 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.
Research and Development SpendingUIS · 2023 · world median 0.8140.0950.814No real change since 2015
Lesotho: 0.095 · world median 0.814 · Gross domestic expenditure on R&D (% of GDP). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.006 to 6.346; higher is better.
Position 80th of 84 · derived.
Learning PovertyWorld Bank Group and UNESCO Institute for Statistics · 2023 · world median 34.0296.934.02No earlier reading
Lesotho: 96.9 · 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 3rd of 125 · derived, 1st = worst.
No better end2
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Female Share of ResearchersUIS · 2024 · world median 38.1752.5638.17No earlier reading
Lesotho: 52.56 · 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.
Scholarly ArticlesOurResearch · 2025 · world median 2,2401862,240No real change since 2022
Lesotho: 186 · 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 Lesotho
Bachelor's or Higher Attainment (last 2018), Female Share of STEM Graduates (last 2018), Gender Parity Index, Tertiary Enrolment (last 2018), Government Funding per Primary Student (last 2018), Inbound Mobility Rate, Tertiary (last 2018), 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 (last 2018), Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary (last 2020), PISA Mathematics Performance, PISA Reading Performance, PISA Science Performance, Pre-Primary Net Enrolment Rate (last 2020), Primary Schools with Electricity (last 2013), Primary Schools with Internet for Teaching, Pupils per Qualified Teacher, Primary (last 2023), Qualified Teachers in Primary Education (last 2023), School Life Expectancy (last 2017), Secondary School Enrolment (last 2017), Share of Graduates from ICT Programmes (last 2018), Tertiary Enrolment Ratio (last 2018), Trust in Scientists and Upper Secondary Attainment (last 2018). 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 Lesotho’s 14 topics
Education & Knowledge is Lesotho’s 9th best-placed topic of 14. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Environment & Sustainabilityjoint 22nd of 1862/4 keys
- Peace & Security57th of 1774/4 keys
- Gender & Equalityjoint 62nd of 1834/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Libertiesjoint 73rd of 1984/4 keys
- Risk & Resilience111th of 1934/4 keys
- Governance & Institutionsjoint 115th of 1944/4 keys
- Economy & Innovationjoint 132nd of 1763/4 keys
- Work & Labourjoint 140th of 1824/4 keys
- Education & Knowledge154th of 1984/4 keys
- Digital & Technology158th of 1984/4 keys
- Food & Agriculturejoint 158th of 1843/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital178th of 1963/3 keys
- Poverty & Inequality151st of 1593/3 keys
- Health & Wellbeing194th of 2004/4 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 Lesotho 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 Southern Africa
Namibia80th3/4 keysThis page
Lesotho154th4/4 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
Lesotho 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 Lesotho rank on education & knowledge?
Lesotho is placed 154th 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 Lesotho?
32.17 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 Lesotho?
30.51 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 Lesotho compare with South Africa on education & knowledge?
South Africa is placed joint 102nd of 198, and Lesotho 154th. Out-of-School Rate, Primary: South Africa 6.064, Lesotho 32.17; Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary: South Africa 78.78, Lesotho 30.51; Upper Secondary Completion Rate: South Africa 54.12, Lesotho 28.44; Government Spending on Education: South Africa 6.123, Lesotho 7.29.
How have Lesotho’s education & knowledge figures changed?
Out-of-School Rate, Primary rose from 25.49 in 2000 to 32.17 in 2024; Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary fell from 35 in 2005 to 30.51 in 2020; Upper Secondary Completion Rate rose from 13.3 in 2000 to 28.44 in 2025; Government Spending on Education fell from 10.09 in 2000 to 7.29 in 2023.
Which education & knowledge statistics are missing for Lesotho?
No current reading is published for Lesotho 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, 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, School Life Expectancy, Secondary School Enrolment, Share of Graduates from ICT Programmes, Tertiary Enrolment Ratio, 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 6 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
Lesotho’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Lesotho (banner) — User:Kentstander derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY 2.5
- 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). Lesotho: Education & Knowledge — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/lesotho/education