Photo: Sahmeditor derivative work: Jjtkk · Public domain · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 04 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Liberia: Education & Knowledge
How far does a country's schooling carry its children?
Liberia is placed 188th 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 38.25 (2024); Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary 65.2 (2024).
Share
Education & Knowledge
188th
of 198 countries placed
Placed from 4 of 4 key statistics
- 38.25Out-of-School Rate, Primary, 2024Out-of-school rate, primary age (%)
- 65.2Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary, 2024Children one year before primary entry age in organised learning (%)
- 14.25Upper Secondary Completion Rate, 2025Upper secondary completion rate (%)
- 2.267Government Spending on Education, 2023Government expenditure on education (% of GDP)
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Liberia 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 · Liberia’s is from 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0
38.25
Out-of-school rate, primary age (%)
Lower is better
Liberia: 38.25. 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 Western Africa
- 0.639 Togo
- Land neighbours
- Côte d’Ivoire 12.6 · Guinea 14.73 · Sierra Leone 0.888
Key 2 of 4
Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
Latest reading per country, 2014–2024 · Liberia’s is from 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0
65.2
Children one year before primary entry age in organised learning (%)
Higher is better
Liberia: 65.2. 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 Western Africa
- 90.61 Togo
- Land neighbours
- Côte d’Ivoire 20.62 · Guinea 46.87 · Sierra Leone 62.82
Key 3 of 4
Upper Secondary Completion Rate
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY-SA 4.0
14.25
Upper secondary completion rate (%)
Higher is better
Liberia: 14.25. 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 Western Africa
- 57.75 Nigeria
- Land neighbours
- Côte d’Ivoire 16.89 · Guinea 24.98 · Sierra Leone 13.33
Key 4 of 4
Government Spending on Education
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
2023 edition · data for 2023 · CC BY-SA 4.0
2.267
Government expenditure on education (% of GDP)
Higher is better
Liberia: 2.267. 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 Western Africa
- 6.163 Senegal
- Land neighbours
- Côte d’Ivoire 3.394 · Guinea 1.725 · Sierra Leone 2.625
02Over time
Which way Liberia 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
LiberiaWorld median
Liberia fell from 59.58 in 2008 to 38.25 in 2022; the world median went from 3.878 to 3.002.
Every year’s figures
Year Liberia World median 2024 — 3.691 2023 — 3.393 2022 38 3.002 2021 35 3.330 2020 31 2.678 2019 — 2.758 2018 — 2.439 2017 26 2.907 2016 20 2.954 2015 14 3.052 2014 11 3.904 2013 — 3.413 2012 — 3.408 2011 4 3.626 2010 — 3.491 2009 — 3.577 2008 60 3.878 2007 — 4.029 2006 — 4.338 2005 — 4.571 2004 — 3.791 2003 — 4.412 2002 — 4.144 2001 — 4.051 2000 — 8.642 Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary
Children one year before primary entry age in organised learning (%) · higher is better
LiberiaWorld median
Liberia fell from 69.88 in 2000 to 65.2 in 2022; the world median went from 66.32 to 87.69.
Every year’s figures
Year Liberia World median 2024 — 85.9 2023 — 87.6 2022 65 87.7 2021 72 87.0 2020 68 88.3 2019 — 88.8 2018 — 89.6 2017 75 87.4 2016 82 87.9 2015 80 88.2 2014 84 89.2 2013 — 88.0 2012 — 85.4 2011 89 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 70 66.3 Upper Secondary Completion Rate
Upper secondary completion rate (%) · higher is better
LiberiaWorld median
Liberia rose from 9.71 in 2000 to 14.25 in 2025; the world median went from 38 to 64.87.
