Photo: File: Bsm15 derivative work: Lkcl it · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 04 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Republic of the Congo: Education & Knowledge
How far does a country's schooling carry its children?
Republic of the Congo is placed 164th 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 17.08 (2024); Upper Secondary Completion Rate 31.98 (2025).
Share
Education & Knowledge
164th
of 198 countries placed
Placed from 3 of 4 key statistics
- 17.08Out-of-School Rate, Primary, 2024Out-of-school rate, primary age (%)
- —Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary, 2024No reading for this country
- 31.98Upper Secondary Completion Rate, 2025Upper secondary completion rate (%)
- 3.34Government Spending on Education, 2023Government expenditure on education (% of GDP)
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Republic of the Congo 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 · Republic of the Congo’s is from 2023 · CC BY-SA 4.0
17.08
Out-of-school rate, primary age (%)
Lower is better
Republic of the Congo: 17.08. 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
- Angola 36.76 · Cameroon 3.762 · Gabon 28.76
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 Republic of the Congo, 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 Middle Africa
- 54.82 São Tomé and Príncipe
- Land neighbours
- Angola 51.54 · Cameroon 41.03 · Gabon 53.53
Key 3 of 4
Upper Secondary Completion Rate
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY-SA 4.0
31.98
Upper secondary completion rate (%)
Higher is better
Republic of the Congo: 31.98. 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
- Angola 24.4 · Central African Republic 5.55 · Cameroon 22.69 · DR Congo 26.38 · Gabon 22.78
Key 4 of 4
Government Spending on Education
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
2023 edition · data for 2023 · CC BY-SA 4.0
3.34
Government expenditure on education (% of GDP)
Higher is better
Republic of the Congo: 3.34. 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
- Angola 2.513 · Central African Republic 1.83 · Cameroon 2.839 · Gabon 2.316
02Over time
Which way Republic of the Congo 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
Republic of the CongoWorld median
Republic of the Congo fell from 49.74 in 2005 to 17.08 in 2023; the world median went from 4.571 to 3.393.
Every year’s figures
Year Republic of the Congo World median 2024 — 3.691 2023 17 3.393 2022 — 3.002 2021 — 3.330 2020 — 2.678 2019 — 2.758 2018 21 2.439 2017 — 2.907 2016 — 2.954 2015 — 3.052 2014 — 3.904 2013 — 3.413 2012 12 3.408 2011 — 3.626 2010 14 3.491 2009 — 3.577 2008 — 3.878 2007 — 4.029 2006 46 4.338 2005 50 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
Republic of the CongoWorld median
Republic of the Congo rose from 17.01 in 2005 to 21.73 in 2012; the world median went from 82.21 to 85.43.
Every year’s figures
Year Republic of the Congo World median 2024 — 85.9 2023 — 87.6 2022 — 87.7 2021 — 87.0 2020 — 88.3 2019 — 88.8 2018 — 89.6 2017 — 87.4 2016 — 87.9 2015 — 88.2 2014 — 89.2 2013 — 88.0 2012 21.7 85.4 2011 — 86.2 2010 28.4 86.1 2009 — 84.8 2008 — 85.8 2007 — 86.7 2006 16.7 84.0 2005 17.0 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
Republic of the CongoWorld median
Republic of the Congo rose from 13.6 in 2000 to 31.98 in 2025; the world median went from 38 to 64.87.
Every year’s figures
Year Republic of the Congo World median 2025 31.98 64.9 2024 31.49 65.0 2023 30.88 64.2 2022 30.45 63.6 2021 29.53 62.9 2020 28.88 62.2 2019 28.17 61.5 2018 27.51 60.9 2017 26.53 60.5 2016 25.25 60.1 2015 23.41 58.9 2014 21.19 57.0 2013 19.03 54.7 2012 17.31 52.4 2011 16.18 50.9 2010 15.45 49.5 2009 14.83 48.5 2008 14.17 47.4 2007 13.41 46.2 2006 12.79 45.0 2005 12.35 43.8 2004 12.25 42.9 2003 12.31 41.6 2002 12.67 40.3 2001 13.15 39.0 2000 13.60 38.0 Government Spending on Education
Government expenditure on education (% of GDP) · higher is better
Republic of the CongoWorld median
Republic of the Congo rose from 3.208 in 2002 to 3.34 in 2023; the world median went from 4.017 to 3.709.
