School attendance inequality
Rural vs Urban School Attendance Gap by Country: Latest Data, Updated 2026
Country-level rural and urban attendance estimates for primary, lower-secondary, and upper-secondary school-age populations. The calculations use the latest location-disaggregated observation available for each country and level in the June 2025 WIDE download, with the February 2026 UNESCO Institute for Statistics release used for current data-system context. Actual observation years range from 2004 to 2024.
Attendance Gap Statistics
Positive gaps mean the derived urban attendance rate is higher than the rural rate. Medians use the latest valid rural–urban pair for each country and education level.
Country coverage
145
At least one education level
Comparable records
390
Rural and urban values in one survey year
Primary median gap
1.7 pp
123 countries
Lower-secondary median
3.8 pp
123 countries
Upper-secondary median
7.4 pp
144 countries
Latest observation year
2024
Country years are reported separately
Largest Reported Upper-Secondary Attendance Gaps
Paired rates preserve the participation level on both sides of each gap.
Rural and urban upper-secondary attendance in 15 wide-gap observations
Latest available country observation, ranked by urban attendance minus rural attendance.
Observation years differ across countries. Morocco’s displayed value is from 2004, while several other entries are from 2021–2023.
Chart analysis
- Morocco has the widest displayed upper-secondary gap at 45.5 percentage points: 22.4% rural and 67.9% urban attendance in the 2004 DHS observation.
- Djibouti, Guinea, and Mali each record gaps above 40 percentage points in their latest available observations.
- Niger has the lowest rural upper-secondary attendance among the 15 displayed countries at 10.8%.
- The same gap measure can pair very different attendance levels; Angola records 47.4% rural attendance, compared with 10.8% in Niger.
Country Attendance Gap Dataset by School Level
Ranks are calculated separately for primary, lower-secondary, and upper-secondary education. A rank of 1 identifies the widest positive urban-minus-rural gap within that level.
| Rank | Country | Level | Rural attendance | Urban attendance | Gap | Parity | Year | Survey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sudan | Primary | 49.4% | 90.9% | +41.5 pp | 0.54 | 2022 | SLMPS |
| 2 | Niger | Primary | 53.8% | 90.6% | +36.7 pp | 0.59 | 2021 | EHCVM |
| 3 | Mali | Primary | 50.6% | 85.6% | +35.0 pp | 0.59 | 2021 | EHCVM |
| 4 | Guinea | Primary | 56.0% | 85.5% | +29.5 pp | 0.65 | 2018 | DHS |
| 5 | Burkina Faso | Primary | 66.3% | 94.5% | +28.2 pp | 0.70 | 2022 | HFPS |
| 6 | Djibouti | Primary | 56.8% | 83.4% | +26.5 pp | 0.68 | 2017 | EDAM |
| 7 | Senegal | Primary | 53.8% | 79.4% | +25.6 pp | 0.68 | 2023 | DHS |
| 8 | Mauritania | Primary | 45.5% | 70.7% | +25.3 pp | 0.64 | 2021 | DHS |
| 9 | Chad | Primary | 38.6% | 63.4% | +24.8 pp | 0.61 | 2019 | MICS |
| 10 | Afghanistan | Primary | 41.3% | 65.9% | +24.5 pp | 0.63 | 2022 | MICS |
| 11 | Nigeria | Primary | 64.6% | 89.1% | +24.5 pp | 0.72 | 2021 | MICS |
| 12 | Guinea-Bissau | Primary | 69.6% | 93.2% | +23.6 pp | 0.75 | 2021 | EHCVM |
| 13 | Angola | Primary | 61.3% | 83.9% | +22.6 pp | 0.73 | 2015 | DHS |
