Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in South Asia
South Asia: Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary was 13.90 million number in 2019. ▼ Falling
Latest (2019)
13.90 million number
Change on year
up 1.9%
Rank
18th
of 45 groups
All-time high
45.14 million number
in 1999
All-time low
13.51 million number
in 2017
Years of data
50
1970–2019
Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in South Asia, 1970–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
In 2019, out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in South Asia stood at 13.90 million number.
That represents a change of up 1.9% on the previous year and down 34.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in South Asia peaked at 45.14 million number in 1999 and was at its lowest, 13.51 million number, in 2017.
That places South Asia 18th 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 and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in South Asia, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 36.54 million number | — |
| 1971 | 37.82 million number | +3.5% |
| 1972 | 37.84 million number | +0.1% |
| 1973 | 36.61 million number | -3.3% |
| 1974 | 37.62 million number | +2.8% |
| 1975 | 37.53 million number | -0.3% |
| 1976 | 38.02 million number | +1.3% |
| 1977 | 37.81 million number | -0.6% |
| 1978 | 40.41 million number | +6.9% |
| 1979 | 41.23 million number | +2.0% |
| 1980 | 41.29 million number | +0.2% |
| 1981 | 41.09 million number | -0.5% |
| 1982 | 41.94 million number | +2.1% |
| 1983 | 41.78 million number | -0.4% |
| 1984 | 41.48 million number | -0.7% |
| 1985 | 42.36 million number | +2.1% |
| 1986 | 41.92 million number | -1.0% |
| 1987 | 43.96 million number | +4.9% |
| 1988 | 43.01 million number | -2.1% |
| 1989 | 41.89 million number | -2.6% |
| 1990 | 42.83 million number | +2.3% |
| 1991 | 43.45 million number | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 43.74 million number | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 43.13 million number | -1.4% |
| 1994 | 42.62 million number | -1.2% |
| 1995 | 43.25 million number | +1.5% |
| 1996 | 42.98 million number | -0.6% |
| 1997 | 43.69 million number | +1.7% |
| 1998 | 45.02 million number | +3.1% |
| 1999 | 45.14 million number | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 43.25 million number | -4.2% |
| 2001 | 42.76 million number | -1.1% |
| 2002 | 40.95 million number | -4.2% |
| 2003 | 32.55 million number | -20.5% |
| 2004 | 29.62 million number | -9.0% |
| 2005 | 27.45 million number | -7.3% |
| 2006 | 25.64 million number | -6.6% |
| 2007 | 23.00 million number | -10.3% |
| 2008 | 21.41 million number | -6.9% |
| 2009 | 21.36 million number | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 19.61 million number | -8.2% |
| 2011 | 18.91 million number | -3.5% |
| 2012 | 17.30 million number | -8.5% |
| 2013 | 15.46 million number | -10.6% |
| 2014 | 15.03 million number | -2.8% |
| 2015 | 14.55 million number | -3.2% |
| 2016 | 14.06 million number | -3.4% |
| 2017 | 13.51 million number | -3.9% |
| 2018 | 13.64 million number | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 13.90 million number | +1.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 38.14 million number | 36.54 million number | 41.23 million number | 10 |
| 1980s | 42.07 million number | 41.09 million number | 43.96 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 43.59 million number | 42.62 million number | 45.14 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 30.80 million number | 21.36 million number | 43.25 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.60 million number | 13.51 million number | 19.61 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near South Asia
- 15 South Africa 514,793 number compare
- 16 Myanmar 490,976 number compare
- 17 Kenya 434,950 number compare
- 18 Guatemala 320,936 number compare
- 19 Türkiye 317,037 number compare
- 20 Central African Republic 297,847 number compare
- 21 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 265,200 number compare
More reference data data for South Asia
- Exchange rate, new LCU per USD extended backward, period average 102.17 (2026)
- CPI Price, nominal 246.03 (2026)
- CPI Price, nominal, seas. adj. 247.05 (2026)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 16.19 million number (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 33.83 million number (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 17.64 million number (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, both sexes 5.02 years (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, male 5.06 years (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, female 4.98 years (2019)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in general 98.2% (2019)
Frequently asked questions
- What is out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in South Asia?
- Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in South Asia was 13.90 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 South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 45.14 million number in 1999.
- What is the lowest out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary recorded in South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.51 million number in 2017.
- How does South Asia rank for out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary?
- South Asia ranks 18th out of 45 groups with data for 2019.
- Is out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary rising or falling in South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 34.9%. 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 and adolescents of primary and lower secondary school age, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 50 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
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/