Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in OECD members

OECD members: Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary was 3.19 million number in 2019. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2019)
3.19 million number
Change on year
up 2.8%
Rank
32nd
of 45 groups
All-time high
17.75 million number
in 1971
All-time low
3.10 million number
in 2018
Years of data
50
1970–2019

Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in OECD members, 1970–2019

5.0M10.0M15.0M20.0M197019942019

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

The most recent figure for out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in OECD members is 3.19 million number, measured in 2019.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.8% on the previous year and down 2.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in OECD members peaked at 17.75 million number in 1971 and was at its lowest, 3.10 million number, in 2018.

OECD members ranks 32nd of 45 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in OECD members, year by year

Annual values for Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary school age, both sexes (number) in OECD members, 1970 to 2019.
Year number Change
1970 16.32 million number
1971 17.75 million number +8.8%
1972 17.68 million number -0.4%
1973 17.23 million number -2.5%
1974 17.07 million number -0.9%
1975 16.70 million number -2.2%
1976 16.05 million number -3.8%
1977 15.26 million number -5.0%
1978 14.94 million number -2.0%
1979 13.84 million number -7.4%
1980 11.59 million number -16.3%
1981 11.37 million number -1.9%
1982 10.46 million number -8.0%
1983 10.84 million number +3.6%
1984 11.28 million number +4.1%
1985 11.31 million number +0.3%
1986 10.63 million number -6.0%
1987 10.23 million number -3.7%
1988 9.30 million number -9.2%
1989 10.16 million number +9.3%
1990 9.17 million number -9.8%
1991 9.19 million number +0.2%
1992 9.11 million number -0.9%
1993 9.13 million number +0.2%
1994 9.31 million number +2.0%
1995 8.98 million number -3.5%
1996 8.76 million number -2.5%
1997 9.14 million number +4.4%
1998 7.34 million number -19.7%
1999 6.58 million number -10.3%
2000 5.74 million number -12.8%
2001 5.26 million number -8.4%
2002 5.46 million number +3.9%
2003 4.95 million number -9.3%
2004 4.77 million number -3.7%
2005 3.79 million number -20.7%
2006 3.31 million number -12.5%
2007 3.11 million number -6.2%
2008 3.11 million number +0.0%
2009 3.27 million number +5.3%
2010 3.53 million number +7.8%
2011 3.85 million number +9.0%
2012 3.92 million number +1.9%
2013 3.76 million number -4.1%
2014 3.79 million number +0.8%
2015 3.32 million number -12.5%
2016 3.18 million number -4.1%
2017 3.21 million number +1.1%
2018 3.10 million number -3.4%
2019 3.19 million number +2.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 16.28 million number 13.84 million number 17.75 million number 10
1980s 10.72 million number 9.30 million number 11.59 million number 10
1990s 8.67 million number 6.58 million number 9.31 million number 10
2000s 4.28 million number 3.11 million number 5.74 million number 10
2010s 3.48 million number 3.10 million number 3.92 million number 10

Countries ranked near OECD members

  1. 29 Mauritania 266,322 number compare
  2. 30 Ghana 243,537 number compare
  3. 31 Togo 242,403 number compare
  4. 32 Tunisia 237,231 number compare
  5. 33 Germany 234,615 number compare
  6. 34 Lao People's Democratic Republic 227,366 number compare
  7. 35 Egypt 218,514 number compare

See the full ranking of 194 places →

More reference data data for OECD members

All data for OECD members →

Frequently asked questions

What is out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in OECD members?
Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in OECD members was 3.19 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary recorded in OECD members?
The highest recorded value was 17.75 million number in 1971.
What is the lowest out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary recorded in OECD members?
The lowest recorded value was 3.10 million number in 2018.
How does OECD members rank for out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary?
OECD members ranks 32nd out of 45 groups with data for 2019.
Is out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary rising or falling in OECD members?
Over the last ten years it is down 2.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this OECD members data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary school age, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in OECD members. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 06 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/out-of-school-children-and-adolescents-of-primary-and-lower-secondary-school-age-both/oecd-members/

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About this data

Indicator
Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary school age, both sexes (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
194 places, 4,726 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

Number of children and adolescents of primary and lower 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/