Topic 04 of 18 · Country Index 2026
São Tomé and Príncipe: Education & Knowledge
How far does a country's schooling carry its children?
São Tomé and Príncipe is placed joint 114th 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 2.877 (2024); Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary 54.82 (2024).
Share
Education & Knowledge
joint114th
of 198 countries placed
Placed from 4 of 4 key statistics
- 2.877Out-of-School Rate, Primary, 2024Out-of-school rate, primary age (%)
- 54.82Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary, 2024Children one year before primary entry age in organised learning (%)
- 55.09Upper Secondary Completion Rate, 2025Upper secondary completion rate (%)
- 5.029Government Spending on Education, 2023Government expenditure on education (% of GDP)
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place São Tomé and Príncipe 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 · São Tomé and Príncipe’s is from 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0
2.877
Out-of-school rate, primary age (%)
Lower is better
São Tomé and Príncipe: 2.877. 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
Key 2 of 4
Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
Latest reading per country, 2014–2024 · São Tomé and Príncipe’s is from 2015 · CC BY-SA 4.0
54.82
Children one year before primary entry age in organised learning (%)
Higher is better
São Tomé and Príncipe: 54.82. 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
Key 3 of 4
Upper Secondary Completion Rate
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY-SA 4.0
55.09
Upper secondary completion rate (%)
Higher is better
São Tomé and Príncipe: 55.09. 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
Key 4 of 4
Government Spending on Education
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
2023 edition · data for 2023 · CC BY-SA 4.0
5.029
Government expenditure on education (% of GDP)
Higher is better
São Tomé and Príncipe: 5.029. 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
02Over time
Which way São Tomé and Príncipe 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
São Tomé and PríncipeWorld median
São Tomé and Príncipe fell from 4.87 in 2002 to 2.877 in 2017; the world median went from 4.144 to 2.907.
Every year’s figures
Year São Tomé and Príncipe World median 2024 — 3.691 2023 — 3.393 2022 — 3.002 2021 — 3.330 2020 — 2.678 2019 — 2.758 2018 — 2.439 2017 2.88 2.907 2016 — 2.954 2015 9.16 3.052 2014 8.62 3.904 2013 8.59 3.413 2012 — 3.408 2011 — 3.626 2010 7.22 3.491 2009 7.07 3.577 2008 7.52 3.878 2007 7.89 4.029 2006 — 4.338 2005 1.97 4.571 2004 2.72 3.791 2003 4.13 4.412 2002 4.87 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
São Tomé and PríncipeWorld median
São Tomé and Príncipe rose from 45.83 in 2003 to 54.82 in 2015; the world median went from 78.33 to 88.23.
Every year’s figures
Year São Tomé and Príncipe 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 54.8 88.2 2014 46.0 89.2 2013 47.4 88.0 2012 49.5 85.4 2011 48.1 86.2 2010 40.3 86.1 2009 45.3 84.8 2008 45.1 85.8 2007 44.7 86.7 2006 — 84.0 2005 56.3 82.2 2004 50.6 81.8 2003 45.8 78.3 2002 — 80.0 2001 — 80.8 2000 — 66.3 Upper Secondary Completion Rate
Upper secondary completion rate (%) · higher is better
São Tomé and PríncipeWorld median
São Tomé and Príncipe rose from 13.95 in 2000 to 55.09 in 2025; the world median went from 38 to 64.87.
Every year’s figures
Year São Tomé and Príncipe World median 2025 55.1 64.9 2024 53.7 65.0 2023 52.2 64.2 2022 50.8 63.6 2021 48.9 62.9 2020 46.9 62.2 2019 44.3 61.5 2018 41.2 60.9 2017 37.9 60.5 2016 34.4 60.1 2015 31.1 58.9 2014 27.9 57.0 2013 25.0 54.7 2012 22.7 52.4 2011 21.1 50.9 2010 19.9 49.5 2009 19.0 48.5 2008 18.3 47.4 2007 17.9 46.2 2006 17.5 45.0 2005 17.0 43.8 2004 16.4 42.9 2003 15.7 41.6 2002 15.0 40.3 2001 14.4 39.0 2000 13.9 38.0 Government Spending on Education
Government expenditure on education (% of GDP) · higher is better
São Tomé and PríncipeWorld median
São Tomé and Príncipe rose from 2.721 in 2002 to 5.029 in 2023; the world median went from 4.017 to 3.709.
Every year’s figures
Year São Tomé and Príncipe World median 2023 5.0289 3.7092 2022 5.1939 4.0570 2021 5.5399 4.2611 2020 5.0293 4.4056 2019 6.1057 4.1407 2018 5.6245 4.2159 2017 5.8749 4.1401 2016 6.1152 4.2342 2015 4.6979 4.2386 2014 4.4322 4.2005 2013 6.6851 4.3493 2012 6.9285 4.0348 2011 8.7941 3.9987 2010 9.9883 4.1396 2009 9.9943 4.6638 2008 5.5545 4.4226 2007 6.2868 4.1717 2006 4.2712 4.0593 2005 4.8565 4.0557 2004 3.2347 3.9745 2003 3.2469 4.1595 2002 2.7206 4.0173 2001 — 4.1002 2000 — 3.8861
03In context
São Tomé and Príncipe 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.