Every year’s figures
Year Liberia World median 2025 14.25 64.9 2024 14.02 65.0 2023 13.82 64.2 2022 13.67 63.6 2021 13.53 62.9 2020 13.40 62.2 2019 13.14 61.5 2018 12.91 60.9 2017 12.63 60.5 2016 12.41 60.1 2015 12.07 58.9 2014 11.72 57.0 2013 11.35 54.7 2012 11.06 52.4 2011 10.91 50.9 2010 10.74 49.5 2009 10.42 48.5 2008 10.05 47.4 2007 9.83 46.2 2006 9.62 45.0 2005 9.29 43.8 2004 8.93 42.9 2003 8.85 41.6 2002 9.00 40.3 2001 9.33 39.0 2000 9.71 38.0 Government Spending on Education
Government expenditure on education (% of GDP) · higher is better
LiberiaWorld median
Liberia rose from 1.702 in 2008 to 2.267 in 2023; the world median went from 4.423 to 3.709.
Every year’s figures
Year Liberia World median 2023 2.27 3.7092 2022 2.28 4.0570 2021 2.42 4.2611 2020 2.14 4.4056 2019 2.17 4.1407 2018 2.50 4.2159 2017 2.66 4.1401 2016 2.11 4.2342 2015 2.12 4.2386 2014 2.20 4.2005 2013 1.69 4.3493 2012 1.78 4.0348 2011 — 3.9987 2010 — 4.1396 2009 — 4.6638 2008 1.70 4.4226 2007 — 4.1717 2006 — 4.0593 2005 — 4.0557 2004 — 3.9745 2003 — 4.1595 2002 — 4.0173 2001 — 4.1002 2000 — 3.8861
03In context
Liberia 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.
Liberia 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Sierra Leone | 155th | 0.888 | 62.82 | 13.33 | 2.625 |
 Côte d’Ivoire | 173rd | 12.6 | 20.62 | 16.89 | 3.394 |
 Guinea | 183rd | 14.73 | 46.87 | 24.98 | 1.725 |
| Liberia | 188th | 38.25 | 65.2 | 14.25 | 2.267 |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Western 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 Liberia in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Liberia is ahead of the world, and behind
13 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 Liberia does better than the middle country measured.
Intergenerational Persistence in EducationWorld Bank Group · 2017 · world median 0.4460.4020.446No earlier reading
Liberia: 0.402 · 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 100th of 153 · derived, 1st = worst.
Behind the world median10
Statistics on which Liberia does worse than the middle country measured.
Academic Freedom IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.6190.6090.619▼ Worsened since 2015
Liberia: 0.609 · 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 90th of 176 · derived.
Mean Years of SchoolingUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 9.9336.179.933▲ Improved since 2013
Liberia: 6.17 · 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 151st of 193 · derived.
Expected Years of SchoolingUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 13.3410.4713.34No real change since 2013
Liberia: 10.47 · 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 169th of 195 · derived.
Wealth Parity Index, Lower Secondary CompletionUIS · 2024 · world median 0.5290.0870.529No earlier reading
Liberia: 0.087 · 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 98.2275.0698.22No earlier reading
Liberia: 75.06 · 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 93.9959.493.99No earlier reading
Liberia: 59.4 · 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 155th of 172 · derived.
Harmonized Test ScoresWorld Bank Group · 2020 · world median 414.32331.75414.32No real change since 2017
Liberia: 331.75 · 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 164th of 172 · derived.
Lower Secondary Completion RateUIS · 2025 · world median 89.2122.6689.21No real change since 2015
Liberia: 22.66 · 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 159th of 164 · derived.
Primary Completion RateUIS · 2025 · world median 97.4329.8497.43No real change since 2015
Liberia: 29.84 · 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 163rd of 165 · derived.
Learning-Adjusted Years of SchoolWorld Bank Group · 2020 · world median 7.9412.2077.941No real change since 2017
Liberia: 2.207 · 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 172nd of 172 · derived.
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.
Nobel Prize Laureates by Country of BirthNobel Prize Outreach · 2025 · world median 222No earlier reading
Liberia: 2 · 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.
