Photo: Phillip Capper derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 04 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Vanuatu: Education & Knowledge
How far does a country's schooling carry its children?
Vanuatu is placed 106th 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 2.531 (2024); Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary 80.62 (2024).
Share
Education & Knowledge
106th
of 198 countries placed
Placed from 4 of 4 key statistics
- 2.531Out-of-School Rate, Primary, 2024Out-of-school rate, primary age (%)
- 80.62Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary, 2024Children one year before primary entry age in organised learning (%)
- 11.32Upper Secondary Completion Rate, 2025Upper secondary completion rate (%)
- 7.581Government Spending on Education, 2023Government expenditure on education (% of GDP)
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Vanuatu 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 · Vanuatu’s is from 2024 · CC BY-SA 4.0
2.531
Out-of-school rate, primary age (%)
Lower is better
Vanuatu: 2.531. 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 Melanesia
- 2.393 Fiji
Key 2 of 4
Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
Latest reading per country, 2014–2024 · Vanuatu’s is from 2024 · CC BY-SA 4.0
80.62
Children one year before primary entry age in organised learning (%)
Higher is better
Vanuatu: 80.62. 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 Melanesia
- 89.52 Fiji
Key 3 of 4
Upper Secondary Completion Rate
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY-SA 4.0
11.32
Upper secondary completion rate (%)
Higher is better
Vanuatu: 11.32. 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 Melanesia
- 58.98 Fiji
Key 4 of 4
Government Spending on Education
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
2023 edition · data for 2023 · CC BY-SA 4.0
7.581
Government expenditure on education (% of GDP)
Higher is better
Vanuatu: 7.581. 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 Melanesia
- 8.293 Solomon Islands
02Over time
Which way Vanuatu 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
VanuatuWorld median
Vanuatu fell from 6.975 in 2000 to 2.531 in 2024; the world median went from 8.642 to 3.691.
Every year’s figures
Year Vanuatu World median 2024 2.5 3.691 2023 2.9 3.393 2022 1.6 3.002 2021 0.1 3.330 2020 1.1 2.678 2019 1.2 2.758 2018 — 2.439 2017 — 2.907 2016 — 2.954 2015 0.2 3.052 2014 — 3.904 2013 — 3.413 2012 — 3.408 2011 — 3.626 2010 — 3.491 2009 — 3.577 2008 — 3.878 2007 — 4.029 2006 — 4.338 2005 0.8 4.571 2004 4.4 3.791 2003 3.4 4.412 2002 3.3 4.144 2001 5.0 4.051 2000 7.0 8.642 Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary
Children one year before primary entry age in organised learning (%) · higher is better
VanuatuWorld median
Vanuatu fell from 97.83 in 2019 to 80.62 in 2024; the world median went from 88.76 to 85.9.
Every year’s figures
Year Vanuatu World median 2024 81 85.9 2023 74 87.6 2022 85 87.7 2021 92 87.0 2020 96 88.3 2019 98 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
VanuatuWorld median
Vanuatu rose from 6.55 in 2000 to 11.32 in 2025; the world median went from 38 to 64.87.
Every year’s figures
Year Vanuatu World median 2025 11.3 64.9 2024 11.2 65.0 2023 11.0 64.2 2022 10.8 63.6 2021 10.6 62.9 2020 10.4 62.2 2019 10.2 61.5 2018 9.9 60.9 2017 9.8 60.5 2016 9.6 60.1 2015 9.4 58.9 2014 9.2 57.0 2013 8.9 54.7 2012 8.7 52.4 2011 8.6 50.9 2010 8.4 49.5 2009 8.2 48.5 2008 8.0 47.4 2007 7.8 46.2 2006 7.6 45.0 2005 7.4 43.8 2004 7.2 42.9 2003 7.0 41.6 2002 6.8 40.3 2001 6.7 39.0 2000 6.6 38.0 Government Spending on Education
Government expenditure on education (% of GDP) · higher is better
VanuatuWorld median
Vanuatu rose from 7.004 in 2000 to 7.581 in 2023; the world median went from 3.886 to 3.709.
Every year’s figures
Year Vanuatu World median 2023 7.58 3.7092 2022 10.70 4.0570 2021 10.11 4.2611 2020 2.17 4.4056 2019 1.77 4.1407 2018 8.61 4.2159 2017 4.53 4.1401 2016 7.68 4.2342 2015 5.39 4.2386 2014 5.17 4.2005 2013 — 4.3493 2012 — 4.0348 2011 — 3.9987 2010 — 4.1396 2009 5.16 4.6638 2008 5.95 4.4226 2007 — 4.1717 2006 — 4.0593 2005 — 4.0557 2004 — 3.9745 2003 8.44 4.1595 2002 8.13 4.0173 2001 8.95 4.1002 2000 7.00 3.8861
03In context
Vanuatu 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.
Vanuatu and Melanesia
Vanuatu 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Fiji | 85th | 2.393 | 89.52 | 58.98 | 4.247 |
| Vanuatu | 106th | 2.531 | 80.62 | 11.32 | 7.581 |
 Solomon Islands | 134th | 30.14 | 53.64 | — | 8.293 |
 Papua New Guinea | 172nd | 4.003 | 65.31 | 14.24 | 0.782 |
 New Caledonia | not placed | — | — | — | — |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Melanesia
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 198.
Placed either side on education & knowledge
The countries immediately above and below Vanuatu in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Vanuatu is ahead of the world, and behind
18 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 Vanuatu does better than the middle country measured.
Academic Freedom IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.6190.9090.619▲ Improved since 2015
Vanuatu: 0.909 · 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 16th of 176 · derived.
