Photo: Haanofonua derivative work: Massimo Telò · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 04 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Tonga: Education & Knowledge
How far does a country's schooling carry its children?
Tonga is placed 90th 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 2.28 (2024); Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary 77.71 (2024).
Share
Education & Knowledge
90th
of 198 countries placed
Placed from 3 of 4 key statistics
- 2.28Out-of-School Rate, Primary, 2024Out-of-school rate, primary age (%)
- 77.71Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary, 2024Children one year before primary entry age in organised learning (%)
- 86.21Upper Secondary Completion Rate, 2025Upper secondary completion rate (%)
- —Government Spending on Education, 2023No reading for this country
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Tonga 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 · Tonga’s is from 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0
2.28
Out-of-school rate, primary age (%)
Lower is better
Tonga: 2.28. 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 Polynesia
- 0.537 Tuvalu
Key 2 of 4
Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
Latest reading per country, 2014–2024 · Tonga’s is from 2024 · CC BY-SA 4.0
77.71
Children one year before primary entry age in organised learning (%)
Higher is better
Tonga: 77.71. 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 Polynesia
- 94.94 Tuvalu
Key 3 of 4
Upper Secondary Completion Rate
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY-SA 4.0
86.21
Upper secondary completion rate (%)
Higher is better
Tonga: 86.21. 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 Polynesia
- 86.21 Tonga
Key 4 of 4
Government Spending on Education
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
2023 edition · data for 2023 · CC BY-SA 4.0
No reading
Government expenditure on education (% of GDP)
Higher is better
UIS publishes no 2023 figure for Tonga, so the standing rests on the other keys.
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 Polynesia
- 12.85 Tuvalu
02Over time
Which way Tonga 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
TongaWorld median
Tonga rose from 0.385 in 2004 to 2.28 in 2022; the world median went from 3.791 to 3.002.
Every year’s figures
Year Tonga World median 2024 — 3.691 2023 — 3.393 2022 2.28 3.002 2021 3.70 3.330 2020 0.35 2.678 2019 0.02 2.758 2018 0.21 2.439 2017 — 2.907 2016 — 2.954 2015 2.26 3.052 2014 — 3.904 2013 3.17 3.413 2012 3.18 3.408 2011 — 3.626 2010 — 3.491 2009 — 3.577 2008 — 3.878 2007 — 4.029 2006 0.09 4.338 2005 0.06 4.571 2004 0.38 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
TongaWorld median
Tonga rose from 21.44 in 2020 to 77.71 in 2024; the world median went from 88.32 to 85.9.
Every year’s figures
Year Tonga World median 2024 78 85.9 2023 77 87.6 2022 85 87.7 2021 82 87.0 2020 21 88.3 2019 — 88.8 2018 — 89.6 2017 — 87.4 2016 — 87.9 2015 — 88.2 2014 — 89.2 2013 — 88.0 2012 — 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
TongaWorld median
Tonga rose from 73.83 in 2000 to 86.21 in 2025; the world median went from 38 to 64.87.
Every year’s figures
Year Tonga World median 2025 86.2 64.9 2024 85.8 65.0 2023 85.4 64.2 2022 85.0 63.6 2021 84.6 62.9 2020 84.2 62.2 2019 83.8 61.5 2018 83.3 60.9 2017 82.8 60.5 2016 82.3 60.1 2015 81.6 58.9 2014 80.9 57.0 2013 80.3 54.7 2012 79.8 52.4 2011 79.3 50.9 2010 78.8 49.5 2009 78.3 48.5 2008 77.9 47.4 2007 77.5 46.2 2006 77.0 45.0 2005 76.5 43.8 2004 76.0 42.9 2003 75.6 41.6 2002 75.1 40.3 2001 74.5 39.0 2000 73.8 38.0 Government Spending on Education
Government expenditure on education (% of GDP) · higher is better
TongaWorld median
Tonga rose from 4.878 in 2000 to 5.31 in 2022; the world median went from 3.886 to 4.057.
