Photo: Hadi Zaher · CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 04 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Nauru: Education & Knowledge
How far does a country's schooling carry its children?
Nauru is placed 66th 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 2.995 (2024); Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary 93.45 (2024).
Share
Education & Knowledge
66th
of 198 countries placed
Placed from 4 of 4 key statistics
Not placed in the Country Index 2026 overall: measured on too few topics.
- 2.995Out-of-School Rate, Primary, 2024Out-of-school rate, primary age (%)
- 93.45Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary, 2024Children one year before primary entry age in organised learning (%)
- 49.35Upper Secondary Completion Rate, 2025Upper secondary completion rate (%)
- 5.777Government Spending on Education, 2023Government expenditure on education (% of GDP)
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Nauru 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 · Nauru’s is from 2024 · CC BY-SA 4.0
2.995
Out-of-school rate, primary age (%)
Lower is better
Nauru: 2.995. 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 · Nauru’s is from 2024 · CC BY-SA 4.0
93.45
Children one year before primary entry age in organised learning (%)
Higher is better
Nauru: 93.45. 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
49.35
Upper secondary completion rate (%)
Higher is better
Nauru: 49.35. 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
5.777
Government expenditure on education (% of GDP)
Higher is better
Nauru: 5.777. 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 Nauru 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
NauruWorld median
Nauru fell from 10.42 in 2007 to 2.995 in 2024; the world median went from 4.029 to 3.691.
Every year’s figures
Year Nauru World median 2024 3.0 3.691 2023 0.4 3.393 2022 4.9 3.002 2021 — 3.330 2020 8.3 2.678 2019 3.6 2.758 2018 — 2.439 2017 — 2.907 2016 8.2 2.954 2015 — 3.052 2014 8.0 3.904 2013 — 3.413 2012 18.7 3.408 2011 — 3.626 2010 — 3.491 2009 — 3.577 2008 — 3.878 2007 10.4 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
NauruWorld median
Nauru rose from 85.33 in 2012 to 93.45 in 2024; the world median went from 85.43 to 85.9.
Every year’s figures
Year Nauru World median 2024 93 85.9 2023 96 87.6 2022 99 87.7 2021 — 87.0 2020 86 88.3 2019 91 88.8 2018 — 89.6 2017 — 87.4 2016 81 87.9 2015 98 88.2 2014 — 89.2 2013 — 88.0 2012 85 85.4 2011 — 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 — 66.3 Upper Secondary Completion Rate
Upper secondary completion rate (%) · higher is better
NauruWorld median
Nauru rose from 28.38 in 2000 to 49.35 in 2025; the world median went from 38 to 64.87.
Every year’s figures
Year Nauru World median 2025 49.3 64.9 2024 48.4 65.0 2023 47.5 64.2 2022 46.4 63.6 2021 45.4 62.9 2020 44.6 62.2 2019 43.8 61.5 2018 42.9 60.9 2017 42.1 60.5 2016 41.2 60.1 2015 40.3 58.9 2014 39.3 57.0 2013 38.4 54.7 2012 37.5 52.4 2011 36.6 50.9 2010 35.6 49.5 2009 34.8 48.5 2008 34.1 47.4 2007 33.5 46.2 2006 32.8 45.0 2005 31.9 43.8 2004 31.2 42.9 2003 30.5 41.6 2002 29.7 40.3 2001 29.1 39.0 2000 28.4 38.0 Government Spending on Education
Government expenditure on education (% of GDP) · higher is better
NauruWorld median
Nauru fell from 15.86 in 2002 to 5.777 in 2023; the world median went from 4.017 to 3.709.
Every year’s figures
Year Nauru World median 2023 5.78 3.7092 2022 5.92 4.0570 2021 5.16 4.2611 2020 5.91 4.4056 2019 5.72 4.1407 2018 5.05 4.2159 2017 6.27 4.1401 2016 4.82 4.2342 2015 6.25 4.2386 2014 4.47 4.2005 2013 — 4.3493 2012 — 4.0348 2011 — 3.9987 2010 — 4.1396 2009 — 4.6638 2008 — 4.4226 2007 4.25 4.1717 2006 — 4.0593 2005 — 4.0557 2004 — 3.9745 2003 — 4.1595 2002 15.86 4.0173 2001 — 4.1002 2000 — 3.8861
03In context
Nauru 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.
Nauru and Micronesia
Nauru 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 Nauru in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Nauru 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 median5
Statistics on which Nauru does better than the middle country measured.
Qualified Teachers in Primary EducationUIS · 2024 · world median 93.6610093.66No real change since 2016
Nauru: 100 · 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.
Pre-Primary Net Enrolment RateUIS · 2024 · world median 65.9392.1365.93▲ Improved since 2015
Nauru: 92.13 · 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 25th of 120 · derived.
Wealth Parity Index, Lower Secondary CompletionUIS · 2024 · world median 0.5290.7930.529No earlier reading
Nauru: 0.793 · 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 93.9996.5993.99No earlier reading
Nauru: 96.59 · 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 64th of 172 · derived.
