Photo: Kkibumba · CC0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 04 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Zambia: Education & Knowledge
How far does a country's schooling carry its children?
Zambia is placed joint 144th 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 3.515 (2024); Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary 46.61 (2024).
Share
Education & Knowledge
joint144th
of 198 countries placed
Placed from 4 of 4 key statistics
- 3.515Out-of-School Rate, Primary, 2024Out-of-school rate, primary age (%)
- 46.61Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary, 2024Children one year before primary entry age in organised learning (%)
- 28.03Upper Secondary Completion Rate, 2025Upper secondary completion rate (%)
- 4.074Government Spending on Education, 2023Government expenditure on education (% of GDP)
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Zambia 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 · Zambia’s is from 2024 · CC BY-SA 4.0
3.515
Out-of-school rate, primary age (%)
Lower is better
Zambia: 3.515. 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
- Angola 36.76 · Mozambique 1 · Malawi 2.089 · Namibia 0.865 · Tanzania 16.37 · Zimbabwe 10.52
Key 2 of 4
Participation in Organised Learning One Year Before Primary
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
Latest reading per country, 2014–2024 · Zambia’s is from 2024 · CC BY-SA 4.0
46.61
Children one year before primary entry age in organised learning (%)
Higher is better
Zambia: 46.61. 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
- Angola 51.54 · Namibia 92.8 · Tanzania 67.97 · Zimbabwe 56.5
Key 3 of 4
Upper Secondary Completion Rate
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY-SA 4.0
28.03
Upper secondary completion rate (%)
Higher is better
Zambia: 28.03. 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
- Angola 24.4 · DR Congo 26.38 · Mozambique 8.65 · Malawi 18.13 · Namibia 37.58 · Tanzania 8.67 · Zimbabwe 8.15
Key 4 of 4
Government Spending on Education
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
2023 edition · data for 2023 · CC BY-SA 4.0
4.074
Government expenditure on education (% of GDP)
Higher is better
Zambia: 4.074. 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
- Angola 2.513 · Tanzania 3.259 · Zimbabwe 0.385
02Over time
Which way Zambia 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
ZambiaWorld median
Zambia fell from 31.93 in 2000 to 3.515 in 2024; the world median went from 8.642 to 3.691.
Every year’s figures
Year Zambia World median 2024 3.5 3.691 2023 — 3.393 2022 — 3.002 2021 — 3.330 2020 — 2.678 2019 — 2.758 2018 — 2.439 2017 14.8 2.907 2016 — 2.954 2015 — 3.052 2014 — 3.904 2013 9.3 3.413 2012 6.2 3.408 2011 7.7 3.626 2010 11.7 3.491 2009 9.2 3.577 2008 6.4 3.878 2007 7.1 4.029 2006 9.7 4.338 2005 7.8 4.571 2004 16.3 3.791 2003 — 4.412 2002 29.2 4.144 2001 32.2 4.051 2000 31.9 8.642 Upper Secondary Completion Rate
Upper secondary completion rate (%) · higher is better
ZambiaWorld median
Zambia rose from 14.94 in 2000 to 28.03 in 2025; the world median went from 38 to 64.87.
Every year’s figures
Year Zambia World median 2025 28.03 64.9 2024 27.52 65.0 2023 27.14 64.2 2022 26.88 63.6 2021 26.82 62.9 2020 26.78 62.2 2019 26.69 61.5 2018 26.55 60.9 2017 26.20 60.5 2016 25.62 60.1 2015 25.04 58.9 2014 24.51 57.0 2013 24.04 54.7 2012 23.21 52.4 2011 22.10 50.9 2010 21.15 49.5 2009 20.27 48.5 2008 19.48 47.4 2007 18.64 46.2 2006 17.75 45.0 2005 17.07 43.8 2004 16.45 42.9 2003 16.00 41.6 2002 15.73 40.3 2001 15.35 39.0 2000 14.94 38.0 Government Spending on Education
Government expenditure on education (% of GDP) · higher is better
ZambiaWorld median
Zambia rose from 1.788 in 2000 to 4.074 in 2023; the world median went from 3.886 to 3.709.