Every year’s figures
Year Tonga World median 2023 — 3.7092 2022 5.31 4.0570 2021 5.16 4.2611 2020 5.05 4.4056 2019 4.86 4.1407 2018 4.72 4.2159 2017 4.64 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 3.91 3.9745 2003 4.16 4.1595 2002 3.80 4.0173 2001 4.48 4.1002 2000 4.88 3.8861
03In context
Tonga 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.
Tonga and Polynesia
Tonga 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Tuvalu | 30th | 0.537 | 94.94 | 57.42 | 12.85 |
| Tonga | 90th | 2.28 | 77.71 | 86.21 | — |
 Cook Islands | 91st | 2.532 | 83.35 | — | 4.417 |
 Samoa | 99th | 1.809 | 29.81 | 61.21 | 6.11 |
 Niue | 133rd | 5.691 | 83.2 | — | — |
 American Samoa | not placed | — | — | — | — |
 French Polynesia | not placed | — | — | — | — |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Polynesia
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 198.
Placed either side on education & knowledge
The countries immediately above and below Tonga in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Tonga is ahead of the world, and behind
23 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 median10
Statistics on which Tonga does better than the middle country measured.
Intergenerational Persistence in EducationWorld Bank Group · 2017 · world median 0.4460.2160.446No earlier reading
Tonga: 0.216 · 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 148th of 153 · derived, 1st = worst.
Expected Years of SchoolingUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 13.3417.7913.34▲ Improved since 2013
Tonga: 17.79 · 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 19th of 195 · derived.
Adult Literacy RateUIS · 2024 · world median 93.9999.4893.99No earlier reading
Tonga: 99.48 · 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 19th of 172 · derived.
Minimum Proficiency in Mathematics, End of PrimaryUIS · 2023 · world median 43.875.2643.8No earlier reading
Tonga: 75.26 · 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 0.5290.8760.529No earlier reading
Tonga: 0.876 · 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 98.2299.7298.22No earlier reading
Tonga: 99.72 · 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.
Mean Years of SchoolingUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 9.93310.919.933▼ Worsened since 2013
Tonga: 10.91 · 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 71st of 193 · derived.
Qualified Teachers in Primary EducationUIS · 2024 · world median 93.6696.793.66▼ Worsened since 2014
Tonga: 96.7 · 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.
Pupils per Qualified Teacher, PrimaryUIS · 2024 · world median 20.6719.8520.67▲ Improved since 2014
Tonga: 19.85 · 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 52nd of 92 · derived, 1st = worst.
Primary Completion RateUIS · 2025 · world median 97.4398.4297.43▼ Worsened since 2015
Tonga: 98.42 · 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 74th of 165 · derived.
Behind the world median10
Statistics on which Tonga does worse than the middle country measured.
Secondary School EnrolmentUIS · 2024 · world median 93.1992.4393.19▼ Worsened since 2014
Tonga: 92.43 · 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 57th of 109 · derived.
Out-of-School Rate, Lower Secondary AgeUIS · 2024 · world median 6.3436.9416.343▼ Worsened since 2014
Tonga: 6.941 · 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 55th of 116 · derived, 1st = worst.
Lower Secondary Completion RateUIS · 2025 · world median 89.2187.4589.21▼ Worsened since 2015
Tonga: 87.45 · 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 88th of 164 · derived.
Learning-Adjusted Years of SchoolWorld Bank Group · 2020 · world median 7.9417.147.941▲ Improved since 2017
Tonga: 7.14 · 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 101st of 172 · derived.
Primary Schools with Internet for TeachingUIS · 2024 · world median 98.6676.7498.66▲ Improved since 2020
Tonga: 76.74 · 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.
Bachelor's or Higher AttainmentUIS · 2023 · world median 19.8611.4219.86▲ Improved since 2016
Tonga: 11.42 · 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 62nd of 90 · derived.