Out-of-School Rate, Lower Secondary AgeUIS · 2024 · world median 6.3433.8566.343▲ Improved since 2014
Nauru: 3.856 · 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 70th of 116 · derived, 1st = worst.
Behind the world median10
Statistics on which Nauru does worse than the middle country measured.
Mean Years of SchoolingUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 9.9339.4499.933▲ Improved since 2013
Nauru: 9.449 · 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 102nd of 193 · derived.
Secondary School EnrolmentUIS · 2024 · world median 93.1991.5193.19▲ Improved since 2014
Nauru: 91.51 · 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 60th of 109 · derived.
Expected Years of SchoolingUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 13.3412.8413.34▲ Improved since 2013
Nauru: 12.84 · 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 119th of 195 · derived.
Lower Secondary Completion RateUIS · 2025 · world median 89.2170.7589.21No real change since 2015
Nauru: 70.75 · 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 104th of 164 · derived.
Primary Completion RateUIS · 2025 · world median 97.4389.1597.43▼ Worsened since 2015
Nauru: 89.15 · 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 111th of 165 · derived.
Youth Literacy RateUIS · 2024 · world median 98.2291.7598.22No earlier reading
Nauru: 91.75 · 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.
Pupils per Qualified Teacher, PrimaryUIS · 2024 · world median 20.6736.0620.67▲ Improved since 2014
Nauru: 36.06 · 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 22nd of 92 · derived, 1st = worst.
Upper Secondary AttainmentUIS · 2023 · world median 65.7639.5365.76No earlier reading
Nauru: 39.53 · 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 74th of 95 · derived.
Bachelor's or Higher AttainmentUIS · 2023 · world median 19.862.11619.86No earlier reading
Nauru: 2.116 · 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 88th of 90 · derived.
Primary Schools with Internet for TeachingUIS · 2024 · world median 98.66098.66No real change since 2020
Nauru: 0 · 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.
Level with the median, or no median to compare1
Primary Schools with ElectricityUIS · 2024 · world median 100100100▲ Improved since 2016
Nauru: 100 · 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.
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.
Female Share of ResearchersUIS · 2024 · world median 38.1715.7938.17No earlier reading
Nauru: 15.79 · 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.
No current reading for Nauru
Academic Freedom Index, Female Share of STEM Graduates, Gender Parity Index, Tertiary Enrolment, Government Funding per Primary Student (last 2002), Harmonized Test Scores, Inbound Mobility Rate, Tertiary, Intergenerational Persistence in Education, Learning Poverty, Learning-Adjusted Years of School, 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, Nobel Prize Laureates by Country of Birth, Outbound Mobility Ratio, Tertiary, PISA Mathematics Performance, PISA Reading Performance, PISA Science Performance, Research and Development Spending, Researchers per Million Inhabitants, Scholarly Articles, School Life Expectancy, Share of Graduates from ICT Programmes, Tertiary Enrolment Ratio 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 Nauru’s 9 topics
Education & Knowledge is Nauru’s 2nd best-placed topic of 9. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Risk & Resilience43rd of 1933/4 keys
- Education & Knowledge66th of 1984/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties81st of 1982/4 keys
- Food & Agriculture110th of 1842/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeing126th of 2003/4 keys
- Energy105th of 1652/3 keys
- Development & Human Capital125th of 1963/3 keys
- Governance & Institutions147th of 1942/4 keys
- Digital & Technology171st of 1983/4 keys
No standing on Economy & Innovation, Work & Labour, Environment & Sustainability, Gender & Equality, Peace & Security, Mobility & Trade, Poverty & Inequality: 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 Nauru 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
Nauru66th4/4 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
Nauru 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 Nauru rank on education & knowledge?
Nauru is placed 66th 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 Nauru?
2.995 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 Nauru?
93.45 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 Nauru’s education & knowledge figures changed?
Out-of-School Rate, Primary fell from 10.42 in 2007 to 2.995 in 2024; Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary rose from 85.33 in 2012 to 93.45 in 2024; Upper Secondary Completion Rate rose from 28.38 in 2000 to 49.35 in 2025; Government Spending on Education fell from 15.86 in 2002 to 5.777 in 2023.
Which education & knowledge statistics are missing for Nauru?
No current reading is published for Nauru on Academic Freedom Index, Female Share of STEM Graduates, Gender Parity Index, Tertiary Enrolment, Government Funding per Primary Student, Harmonized Test Scores, Inbound Mobility Rate, Tertiary, Intergenerational Persistence in Education, Learning Poverty, Learning-Adjusted Years of School, 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, Nobel Prize Laureates by Country of Birth, Outbound Mobility Ratio, Tertiary, PISA Mathematics Performance, PISA Reading Performance, PISA Science Performance, Research and Development Spending, Researchers per Million Inhabitants, Scholarly Articles, School Life Expectancy, Share of Graduates from ICT Programmes, Tertiary Enrolment Ratio 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 17 statistics on this page come from 2 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
Nauru’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Nauru (banner) — Hadi Zaher, 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). Nauru: Education & Knowledge — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/nauru/education