Pupil-trained teacher ratio in primary education in Lesotho

Lesotho: Pupil-trained teacher ratio in primary education was 39.01 headcount basis in 2016. ▼ Falling

Latest (2016)
39.01 headcount basis
Change on year
down 6.7%
World rank
32nd
of 108 countries
All-time high
68.67 headcount basis
in 2003
All-time low
39.01 headcount basis
in 2016
Years of data
18
1999–2016

Pupil-trained teacher ratio in primary education in Lesotho, 1999–2016

02040601999200720161999: 56.8 headcount basis2000: 64.5 headcount basis2001: 63.3 headcount basis2002: 64.7 headcount basis2003: 68.7 headcount basis2004: 65.3 headcount basis2005: 65.3 headcount basis2006: 61.1 headcount basis2007: 51.8 headcount basis2008: 61.5 headcount basis2009: 58.6 headcount basis2010: 53.3 headcount basis2011: 51 headcount basis2012: 50.5 headcount basis2013: 45.3 headcount basis2014: 43.3 headcount basis2015: 41.8 headcount basis2016: 39 headcount basis

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in headcount basis.

Analysis

In 2016, pupil-trained teacher ratio in primary education in Lesotho stood at 39.01 headcount basis. That is the lowest value across all 18 years on record.

The figure is down 6.7% on the previous year and down 36.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, pupil-trained teacher ratio in primary education in Lesotho peaked at 68.67 headcount basis in 2003 and was at its lowest, 39.01 headcount basis, in 2016.

That places Lesotho 32nd out of 108 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 18 years of available data.

Pupil-trained teacher ratio in primary education in Lesotho, year by year

Annual values for Pupil-trained teacher ratio in primary education (headcount basis) in Lesotho, 1999 to 2016.
Year headcount basis Change
1999 56.84 headcount basis
2000 64.54 headcount basis +13.6%
2001 63.28 headcount basis -2.0%
2002 64.75 headcount basis +2.3%
2003 68.67 headcount basis +6.1%
2004 65.26 headcount basis -5.0%
2005 65.31 headcount basis +0.1%
2006 61.14 headcount basis -6.4%
2007 51.8 headcount basis -15.3%
2008 61.46 headcount basis +18.6%
2009 58.6 headcount basis -4.6%
2010 53.29 headcount basis -9.1%
2011 50.98 headcount basis -4.3%
2012 50.45 headcount basis -1.0%
2013 45.29 headcount basis -10.2%
2014 43.25 headcount basis -4.5%
2015 41.8 headcount basis -3.4%
2016 39.01 headcount basis -6.7%

Lesotho compared with similar countries

  • Lesotho's 39.01 headcount basis is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 39.69 headcount basis, 98% of the median. (34 countries reporting)
  • Lesotho's 39.01 headcount basis is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 44.56 headcount basis, 88% of the median. (34 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 56.84 headcount basis 56.84 headcount basis 56.84 headcount basis 1
2000s 62.48 headcount basis 51.8 headcount basis 68.67 headcount basis 10
2010s 46.3 headcount basis 39.01 headcount basis 53.29 headcount basis 7

Countries ranked near Lesotho

  1. 29 Turks and Caicos Islands 41.35 headcount basis compare
  2. 30 Niger 40.55 headcount basis compare
  3. 31 Nicaragua 40.36 headcount basis compare
  4. 33 Kiribati 35.39 headcount basis compare
  5. 34 Democratic Republic of Congo 33.58 headcount basis compare
  6. 35 Solomon Islands 33.41 headcount basis compare

See the full ranking of 138 places →

More reference data data for Lesotho

All data for Lesotho →

Frequently asked questions

What is pupil-trained teacher ratio in primary education in Lesotho?
Pupil-trained teacher ratio in primary education in Lesotho was 39.01 headcount basis in 2016, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest pupil-trained teacher ratio in primary education recorded in Lesotho?
The highest recorded value was 68.67 headcount basis in 2003.
What is the lowest pupil-trained teacher ratio in primary education recorded in Lesotho?
The lowest recorded value was 39.01 headcount basis in 2016.
How does Lesotho rank for pupil-trained teacher ratio in primary education?
Lesotho ranks 32nd out of 108 countries with data for 2016.
Is pupil-trained teacher ratio in primary education rising or falling in Lesotho?
Over the last ten years it is down 36.2%. 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 Pupil-trained teacher ratio in primary education (headcount basis). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Pupil-trained teacher ratio in primary education in Lesotho. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 24 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/pupil-trained-teacher-ratio-in-primary-education-headcount-basis/lesotho/

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About this data

Indicator
Pupil-trained teacher ratio in primary education (headcount basis)
Unit
headcount basis
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
138 places, 1,748 data points, 1997–2020
Last refreshed

Average number of pupils per trained teacher at a given level of education, based on headcounts of both pupils and teachers. Divide the total number of pupils enrolled at the specified level of education by the number of trained teachers at the same level. A trained teacher is defined as a teacher who has fulfilled at least the minimum organized teacher-training requirements (pre-service or in-service) to teach a specific level of education according to the relevant national policy or law. These requirements usually include pedagogical knowledge (broad principles and strategies of classroom management and organization that transcend the subject matter being taught - typically approaches, methods and techniques of teaching), and professional knowledge (knowledge of statutory instruments and other legal frameworks that govern the teaching profession). Some programmes may also cover content knowledge (knowledge of the curriculum and the subject matter to be taught and the use of relevant materials). In computing and interpreting this indicator, one should take into account the existence of part-time teaching, school-shifts, multi-grade classes and other practices that may affect the precision and meaningfulness of pupil-teacher ratios. When feasible, the number of part-time teachers is converted to ‘full-time equivalent’ teachers; a double-shift teacher is counted twice, etc. Teachers are defined as persons whose professional activity involves the transmitting of knowledge, attitudes and skills that are stipulated in a formal curriculum programme to students enrolled in a formal educational institution.