Photo: AMISOM · CC0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 04 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Somalia: Education & Knowledge
How far does a country's schooling carry its children?
Somalia is placed 197th of 198 countries on education & knowledge in the Country Index 2026, from 2 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: Upper Secondary Completion Rate 8.79 (2025); Government Spending on Education 0 (2023).
Share
Education & Knowledge
197th
of 198 countries placed
Placed from 2 of 4 key statistics
- —Out-of-School Rate, Primary, 2024No reading for this country
- —Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary, 2024No reading for this country
- 8.79Upper Secondary Completion Rate, 2025Upper secondary completion rate (%)
- 0Government Spending on Education, 2023Government expenditure on education (% of GDP)
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Somalia 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 · CC BY-SA 4.0
No reading
Out-of-school rate, primary age (%)
Lower is better
UIS publishes no reading from 2014–2024 for Somalia, so the standing rests on the other keys.
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 Eastern Africa
- 0.785 Mauritius
- Land neighbours
- Ethiopia 22.46 · Kenya 32.9
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 Somalia, 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 Eastern Africa
- 92.12 Kenya
- Land neighbours
- Ethiopia 62.59 · Kenya 92.12
Key 3 of 4
Upper Secondary Completion Rate
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY-SA 4.0
8.79
Upper secondary completion rate (%)
Higher is better
Somalia: 8.79. 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 Eastern Africa
- 55.96 Mauritius
- Land neighbours
- Ethiopia 15.45 · Kenya 41.64
Key 4 of 4
Government Spending on Education
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
2023 edition · data for 2023 · CC BY-SA 4.0
0
Government expenditure on education (% of GDP)
Higher is better
Somalia: 0. 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 Eastern Africa
- 4.92 Rwanda
- Land neighbours
- Ethiopia 2.927 · Kenya 3.962
02Over time
Which way Somalia 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.
Upper Secondary Completion Rate
Upper secondary completion rate (%) · higher is better
SomaliaWorld median
Somalia rose from 5.97 in 2000 to 8.79 in 2025; the world median went from 38 to 64.87.
Every year’s figures
Year Somalia World median 2025 8.79 64.9 2024 8.67 65.0 2023 8.53 64.2 2022 8.38 63.6 2021 8.27 62.9 2020 8.13 62.2 2019 7.96 61.5 2018 7.83 60.9 2017 7.67 60.5 2016 7.52 60.1 2015 7.42 58.9 2014 7.37 57.0 2013 7.23 54.7 2012 7.12 52.4 2011 6.98 50.9 2010 6.88 49.5 2009 6.79 48.5 2008 6.65 47.4 2007 6.56 46.2 2006 6.42 45.0 2005 6.30 43.8 2004 6.20 42.9 2003 6.11 41.6 2002 5.99 40.3 2001 5.93 39.0 2000 5.97 38.0 Government Spending on Education
Government expenditure on education (% of GDP) · higher is better
SomaliaWorld median
Somalia rose from 0 in 2018 to 0 in 2023; the world median went from 4.216 to 3.709.
Every year’s figures
Year Somalia World median 2023 0.000008 3.7092 2022 0.000007 4.0570 2021 0.000007 4.2611 2020 0.000006 4.4056 2019 0.000006 4.1407 2018 0.000004 4.2159 2017 — 4.1401 2016 — 4.2342 2015 — 4.2386 2014 — 4.2005 2013 — 4.3493 2012 — 4.0348 2011 — 3.9987 2010 — 4.1396 2009 — 4.6638 2008 — 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
Somalia 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.
Somalia 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Kenya | 137th | 32.9 | 92.12 | 41.64 | 3.962 |
 Ethiopia | 178th | 22.46 | 62.59 | 15.45 | 2.927 |
| Somalia | 197th | — | — | 8.79 | 0 |
| Somaliland | not placed | — | — | — | — |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Eastern 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 Somalia in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Somalia is ahead of the world, and behind
9 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 median8
Statistics on which Somalia does worse than the middle country measured.