Every year’s figures
Year Zambia World median 2023 4.07 3.7092 2022 3.66 4.0570 2021 3.11 4.2611 2020 3.94 4.4056 2019 4.42 4.1407 2018 4.74 4.2159 2017 3.73 4.1401 2016 3.75 4.2342 2015 4.62 4.2386 2014 5.15 4.2005 2013 3.72 4.3493 2012 3.70 4.0348 2011 3.36 3.9987 2010 3.42 4.1396 2009 — 4.6638 2008 1.10 4.4226 2007 1.24 4.1717 2006 — 4.0593 2005 1.74 4.0557 2004 2.46 3.9745 2003 — 4.1595 2002 — 4.0173 2001 — 4.1002 2000 1.79 3.8861
03In context
Zambia 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.
Zambia 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Namibia | 80th | 0.865 | 92.8 | 37.58 | — |
 Mozambique | 139th | 1 | — | 8.65 | — |
 Malawi | 141st | 2.089 | — | 18.13 | — |
| Zambia | =144th | 3.515 | 46.61 | 28.03 | 4.074 |
 Tanzania | 169th | 16.37 | 67.97 | 8.67 | 3.259 |
 Angola | 184th | 36.76 | 51.54 | 24.4 | 2.513 |
 Zimbabwe | =190th | 10.52 | 56.5 | 8.15 | 0.385 |
 DR Congo | not placed | — | — | 26.38 | — |
“—”: 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 Zambia in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Zambia is ahead of the world, and behind
26 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 median2
Statistics on which Zambia does better than the middle country measured.
Intergenerational Persistence in EducationWorld Bank Group · 2017 · world median 0.4460.3130.446No earlier reading
Zambia: 0.313 · 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 132nd of 153 · derived, 1st = worst.
Academic Freedom IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.6190.8440.619▲ Improved since 2015
Zambia: 0.844 · 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 40th of 176 · derived.
Behind the world median21
Statistics on which Zambia does worse than the middle country measured.
Wealth Parity Index, Lower Secondary CompletionUIS · 2024 · world median 0.5290.2220.529No earlier reading
Zambia: 0.222 · 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.
Out-of-School Rate, Lower Secondary AgeUIS · 2024 · world median 6.34312.356.343▲ Improved since 2017
Zambia: 12.35 · 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 38th of 116 · derived, 1st = worst.
Mean Years of SchoolingUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 9.9337.3979.933No real change since 2013
Zambia: 7.397 · 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 136th of 193 · derived.
Lower Secondary Completion RateUIS · 2025 · world median 89.2150.1589.21▼ Worsened since 2015
Zambia: 50.15 · 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 128th of 164 · derived.
Minimum Proficiency in Mathematics, End of PrimaryUIS · 2023 · world median 43.81643.8No earlier reading
Zambia: 16 · 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.
Adult Literacy RateUIS · 2024 · world median 93.9971.7793.99No earlier reading
Zambia: 71.77 · 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 138th of 172 · derived.
Expected Years of SchoolingUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 13.3411.0213.34▼ Worsened since 2013
Zambia: 11.02 · 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 157th of 195 · derived.
Primary Schools with Internet for TeachingUIS · 2024 · world median 98.6632.0598.66▲ Improved since 2016
Zambia: 32.05 · 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.
Harmonized Test ScoresWorld Bank Group · 2020 · world median 414.32358.14414.32▲ Improved since 2010
Zambia: 358.14 · 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 146th of 172 · derived.
Learning-Adjusted Years of SchoolWorld Bank Group · 2020 · world median 7.9415.0367.941▼ Worsened since 2017
Zambia: 5.036 · 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 147th of 172 · derived.
Primary Completion RateUIS · 2025 · world median 97.4367.497.43▼ Worsened since 2015
Zambia: 67.4 · 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 144th of 165 · derived.
Youth Literacy RateUIS · 2024 · world median 98.2277.6598.22No earlier reading
Zambia: 77.65 · 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.
Researchers per Million InhabitantsUIS · 2024 · world median 701.9541.9701.95No earlier reading
Zambia: 41.9 · 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 129th of 145 · derived.
Primary Schools with ElectricityUIS · 2024 · world median 10057.79100▼ Worsened since 2016
Zambia: 57.79 · 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.
Pre-Primary Net Enrolment RateUIS · 2024 · world median 65.9322.9265.93No earlier reading
Zambia: 22.92 · 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 110th of 120 · derived.
Secondary School EnrolmentUIS · 2024 · world median 93.1956.7993.19▼ Worsened since 1971
Zambia: 56.79 · 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 100th of 109 · derived.