| 14 | Central African Republic | Primary | 65.9% | 88.3% | +22.4 pp | 0.75 | 2019 | MICS |
| 15 | Mozambique | Primary | 66.2% | 87.0% | +20.8 pp | 0.76 | 2022 | DHS |
| 16 | South Sudan | Primary | 17.9% | 38.4% | +20.5 pp | 0.47 | 2010 | MICS |
| 17 | Benin | Primary | 68.1% | 86.3% | +18.2 pp | 0.79 | 2021 | MICS |
| 18 | Cameroon | Primary | 75.6% | 93.7% | +18.2 pp | 0.81 | 2018 | DHS |
| 19 | Madagascar | Primary | 75.5% | 91.8% | +16.3 pp | 0.82 | 2021 | DHS |
| 20 | Yemen | Primary | 71.9% | 87.2% | +15.4 pp | 0.82 | 2023 | MICS |
| 21 | Morocco | Primary | 80.8% | 96.0% | +15.2 pp | 0.84 | 2004 | DHS |
| 22 | Ethiopia | Primary | 68.0% | 83.2% | +15.2 pp | 0.82 | 2019 | ESS |
| 23 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | Primary | 71.8% | 86.9% | +15.1 pp | 0.83 | 2018 | MICS |
| 24 | Liberia | Primary | 73.1% | 86.8% | +13.8 pp | 0.84 | 2019 | DHS |
| 25 | United Republic of Tanzania | Primary | 77.9% | 91.5% | +13.6 pp | 0.85 | 2022 | DHS |
| 26 | Burundi | Primary | 80.9% | 93.7% | +12.8 pp | 0.86 | 2017 | DHS |
| 27 | Pakistan | Primary | 77.5% | 89.0% | +11.5 pp | 0.87 | 2019 | LFS |
| 28 | Ghana | Primary | 67.9% | 79.0% | +11.1 pp | 0.86 | 2022 | DHS |
| 29 | Tuvalu | Primary | 74.1% | 85.0% | +10.8 pp | 0.87 | 2020 | MICS |
| 30 | Zambia | Primary | 80.8% | 90.9% | +10.2 pp | 0.89 | 2018 | DHS |
| 31 | Gambia | Primary | 75.3% | 85.0% | +9.7 pp | 0.89 | 2020 | DHS |
| 32 | Papua New Guinea | Primary | 85.4% | 93.9% | +8.5 pp | 0.91 | 2022 | SDES |
| 33 | Sierra Leone | Primary | 86.9% | 95.0% | +8.1 pp | 0.91 | 2019 | DHS |
| 34 | Nicaragua | Primary | 90.7% | 98.3% | +7.6 pp | 0.92 | 2014 | EMNV |
| 35 | Lao People's Democratic Republic | Primary | 89.8% | 97.2% | +7.4 pp | 0.92 | 2017 | MICS |
| 36 | Somalia | Primary | 21.7% | 28.9% | +7.2 pp | 0.75 | 2022 | SIHBS |
| 37 | Timor-Leste | Primary | 88.2% | 95.3% | +7.1 pp | 0.93 | 2016 | DHS |
| 38 | Haiti | Primary | 89.2% | 96.3% | +7.1 pp | 0.93 | 2017 | DHS |
| 39 | Uganda | Primary | 90.5% | 97.3% | +6.8 pp | 0.93 | 2019 | UNPS |
| 40 | Comoros | Primary | 86.0% | 92.5% | +6.5 pp | 0.93 | 2022 | MICS |
| 41 | Togo | Primary | 92.0% | 97.8% | +5.8 pp | 0.94 | 2021 | EHCVM |
| 42 | Gabon | Primary | 89.7% | 95.3% | +5.6 pp | 0.94 | 2021 | DHS |
| 43 | Zimbabwe | Primary | 88.9% | 93.8% | +4.9 pp | 0.95 | 2019 | MICS |
| 44 | Myanmar | Primary | 91.8% | 96.5% | +4.7 pp | 0.95 | 2016 | DHS |
| 45 | Iraq | Primary | 88.6% | 93.0% | +4.4 pp | 0.95 | 2018 | MICS |
| 46 | Cambodia | Primary | 67.7% | 72.0% | +4.3 pp | 0.94 | 2021 | DHS |
| 47 | Congo | Primary | 94.3% | 98.4% | +4.1 pp | 0.96 | 2015 | MICS |
| 48 | Malawi | Primary | 93.7% | 97.5% | +3.9 pp | 0.96 | 2020 | MICS |
| 49 | Kenya | Primary | 74.0% | 77.8% | +3.7 pp | 0.95 | 2022 | DHS |
| 50 | Albania | Primary | 94.1% | 97.7% | +3.7 pp | 0.96 | 2017 | DHS |
| 51 | Rwanda | Primary | 94.4% | 97.4% | +3.0 pp | 0.97 | 2020 | DHS |
| 51 | São Tomé and Príncipe | Primary | 87.7% | 90.7% | +3.0 pp | 0.97 | 2019 | MICS |
| 53 | Belize | Primary | 95.9% | 98.6% | +2.7 pp | 0.97 | 2016 | MICS |
| 54 | Tajikistan | Primary | 84.4% | 87.1% | +2.7 pp | 0.97 | 2012 | DHS |
| 55 | Suriname | Primary | 96.7% | 98.8% | +2.1 pp | 0.98 | 2022 | SLC |
| 56 | Guyana | Primary | 96.0% | 98.0% | +2.0 pp | 0.98 | 2020 | MICS |
| 57 | Samoa | Primary | 92.3% | 94.3% | +2.0 pp | 0.98 | 2019 | MICS |