Academic Freedom IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.6190.4940.619▲ Improved since 2015
Somalia: 0.494 · 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 108th of 176 · derived.
Adult Literacy RateUIS · 2024 · world median 93.9954.1293.99No earlier reading
Somalia: 54.12 · 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 157th of 172 · derived.
Youth Literacy RateUIS · 2024 · world median 98.2270.7198.22No earlier reading
Somalia: 70.71 · 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.
Lower Secondary Completion RateUIS · 2025 · world median 89.2122.8689.21▼ Worsened since 2015
Somalia: 22.86 · 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 158th of 164 · derived.
Expected Years of SchoolingUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 13.347.48613.34No real change since 2022
Somalia: 7.486 · 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 189th of 195 · derived.
Wealth Parity Index, Lower Secondary CompletionUIS · 2024 · world median 0.5290.0410.529No earlier reading
Somalia: 0.041 · 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 9.9331.99.933No real change since 2022
Somalia: 1.9 · 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 191st of 193 · derived.
Primary Completion RateUIS · 2025 · world median 97.4328.7597.43No real change since 2015
Somalia: 28.75 · 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 164th of 165 · 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 2,2409182,240Moved since 2022
Somalia: 918 · 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 Somalia
Bachelor's or Higher Attainment (last 2022), Female Share of Researchers, Female Share of STEM Graduates, Gender Parity Index, Tertiary Enrolment (last 1987), 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, 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 (last 2023), Qualified Teachers in Primary Education, Research and Development Spending, Researchers per Million Inhabitants, School Life Expectancy (last 1976), Secondary School Enrolment (last 2023), Share of Graduates from ICT Programmes, Tertiary Enrolment Ratio (last 1987), Trust in Scientists and Upper Secondary Attainment (last 2022). 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 Somalia’s 15 topics
Education & Knowledge is Somalia’s 11th best-placed topic of 15. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Environment & Sustainability26th of 1863/4 keys
- Energy97th of 1652/3 keys
- Mobility & Trade159th of 1773/4 keys
- Gender & Equalityjoint 168th of 1834/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties182nd of 1983/4 keys
- Governance & Institutions180th of 1944/4 keys
- Digital & Technologyjoint 185th of 1983/4 keys
- Peace & Security170th of 1773/4 keys
- Work & Labour180th of 1824/4 keys
- Development & Human Capitaljoint 194th of 1963/3 keys
- Education & Knowledge197th of 1982/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeing199th of 2002/4 keys
- Economy & Innovation176th of 1762/4 keys
- Food & Agriculture184th of 1843/4 keys
- Risk & Resilience193rd of 1933/4 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 Somalia 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 Eastern Africa
Mauritius=61st4/4 keysThis page
Somalia197th2/4 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
Somalia 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 Somalia rank on education & knowledge?
Somalia is placed 197th of 198 countries on Education & Knowledge in the Country Index 2026, from 2 of its 4 key statistics (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 Upper Secondary Completion Rate figure for Somalia?
8.79 in 2025 (upper secondary completion rate (%)), according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). The world median in the same edition was 64.87.
What is the latest Government Spending on Education figure for Somalia?
0 in 2023 (government expenditure on education (% of GDP)), according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). The world median in the same edition was 3.709.
How does Somalia compare with Ethiopia on education & knowledge?
Ethiopia is placed 178th of 198, and Somalia 197th. Upper Secondary Completion Rate: Ethiopia 15.45, Somalia 8.79; Government Spending on Education: Ethiopia 2.927, Somalia 0.
How have Somalia’s education & knowledge figures changed?
Upper Secondary Completion Rate rose from 5.97 in 2000 to 8.79 in 2025; Government Spending on Education rose from 0 in 2018 to 0 in 2023.
Which education & knowledge statistics are missing for Somalia?
No current reading is published for Somalia 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, 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, 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 9 statistics on this page come from 4 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
Somalia’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Somalia (banner) — AMISOM, CC0
- 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). Somalia: Education & Knowledge — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/somalia/education