Every year’s figures
Year Republic of the Congo World median 2023 3.34 3.7092 2022 2.73 4.0570 2021 3.31 4.2611 2020 4.22 4.4056 2019 3.25 4.1407 2018 2.77 4.2159 2017 4.17 4.1401 2016 4.87 4.2342 2015 3.14 4.2386 2014 3.18 4.2005 2013 5.01 4.3493 2012 2.74 4.0348 2011 2.65 3.9987 2010 5.69 4.1396 2009 — 4.6638 2008 — 4.4226 2007 — 4.1717 2006 — 4.0593 2005 1.68 4.0557 2004 2.29 3.9745 2003 2.84 4.1595 2002 3.21 4.0173 2001 — 4.1002 2000 — 3.8861
03In context
Republic of the Congo 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.
Republic of the Congo 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 |
 Angola | 184th | 36.76 | 51.54 | 24.4 | 2.513 |
 Gabon | 185th | 28.76 | 53.53 | 22.78 | 2.316 |
 Central African Republic | 195th | — | — | 5.55 | 1.83 |
 DR Congo | not placed | — | — | 26.38 | — |
“—”: 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 Republic of the Congo in the topic’s list.
British Virgin Islands161st
Benin162nd
Bahrain163rd- Republic of the Congo164th
- Cameroon165th
Burkina Faso166th
Lebanon167th
04Context, no vote
Where Republic of the Congo 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.
Behind the world median15
Statistics on which Republic of the Congo does worse than the middle country measured.
Primary Completion RateUIS · 2025 · world median 97.4393.8697.43▲ Improved since 2015
Republic of the Congo: 93.86 · 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 99th of 165 · derived.
Expected Years of SchoolingUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 13.3412.6813.34▲ Improved since 2013
Republic of the Congo: 12.68 · 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 124th of 195 · derived.
Mean Years of SchoolingUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 9.9338.3239.933▼ Worsened since 2013
Republic of the Congo: 8.323 · 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 125th of 193 · derived.
Lower Secondary Completion RateUIS · 2025 · world median 89.2163.4789.21▲ Improved since 2015
Republic of the Congo: 63.47 · 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 111th of 164 · derived.
Minimum Proficiency in Reading, End of PrimaryUIS · 2023 · world median 60.0833.660.08No earlier reading
Republic of the Congo: 33.6 · 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.
Learning PovertyWorld Bank Group and UNESCO Institute for Statistics · 2023 · world median 34.0270.0134.02No earlier reading
Republic of the Congo: 70.01 · 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 34th of 125 · derived, 1st = worst.
Academic Freedom IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.6190.2550.619▼ Worsened since 2015
Republic of the Congo: 0.255 · 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 133rd of 176 · derived.
Adult Literacy RateUIS · 2024 · world median 93.9976.1193.99No earlier reading
Republic of the Congo: 76.11 · 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 130th of 172 · derived.
Researchers per Million InhabitantsUIS · 2024 · world median 701.95126.97701.95No earlier reading
Republic of the Congo: 126.97 · 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 110th of 145 · derived.
Harmonized Test ScoresWorld Bank Group · 2020 · world median 414.32370.61414.32No real change since 2010
Republic of the Congo: 370.61 · 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 135th of 172 · derived.
Learning-Adjusted Years of SchoolWorld Bank Group · 2020 · world median 7.9415.2857.941▲ Improved since 2010
Republic of the Congo: 5.285 · 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 140th of 172 · derived.
Youth Literacy RateUIS · 2024 · world median 98.2278.5798.22No earlier reading
Republic of the Congo: 78.57 · 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.
Minimum Proficiency in Mathematics, End of PrimaryUIS · 2023 · world median 43.87.743.8No earlier reading
Republic of the Congo: 7.7 · 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.
Wealth Parity Index, Lower Secondary CompletionUIS · 2024 · world median 0.5290.0730.529No earlier reading
Republic of the Congo: 0.073 · 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.