Harmonized Test ScoresWorld Bank Group · 2020 · world median 414.32385.96414.32▲ Improved since 2017
Tonga: 385.96 · 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 119th of 172 · derived.
Pre-Primary Net Enrolment RateUIS · 2024 · world median 65.9341.6165.93▲ Improved since 2020
Tonga: 41.61 · 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 86th of 120 · derived.
Upper Secondary AttainmentUIS · 2023 · world median 65.7641.5565.76▼ Worsened since 2018
Tonga: 41.55 · 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 70th of 95 · derived.
Minimum Proficiency in Reading, End of PrimaryUIS · 2023 · world median 60.0820.160.08No earlier reading
Tonga: 20.1 · 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.
Level with the median, or no median to compare1
Primary Schools with ElectricityUIS · 2024 · world median 100100100▲ Improved since 2020
Tonga: 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 end2
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 5.27926.535.279Moved since 2020
Tonga: 26.53 · 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 2,240242,240Moved since 2022
Tonga: 24 · 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 Tonga
Academic Freedom Index, Female Share of Researchers, Female Share of STEM Graduates, Gender Parity Index, Tertiary Enrolment (last 2023), Government Funding per Primary Student (last 2004), Government Spending on Education (last 2022), Inbound Mobility Rate, Tertiary (last 2020), Learning Poverty, 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, Primary (last 2022), PISA Mathematics Performance, PISA Reading Performance, PISA Science Performance, Research and Development Spending, Researchers per Million Inhabitants, School Life Expectancy (last 2023), Share of Graduates from ICT Programmes, Tertiary Enrolment Ratio (last 2023) 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 Tonga’s 15 topics
Education & Knowledge is Tonga’s 5th best-placed topic of 15. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Poverty & Inequality15th of 1592/3 keys
- Mobility & Tradejoint 55th of 1772/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeing64th of 2003/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties77th of 1983/4 keys
- Education & Knowledge90th of 1983/4 keys
- Environment & Sustainability95th of 1863/4 keys
- Gender & Equality94th of 1832/4 keys
- Work & Labourjoint 103rd of 1824/4 keys
- Risk & Resilience113th of 1933/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital115th of 1963/3 keys
- Governance & Institutions124th of 1942/4 keys
- Energy120th of 1652/3 keys
- Digital & Technology159th of 1983/4 keys
- Economy & Innovation146th of 1762/4 keys
- Food & Agriculture169th of 1842/4 keys
No standing on Peace & Security: 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 Tonga 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 Polynesia
Tuvalu30th4/4 keysThis page
Tonga90th3/4 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
Tonga 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 Tonga rank on education & knowledge?
Tonga is placed 90th of 198 countries on Education & Knowledge in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 4 key statistics (Out-of-School Rate, Primary, Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary and Upper Secondary Completion Rate). 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 Tonga?
2.28 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 Tonga?
77.71 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 Tonga’s education & knowledge figures changed?
Out-of-School Rate, Primary rose from 0.385 in 2004 to 2.28 in 2022; Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary rose from 21.44 in 2020 to 77.71 in 2024; Upper Secondary Completion Rate rose from 73.83 in 2000 to 86.21 in 2025; Government Spending on Education rose from 4.878 in 2000 to 5.31 in 2022.
Which education & knowledge statistics are missing for Tonga?
No current reading is published for Tonga on Academic Freedom Index, Female Share of Researchers, Female Share of STEM Graduates, Gender Parity Index, Tertiary Enrolment, Government Funding per Primary Student, Government Spending on Education, Inbound Mobility Rate, Tertiary, Learning Poverty, 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, Primary, PISA Mathematics Performance, PISA Reading Performance, PISA Science Performance, Research and Development Spending, Researchers per Million Inhabitants, 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 23 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
Tonga’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Tonga (banner) — Haanofonua derivative work: Massimo Telò, 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). Tonga: Education & Knowledge — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/tonga/education