Bachelor's or Higher AttainmentUIS · 2023 · world median 19.862.80119.86▼ Worsened since 2015
Zambia: 2.801 · 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 85th of 90 · derived.
Minimum Proficiency in Reading, End of PrimaryUIS · 2023 · world median 60.089.760.08No earlier reading
Zambia: 9.7 · 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.
Minimum Proficiency in Mathematics, End of Lower SecondaryUIS · 2023 · world median 48.92.29848.9No earlier reading
Zambia: 2.298 · world median 48.9 · Students at the end of lower secondary reaching minimum proficiency in mathematics (%). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.73 to 91.73; higher is better.
Learning PovertyWorld Bank Group and UNESCO Institute for Statistics · 2023 · world median 34.0298.534.02No earlier reading
Zambia: 98.5 · 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 1st of 125 · derived, 1st = worst.
Minimum Proficiency in Reading, End of Lower SecondaryUIS · 2022 · world median 58.595.04358.59No earlier reading
Zambia: 5.043 · world median 58.59 · Students at the end of lower secondary reaching minimum proficiency in reading (%). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 5.043 to 88.83; higher is better.
No better end3
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 2,2402,4422,240Moved since 2022
Zambia: 2,442 · 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 34.3523.134.35Moved since 2018
Zambia: 23.1 · 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 38.1730.7238.17No earlier reading
Zambia: 30.72 · 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 Zambia
Female Share of STEM Graduates, Gender Parity Index, Tertiary Enrolment (last 2012), Government Funding per Primary Student (last 2017), Inbound Mobility Rate, Tertiary, Nobel Prize Laureates by Country of Birth, Outbound Mobility Ratio, Tertiary (last 2012), PISA Mathematics Performance, PISA Reading Performance, PISA Science Performance, Pupils per Qualified Teacher, Primary (last 2017), Qualified Teachers in Primary Education (last 2017), Research and Development Spending (last 2008), School Life Expectancy (last 1990), Share of Graduates from ICT Programmes, Tertiary Enrolment Ratio (last 2012) and Upper Secondary Attainment (last 2018). 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 Zambia’s 15 topics
Education & Knowledge is Zambia’s 10th best-placed topic of 15. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Environment & Sustainabilityjoint 61st of 1864/4 keys
- Energy63rd of 1653/3 keys
- Digital & Technology94th of 1984/4 keys
- Peace & Security99th of 1774/4 keys
- Gender & Equality103rd of 1834/4 keys
- Governance & Institutions113th of 1944/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties117th of 1984/4 keys
- Food & Agriculture127th of 1844/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital142nd of 1963/3 keys
- Education & Knowledgejoint 144th of 1984/4 keys
- Risk & Resilience143rd of 1934/4 keys
- Economy & Innovation140th of 1764/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeing174th of 2004/4 keys
- Work & Labour163rd of 1824/4 keys
- Poverty & Inequality158th of 1593/3 keys
No standing on Mobility & Trade: 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 Zambia 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
Zambia=144th4/4 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
Zambia 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 Zambia rank on education & knowledge?
Zambia is placed joint 144th 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 Zambia?
3.515 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 Zambia?
46.61 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 does Zambia compare with DR Congo on education & knowledge?
DR Congo is not placed on Education & Knowledge, holding too few of its key statistics, and Zambia joint 144th. Upper Secondary Completion Rate: DR Congo 26.38, Zambia 28.03.
How have Zambia’s education & knowledge figures changed?
Out-of-School Rate, Primary fell from 31.93 in 2000 to 3.515 in 2024; Upper Secondary Completion Rate rose from 14.94 in 2000 to 28.03 in 2025; Government Spending on Education rose from 1.788 in 2000 to 4.074 in 2023.
Which education & knowledge statistics are missing for Zambia?
No current reading is published for Zambia on Female Share of STEM Graduates, Gender Parity Index, Tertiary Enrolment, Government Funding per Primary Student, Inbound Mobility Rate, Tertiary, Nobel Prize Laureates by Country of Birth, Outbound Mobility Ratio, Tertiary, PISA Mathematics Performance, PISA Reading Performance, PISA Science Performance, Pupils per Qualified Teacher, Primary, Qualified Teachers in Primary Education, Research and Development Spending, School Life Expectancy, 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 26 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
Zambia’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Zambia (banner) — Kkibumba, 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). Zambia: Education & Knowledge — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/zambia/education