Intergenerational Persistence in EducationWorld Bank Group · 2017 · world median 0.4460.5970.446No earlier reading
Republic of the Congo: 0.597 · 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 9th of 153 · derived, 1st = worst.
No better end4
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Outbound Mobility Ratio, TertiaryUIS · 2023 · world median 5.27925.545.279Moved since 2013
Republic of the Congo: 25.54 · world median 5.279 · Outbound mobility ratio, tertiary (% of tertiary enrolment at home). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.333 to 1,724.
Scholarly ArticlesOurResearch · 2025 · world median 2,2408152,240No real change since 2022
Republic of the Congo: 815 · 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.
Trust in ScientistsWellcome Trust · 2020 · world median 34.3518.6934.35No real change since 2018
Republic of the Congo: 18.69 · 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.
Female Share of ResearchersUIS · 2024 · world median 38.1718.8638.17No earlier reading
Republic of the Congo: 18.86 · 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 Republic of the Congo
Bachelor's or Higher Attainment (last 2015), Female Share of STEM Graduates (last 2017), Gender Parity Index, Tertiary Enrolment (last 2023), Government Funding per Primary Student (last 2010), Inbound Mobility Rate, Tertiary (last 2013), 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 (last 2023), Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary (last 2012), PISA Mathematics Performance, PISA Reading Performance, PISA Science Performance, Pre-Primary Net Enrolment Rate (last 2018), Primary Schools with Electricity (last 2019), Primary Schools with Internet for Teaching, Pupils per Qualified Teacher, Primary (last 2023), Qualified Teachers in Primary Education (last 2012), Research and Development Spending (last 2022), School Life Expectancy (last 2012), Secondary School Enrolment (last 2012), Share of Graduates from ICT Programmes (last 2017), Tertiary Enrolment Ratio (last 2023) and Upper Secondary Attainment (last 2015). 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 Republic of the Congo’s 15 topics
Education & Knowledge is Republic of the Congo’s 9th best-placed topic of 15. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Environment & Sustainability5th of 1863/4 keys
- Mobility & Trade114th of 1773/4 keys
- Peace & Securityjoint 137th of 1774/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital153rd of 1962/3 keys
- Digital & Technologyjoint 155th of 1984/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeing158th of 2003/4 keys
- Gender & Equality145th of 1833/4 keys
- Economy & Innovation142nd of 1764/4 keys
- Education & Knowledge164th of 1983/4 keys
- Energyjoint 137th of 1652/3 keys
- Democracy & Civil Libertiesjoint 169th of 1984/4 keys
- Risk & Resilience168th of 1934/4 keys
- Governance & Institutions175th of 1944/4 keys
- Work & Labour170th of 1824/4 keys
- Food & Agriculturejoint 176th of 1843/4 keys
No standing on 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 Republic of the Congo 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
Republic of the Congo164th3/4 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
Republic of the Congo 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 Republic of the Congo rank on education & knowledge?
Republic of the Congo is placed 164th 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 Republic of the Congo?
17.08 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 Republic of the Congo?
31.98 in 2025 (upper secondary completion rate (%)), according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). The world median in the same edition was 64.87.
How does Republic of the Congo compare with DR Congo on education & knowledge?
DR Congo is not placed on Education & Knowledge, holding too few of its key statistics, and Republic of the Congo 164th. Upper Secondary Completion Rate: DR Congo 26.38, Republic of the Congo 31.98.
How have Republic of the Congo’s education & knowledge figures changed?
Out-of-School Rate, Primary fell from 49.74 in 2005 to 17.08 in 2023; Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary rose from 17.01 in 2005 to 21.73 in 2012; Upper Secondary Completion Rate rose from 13.6 in 2000 to 31.98 in 2025; Government Spending on Education rose from 3.208 in 2002 to 3.34 in 2023.
Which education & knowledge statistics are missing for Republic of the Congo?
No current reading is published for Republic of the Congo 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, 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, 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 19 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
Republic of the Congo’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Republic of the Congo (banner) — File: Bsm15 derivative work: Lkcl it, CC BY-SA 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). Republic of the Congo: Education & Knowledge — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/republic-of-the-congo/education