São Tomé and Príncipe and Middle Africa
São Tomé and Príncipe 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| São Tomé and Príncipe | =114th | 2.877 | 54.82 | 55.09 | 5.029 |
 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 |
 Chad | 189th | 24.8 | 18.34 | 6.59 | 3.201 |
 Central African Republic | 195th | — | — | 5.55 | 1.83 |
 Equatorial Guinea | 196th | 65.6 | 33.56 | 8.98 | — |
 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 São Tomé and Príncipe in the topic’s list.
Andorra112th
Jordan113th
Armenia=114th- São Tomé and Príncipe=114th
Kiribati116th
Indonesia117th
Puerto Rico118th
04Context, no vote
Where São Tomé and Príncipe is ahead of the world, and behind
10 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 median3
Statistics on which São Tomé and Príncipe does better than the middle country measured.
Intergenerational Persistence in EducationWorld Bank Group · 2017 · world median 0.4460.2120.446No earlier reading
São Tomé and Príncipe: 0.212 · 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 149th of 153 · derived, 1st = worst.
Academic Freedom IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.6190.6360.619▲ Improved since 2015
São Tomé and Príncipe: 0.636 · 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 85th of 176 · derived.
Lower Secondary Completion RateUIS · 2025 · world median 89.2189.6289.21▲ Improved since 2015
São Tomé and Príncipe: 89.62 · 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 80th of 164 · derived.
Behind the world median6
Statistics on which São Tomé and Príncipe does worse than the middle country measured.
Wealth Parity Index, Lower Secondary CompletionUIS · 2024 · world median 0.5290.3750.529No earlier reading
São Tomé and Príncipe: 0.375 · 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.
Expected Years of SchoolingUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 13.3412.8613.34▲ Improved since 2013
São Tomé and Príncipe: 12.86 · 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 118th of 195 · derived.
Primary Completion RateUIS · 2025 · world median 97.4393.7197.43▲ Improved since 2015
São Tomé and Príncipe: 93.71 · 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 100th of 165 · derived.
Youth Literacy RateUIS · 2024 · world median 98.2295.4998.22No earlier reading
São Tomé and Príncipe: 95.49 · 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 93.9987.4493.99No earlier reading
São Tomé and Príncipe: 87.44 · 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 112th of 172 · derived.
Mean Years of SchoolingUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 9.9335.9889.933▼ Worsened since 2013
São Tomé and Príncipe: 5.988 · 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 156th of 193 · 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 2,240502,240No real change since 2022
São Tomé and Príncipe: 50 · 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 São Tomé and Príncipe
Bachelor's or Higher Attainment (last 2019), Female Share of Researchers, Female Share of STEM Graduates, Gender Parity Index, Tertiary Enrolment (last 2015), Government Funding per Primary Student (last 2014), Harmonized Test Scores, Inbound Mobility Rate, Tertiary, 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, Out-of-School Rate, Lower Secondary Age (last 2015), Out-of-School Rate, Primary (last 2017), Outbound Mobility Ratio, Tertiary (last 2015), Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary (last 2015), PISA Mathematics Performance, PISA Reading Performance, PISA Science Performance, Pre-Primary Net Enrolment Rate (last 2016), Primary Schools with Electricity (last 2017), Primary Schools with Internet for Teaching, Pupils per Qualified Teacher, Primary, Qualified Teachers in Primary Education (last 2017), Research and Development Spending, Researchers per Million Inhabitants, School Life Expectancy (last 2015), Secondary School Enrolment (last 2017), Share of Graduates from ICT Programmes, Tertiary Enrolment Ratio (last 2015), Trust in Scientists and Upper Secondary Attainment. 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 São Tomé and Príncipe’s 15 topics
Education & Knowledge is São Tomé and Príncipe’s 7th best-placed topic of 15. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Environment & Sustainability2nd of 1863/4 keys
- Peace & Security37th of 1773/4 keys
- Risk & Resiliencejoint 59th of 1933/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Libertiesjoint 62nd of 1984/4 keys
- Gender & Equality61st of 1833/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeingjoint 110th of 2003/4 keys
- Education & Knowledgejoint 114th of 1984/4 keys
- Governance & Institutionsjoint 127th of 1944/4 keys
- Food & Agriculture121st of 1843/4 keys
- Development & Human Capitaljoint 136th of 1963/3 keys
- Poverty & Inequalityjoint 125th of 1593/3 keys
- Economy & Innovation149th of 1762/4 keys
- Work & Labour165th of 1824/4 keys
- Digital & Technology181st of 1983/4 keys
- Mobility & Trade174th of 1772/4 keys
No standing on 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 São Tomé and Príncipe 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 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
São Tomé and Príncipe 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 São Tomé and Príncipe rank on education & knowledge?
São Tomé and Príncipe is placed joint 114th 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 São Tomé and Príncipe?
2.877 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 São Tomé and Príncipe?
54.82 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 São Tomé and Príncipe’s education & knowledge figures changed?
Out-of-School Rate, Primary fell from 4.87 in 2002 to 2.877 in 2017; Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary rose from 45.83 in 2003 to 54.82 in 2015; Upper Secondary Completion Rate rose from 13.95 in 2000 to 55.09 in 2025; Government Spending on Education rose from 2.721 in 2002 to 5.029 in 2023.
Which education & knowledge statistics are missing for São Tomé and Príncipe?
No current reading is published for São Tomé and Príncipe 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, Harmonized Test Scores, Inbound Mobility Rate, Tertiary, 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, 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 10 statistics on this page come from 5 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
São Tomé and Príncipe’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- 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). São Tomé and Príncipe: Education & Knowledge — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/sao-tome-and-principe/education