Intergenerational Persistence in EducationWorld Bank Group · 2017 · world median 0.4460.4340.446No earlier reading
Vanuatu: 0.434 · 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 86th of 153 · derived, 1st = worst.
Out-of-School Rate, Lower Secondary AgeUIS · 2024 · world median 6.3436.1456.343▼ Worsened since 2015
Vanuatu: 6.145 · 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 60th of 116 · derived, 1st = worst.
Behind the world median14
Statistics on which Vanuatu does worse than the middle country measured.
Pre-Primary Net Enrolment RateUIS · 2024 · world median 65.9360.5365.93▼ Worsened since 2019
Vanuatu: 60.53 · 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 69th of 120 · derived.
Adult Literacy RateUIS · 2024 · world median 93.9987.9693.99No earlier reading
Vanuatu: 87.96 · 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 109th of 172 · derived.
Youth Literacy RateUIS · 2024 · world median 98.2293.9398.22No earlier reading
Vanuatu: 93.93 · 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.
Wealth Parity Index, Lower Secondary CompletionUIS · 2024 · world median 0.5290.2320.529No earlier reading
Vanuatu: 0.232 · 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 13.3411.8113.34▲ Improved since 2013
Vanuatu: 11.81 · 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 140th of 195 · derived.
Mean Years of SchoolingUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 9.9337.1839.933No real change since 2013
Vanuatu: 7.183 · 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 141st of 193 · derived.
Primary Completion RateUIS · 2025 · world median 97.4379.7797.43▼ Worsened since 2015
Vanuatu: 79.77 · 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 125th of 165 · derived.
Learning-Adjusted Years of SchoolWorld Bank Group · 2020 · world median 7.9415.6247.941▼ Worsened since 2017
Vanuatu: 5.624 · 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 135th of 172 · derived.
Pupils per Qualified Teacher, PrimaryUIS · 2024 · world median 20.6737.7420.67▼ Worsened since 2015
Vanuatu: 37.74 · 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 20th of 92 · derived, 1st = worst.
Lower Secondary Completion RateUIS · 2025 · world median 89.2145.6989.21No real change since 2015
Vanuatu: 45.69 · 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 134th of 164 · derived.
Harmonized Test ScoresWorld Bank Group · 2020 · world median 414.32347.69414.32▼ Worsened since 2017
Vanuatu: 347.69 · 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 154th of 172 · derived.
Qualified Teachers in Primary EducationUIS · 2024 · world median 93.6651.7493.66▼ Worsened since 2021
Vanuatu: 51.74 · 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.
Bachelor's or Higher AttainmentUIS · 2023 · world median 19.863.33519.86No real change since 2019
Vanuatu: 3.335 · 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 84th of 90 · derived.
Upper Secondary AttainmentUIS · 2023 · world median 65.7612.2465.76▼ Worsened since 2019
Vanuatu: 12.24 · 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 92nd of 95 · 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 2,24052,240Moved since 2022
Vanuatu: 5 · 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 Vanuatu
Female Share of Researchers, Female Share of STEM Graduates, Gender Parity Index, Tertiary Enrolment (last 2004), Government Funding per Primary Student (last 2020), Inbound Mobility Rate, Tertiary, Learning Poverty, 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 (last 2004), PISA Mathematics Performance, PISA Reading Performance, PISA Science Performance, Primary Schools with Electricity, Primary Schools with Internet for Teaching, Research and Development Spending, Researchers per Million Inhabitants, School Life Expectancy (last 2004), Secondary School Enrolment (last 2023), Share of Graduates from ICT Programmes, Tertiary Enrolment Ratio (last 2004) 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 Vanuatu’s 15 topics
Education & Knowledge is Vanuatu’s 6th best-placed topic of 15. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Peace & Security17th of 1772/4 keys
- Environment & Sustainabilityjoint 18th of 1862/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Libertiesjoint 57th of 1984/4 keys
- Work & Labour88th of 1824/4 keys
- Governance & Institutions98th of 1944/4 keys
- Education & Knowledge106th of 1984/4 keys
- Poverty & Inequality87th of 1592/3 keys
- Gender & Equality105th of 1833/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital123rd of 1963/3 keys
- Health & Wellbeing129th of 2002/4 keys
- Digital & Technologyjoint 133rd of 1984/4 keys
- Economy & Innovationjoint 132nd of 1762/4 keys
- Food & Agriculture153rd of 1844/4 keys
- Risk & Resilience163rd of 1933/4 keys
- Mobility & Trade154th 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 Vanuatu 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 Melanesia
Fiji85th4/4 keysThis page
Vanuatu106th4/4 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
Vanuatu 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 Vanuatu rank on education & knowledge?
Vanuatu is placed 106th 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 Vanuatu?
2.531 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 Vanuatu?
80.62 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 Vanuatu’s education & knowledge figures changed?
Out-of-School Rate, Primary fell from 6.975 in 2000 to 2.531 in 2024; Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary fell from 97.83 in 2019 to 80.62 in 2024; Upper Secondary Completion Rate rose from 6.55 in 2000 to 11.32 in 2025; Government Spending on Education rose from 7.004 in 2000 to 7.581 in 2023.
Which education & knowledge statistics are missing for Vanuatu?
No current reading is published for Vanuatu on Female Share of Researchers, Female Share of STEM Graduates, Gender Parity Index, Tertiary Enrolment, Government Funding per Primary Student, Inbound Mobility Rate, Tertiary, Learning Poverty, 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, Primary Schools with Electricity, Primary Schools with Internet for Teaching, Research and Development Spending, Researchers per Million Inhabitants, School Life Expectancy, Secondary School Enrolment, 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 18 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
Vanuatu’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Vanuatu (banner) — Phillip Capper derivative work: Jjtkk, 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). Vanuatu: Education & Knowledge — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/vanuatu/education