Scholarly ArticlesOurResearch · 2025 · world median 2,2401832,240Moved since 2022
Liberia: 183 · 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 Liberia
Bachelor's or Higher Attainment (last 2019), Female Share of Researchers, Female Share of STEM Graduates, Gender Parity Index, Tertiary Enrolment (last 2012), Government Funding per Primary Student (last 2016), Inbound Mobility Rate, Tertiary, Learning Poverty, 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, Out-of-School Rate, Lower Secondary Age (last 2022), Out-of-School Rate, Primary (last 2022), Outbound Mobility Ratio, Tertiary (last 2012), Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary (last 2022), PISA Mathematics Performance, PISA Reading Performance, PISA Science Performance, Pre-Primary Net Enrolment Rate (last 2022), Primary Schools with Electricity (last 2022), Primary Schools with Internet for Teaching, Pupils per Qualified Teacher, Primary (last 2022), Qualified Teachers in Primary Education (last 2022), Research and Development Spending, Researchers per Million Inhabitants, School Life Expectancy (last 2000), Secondary School Enrolment (last 2020), Share of Graduates from ICT Programmes, Tertiary Enrolment Ratio (last 2012), Trust in Scientists (last 2018) and Upper Secondary Attainment (last 2019). 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 Liberia’s 16 topics
Education & Knowledge is Liberia’s 13th best-placed topic of 16. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Environment & Sustainability39th of 1864/4 keys
- Energy55th of 1652/3 keys
- Peace & Security77th of 1774/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties104th of 1984/4 keys
- Gender & Equalityjoint 97th of 1834/4 keys
- Work & Labour101st of 1824/4 keys
- Mobility & Trade131st of 1773/4 keys
- Poverty & Inequalityjoint 119th of 1593/3 keys
- Risk & Resilience153rd of 1934/4 keys
- Governance & Institutions155th of 1944/4 keys
- Economy & Innovation144th of 1764/4 keys
- Food & Agriculture160th of 1843/4 keys
- Education & Knowledge188th of 1984/4 keys
- Digital & Technology189th of 1983/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeingjoint 192nd of 2004/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital190th of 1963/3 keys
06The top of the list
Who leads on education & knowledge
The three countries placed highest of 198, and the leaders Liberia 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 Western Africa
Togo94th4/4 keysThis page
Liberia188th4/4 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
Liberia 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 Liberia rank on education & knowledge?
Liberia is placed 188th 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 Liberia?
38.25 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 Liberia?
65.2 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 Liberia compare with Côte d’Ivoire on education & knowledge?
Côte d’Ivoire is placed 173rd of 198, and Liberia 188th. Out-of-School Rate, Primary: Côte d’Ivoire 12.6, Liberia 38.25; Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary: Côte d’Ivoire 20.62, Liberia 65.2; Upper Secondary Completion Rate: Côte d’Ivoire 16.89, Liberia 14.25; Government Spending on Education: Côte d’Ivoire 3.394, Liberia 2.267.
How have Liberia’s education & knowledge figures changed?
Out-of-School Rate, Primary fell from 59.58 in 2008 to 38.25 in 2022; Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary fell from 69.88 in 2000 to 65.2 in 2022; Upper Secondary Completion Rate rose from 9.71 in 2000 to 14.25 in 2025; Government Spending on Education rose from 1.702 in 2008 to 2.267 in 2023.
Which education & knowledge statistics are missing for Liberia?
No current reading is published for Liberia on Bachelor's or Higher Attainment, Female Share of Researchers, Female Share of STEM Graduates, Gender Parity Index, Tertiary Enrolment, Government Funding per Primary Student, Inbound Mobility Rate, Tertiary, Learning Poverty, 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, 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, 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 13 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
Liberia’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Liberia (banner) — Sahmeditor derivative work: Jjtkk, Public domain
- 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). Liberia: Education & Knowledge — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/liberia/education