Out-of-school children, adolescents and youth of primary and in South Asia

South Asia: Out-of-school children, adolescents and youth of primary and was 93.45 million number in 2019. ▼ Falling

Latest (2019)
93.45 million number
Change on year
up 0.7%
Rank
13th
of 45 groups
All-time high
154.99 million number
in 1999
All-time low
92.79 million number
in 2018
Years of data
50
1970–2019

Out-of-school children, adolescents and youth of primary and in South Asia, 1970–2019

050.0M100.0M150.0M197019942019

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

South Asia recorded 93.45 million number for out-of-school children, adolescents and youth of primary and in 2019.

That represents a change of up 0.7% on the previous year and down 22.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, out-of-school children, adolescents and youth of primary and in South Asia peaked at 154.99 million number in 1999 and was at its lowest, 92.79 million number, in 2018.

That places South Asia 13th out of 45 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 50 years of available data.

Out-of-school children, adolescents and youth of primary and in South Asia, year by year

Annual values for Out-of-school children, adolescents and youth of primary and secondary school age, both sexes (number) in South Asia, 1970 to 2019.
Year number Change
1970 106.84 million number
1971 109.63 million number +2.6%
1972 110.16 million number +0.5%
1973 108.93 million number -1.1%
1974 111.38 million number +2.2%
1975 112.42 million number +0.9%
1976 114.49 million number +1.8%
1977 115.07 million number +0.5%
1978 120.03 million number +4.3%
1979 122.20 million number +1.8%
1980 123.08 million number +0.7%
1981 123.45 million number +0.3%
1982 124.89 million number +1.2%
1983 124.56 million number -0.3%
1984 124.99 million number +0.3%
1985 126.92 million number +1.5%
1986 127.07 million number +0.1%
1987 131.36 million number +3.4%
1988 131.16 million number -0.2%
1989 130.94 million number -0.2%
1990 132.60 million number +1.3%
1991 133.83 million number +0.9%
1992 134.54 million number +0.5%
1993 134.11 million number -0.3%
1994 134.93 million number +0.6%
1995 137.96 million number +2.2%
1996 139.48 million number +1.1%
1997 142.37 million number +2.1%
1998 151.81 million number +6.6%
1999 154.99 million number +2.1%
2000 152.70 million number -1.5%
2001 154.68 million number +1.3%
2002 152.98 million number -1.1%
2003 142.67 million number -6.7%
2004 136.85 million number -4.1%
2005 131.77 million number -3.7%
2006 128.16 million number -2.7%
2007 121.52 million number -5.2%
2008 118.80 million number -2.2%
2009 120.52 million number +1.4%
2010 115.20 million number -4.4%
2011 113.49 million number -1.5%
2012 107.94 million number -4.9%
2013 103.22 million number -4.4%
2014 102.21 million number -1.0%
2015 98.20 million number -3.9%
2016 95.82 million number -2.4%
2017 93.85 million number -2.1%
2018 92.79 million number -1.1%
2019 93.45 million number +0.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 113.12 million number 106.84 million number 122.20 million number 10
1980s 126.84 million number 123.08 million number 131.36 million number 10
1990s 139.66 million number 132.60 million number 154.99 million number 10
2000s 136.06 million number 118.80 million number 154.68 million number 10
2010s 101.62 million number 92.79 million number 115.20 million number 10

Countries ranked near South Asia

  1. 10 Yemen 2.21 million number compare
  2. 11 Mozambique 2.15 million number compare
  3. 12 Kenya 1.92 million number compare
  4. 13 Myanmar 1.82 million number compare
  5. 14 Iraq 1.77 million number compare
  6. 15 South Africa 1.72 million number compare
  7. 16 Cameroon 1.70 million number compare

See the full ranking of 184 places →

More reference data data for South Asia

All data for South Asia →

Frequently asked questions

What is out-of-school children, adolescents and youth of primary and in South Asia?
Out-of-school children, adolescents and youth of primary and in South Asia was 93.45 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest out-of-school children, adolescents and youth of primary and recorded in South Asia?
The highest recorded value was 154.99 million number in 1999.
What is the lowest out-of-school children, adolescents and youth of primary and recorded in South Asia?
The lowest recorded value was 92.79 million number in 2018.
How does South Asia rank for out-of-school children, adolescents and youth of primary and?
South Asia ranks 13th out of 45 groups with data for 2019.
Is out-of-school children, adolescents and youth of primary and rising or falling in South Asia?
Over the last ten years it is down 22.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this South Asia data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Out-of-school children, adolescents and youth of primary and secondary school age, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Out-of-school children, adolescents and youth of primary and in South Asia. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 13 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/out-of-school-children-adolescents-and-youth-of-primary-and-secondary-school-age-both/south-asia/

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About this data

Indicator
Out-of-school children, adolescents and youth of primary and secondary school age, both sexes (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
184 places, 4,255 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

Number of children, adolescents, and youth of primary, lower secondary, and upper secondary school age who are not enrolled or attending school during in a given academic year. For more information, consult the UNESCO Institute of Statistics website: http://www.uis.unesco.org/Education/