Out-of-school rate for adolescents and youth of lower and upper in Lesotho

Lesotho: Out-of-school rate for adolescents and youth of lower and upper was 23.9% in 2016. ▼ Falling

Latest (2016)
23.9%
Change on year
up 9.2%
World rank
33rd
of 142 countries
All-time high
52.1%
in 1977
All-time low
16.5%
in 2011
Years of data
36
1971–2016

Out-of-school rate for adolescents and youth of lower and upper in Lesotho, 1971–2016

203040501971199320161971: 50.1 %1973: 45.7 %1977: 52.1 %1978: 38.1 %1979: 38 %1980: 37.3 %1981: 34.1 %1982: 33.1 %1983: 32.4 %1984: 35.4 %1985: 33.2 %1986: 34.4 %1991: 34.3 %1992: 35.3 %1993: 37.7 %1994: 35.9 %1996: 33.9 %1998: 34.1 %1999: 30.5 %2000: 36.8 %2001: 33.3 %2002: 31.5 %2003: 27 %2004: 23.3 %2005: 21 %2006: 20.3 %2007: 23 %2008: 21.9 %2009: 20.7 %2010: 17.5 %2011: 16.5 %2012: 17 %2013: 18.1 %2014: 20.3 %2015: 21.9 %2016: 23.9 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for out-of-school rate for adolescents and youth of lower and upper in Lesotho is 23.9%, measured in 2016.

The figure is up 9.2% on the previous year and up 17.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, out-of-school rate for adolescents and youth of lower and upper in Lesotho peaked at 52.1% in 1977 and was at its lowest, 16.5%, in 2011.

Lesotho ranks 33rd of 142 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.

Out-of-school rate for adolescents and youth of lower and upper in Lesotho, year by year

Annual values for Out-of-school rate for adolescents and youth of lower and upper secondary school age, both sexes (%) in Lesotho, 1971 to 2016.
Year % Change
1971 50.1%
1973 45.7% -8.8%
1977 52.1% +14.1%
1978 38.1% -26.8%
1979 38.0% -0.2%
1980 37.3% -1.8%
1981 34.1% -8.6%
1982 33.1% -3.0%
1983 32.4% -2.1%
1984 35.4% +9.1%
1985 33.2% -6.3%
1986 34.4% +3.8%
1991 34.3% -0.3%
1992 35.3% +2.9%
1993 37.7% +6.9%
1994 35.9% -4.8%
1996 33.9% -5.5%
1998 34.1% +0.5%
1999 30.5% -10.6%
2000 36.8% +20.7%
2001 33.3% -9.6%
2002 31.5% -5.4%
2003 27.0% -14.1%
2004 23.3% -13.6%
2005 21.0% -9.9%
2006 20.3% -3.3%
2007 23.0% +13.0%
2008 21.9% -4.7%
2009 20.7% -5.6%
2010 17.5% -15.3%
2011 16.5% -6.2%
2012 17.0% +3.2%
2013 18.1% +6.7%
2014 20.3% +12.1%
2015 21.9% +7.7%
2016 23.9% +9.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 44.8% 38.0% 52.1% 5
1980s 34.3% 32.4% 37.3% 7
1990s 34.5% 30.5% 37.7% 7
2000s 25.9% 20.3% 36.8% 10
2010s 19.3% 16.5% 23.9% 7

Countries ranked near Lesotho

  1. 30 Malaysia 25.3% compare
  2. 31 Suriname 24.7% compare
  3. 32 Turks and Caicos Islands 24.5% compare
  4. 34 Cayman Islands 22.1% compare
  5. 35 Nicaragua 21.6% compare
  6. 36 Republic of Moldova 21.1% compare

See the full ranking of 185 places →

More reference data data for Lesotho

All data for Lesotho →

Frequently asked questions

What is out-of-school rate for adolescents and youth of lower and upper in Lesotho?
Out-of-school rate for adolescents and youth of lower and upper in Lesotho was 23.9% in 2016, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest out-of-school rate for adolescents and youth of lower and upper recorded in Lesotho?
The highest recorded value was 52.1% in 1977.
What is the lowest out-of-school rate for adolescents and youth of lower and upper recorded in Lesotho?
The lowest recorded value was 16.5% in 2011.
How does Lesotho rank for out-of-school rate for adolescents and youth of lower and upper?
Lesotho ranks 33rd out of 142 countries with data for 2016.
Is out-of-school rate for adolescents and youth of lower and upper rising or falling in Lesotho?
Over the last ten years it is up 17.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Lesotho data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Out-of-school rate for adolescents and youth of lower and upper secondary school age, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Out-of-school rate for adolescents and youth of lower and upper in Lesotho. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 06 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/out-of-school-rate-for-adolescents-and-youth-of-lower-and-upper-secondary-school-age-both/lesotho/

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About this data

Indicator
Out-of-school rate for adolescents and youth of lower and upper secondary school age, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
185 places, 4,210 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

Number of adolescents and youth of 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/