| 58 | Syrian Arab Republic | Primary | 95.6% | 97.5% | +2.0 pp | 0.98 | 2006 | MICS |
| 59 | China | Primary | 96.2% | 98.1% | +2.0 pp | 0.98 | 2014 | CFPS |
| 60 | Panama | Primary | 97.5% | 99.3% | +1.8 pp | 0.98 | 2023 | EML |
| 61 | Mongolia | Primary | 96.7% | 98.4% | +1.8 pp | 0.98 | 2022 | HSES |
| 62 | Vanuatu | Primary | 92.9% | 94.6% | +1.7 pp | 0.98 | 2023 | MICS |
| 63 | Algeria | Primary | 96.1% | 97.7% | +1.6 pp | 0.98 | 2019 | MICS |
| 64 | Thailand | Primary | 95.2% | 96.7% | +1.5 pp | 0.98 | 2023 | MICS |
| 65 | India | Primary | 95.0% | 96.5% | +1.5 pp | 0.98 | 2020 | DHS |
| 66 | Tonga | Primary | 96.0% | 97.5% | +1.4 pp | 0.99 | 2019 | MICS |
| 67 | Eswatini | Primary | 95.3% | 96.5% | +1.2 pp | 0.99 | 2022 | MICS |
| 68 | Uruguay | Primary | 98.8% | 99.9% | +1.1 pp | 0.99 | 2023 | ECH |
| 69 | Ukraine | Primary | 97.5% | 98.6% | +1.1 pp | 0.99 | 2013 | MICS |
| 70 | Honduras | Primary | 94.1% | 95.1% | +1.0 pp | 0.99 | 2023 | EPH |
| 71 | Bhutan | Primary | 93.2% | 94.2% | +1.0 pp | 0.99 | 2022 | LFS |
| 72 | Georgia | Primary | 97.3% | 98.3% | +0.9 pp | 0.99 | 2018 | MICS |
| 73 | Guatemala | Primary | 94.7% | 95.6% | +0.9 pp | 0.99 | 2023 | ENCOVI |
| 74 | Saint Lucia | Primary | 92.0% | 92.8% | +0.8 pp | 0.99 | 2012 | MICS |
| 75 | Costa Rica | Primary | 98.9% | 99.6% | +0.7 pp | 0.99 | 2023 | ENH |
| 76 | Mexico | Primary | 97.8% | 98.4% | +0.6 pp | 0.99 | 2022 | ENIGH |
| 77 | Jordan | Primary | 97.4% | 98.0% | +0.5 pp | 0.99 | 2023 | DHS |
| 78 | Nepal | Primary | 94.7% | 95.2% | +0.5 pp | 1.00 | 2022 | DHS |
| 79 | Israel | Primary | 99.3% | 99.8% | +0.4 pp | 1.00 | 2015 | HES |
| 80 | Colombia | Primary | 96.3% | 96.7% | +0.4 pp | 1.00 | 2023 | GEIH |
| 81 | Paraguay | Primary | 99.2% | 99.6% | +0.4 pp | 1.00 | 2023 | EPH |
| 82 | Lesotho | Primary | 97.0% | 97.4% | +0.4 pp | 1.00 | 2018 | MICS |
| 83 | Peru | Primary | 99.0% | 99.3% | +0.3 pp | 1.00 | 2023 | ENAHO |
| 84 | Fiji | Primary | 98.6% | 98.8% | +0.3 pp | 1.00 | 2021 | MICS |
| 85 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | Primary | 97.0% | 97.2% | +0.2 pp | 1.00 | 2012 | MICS |
| 86 | Jamaica | Primary | 98.0% | 98.2% | +0.2 pp | 1.00 | 2011 | MICS |
| 87 | Kyrgyzstan | Primary | 98.7% | 98.8% | +0.2 pp | 1.00 | 2023 | MICS |
| 88 | Serbia | Primary | 99.9% | 100.0% | +0.1 pp | 1.00 | 2019 | MICS |
| 89 | Barbados | Primary | 99.2% | 99.3% | +0.1 pp | 1.00 | 2012 | MICS |
| 90 | Viet Nam | Primary | 98.8% | 98.8% | 0.0 pp | 1.00 | 2021 | MICS |
| 91 | Egypt | Primary | 96.6% | 96.7% | 0.0 pp | 1.00 | 2022 | LFS |
| 92 | Chile | Primary | 99.3% | 99.3% | 0.0 pp | 1.00 | 2022 | CASEN |
| 93 | Namibia | Primary | 98.7% | 98.6% | -0.1 pp | 1.00 | 2015 | NHIES |
| 94 | Tunisia | Primary | 99.2% | 99.1% | -0.1 pp | 1.00 | 2024 | ENPE |
| 95 | Indonesia | Primary | 99.0% | 98.8% | -0.2 pp | 1.00 | 2023 | HFPS |
| 96 | Cuba | Primary | 99.0% | 98.8% | -0.2 pp | 1.00 | 2019 | MICS |
| 97 | South Africa | Primary | 98.3% | 98.0% | -0.3 pp | 1.00 | 2021 | GHS |
| 98 | Maldives | Primary | 99.1% | 98.8% | -0.3 pp | 1.00 | 2017 | DHS |
| 99 | Brazil | Primary | 99.5% | 99.2% | -0.3 pp | 1.00 | 2023 | PNAD |
| 99 | El Salvador | Primary | 97.9% | 97.6% | -0.3 pp | 1.00 | 2023 | EHPM |
| 101 | Kazakhstan | Primary | 99.7% | 99.3% | -0.4 pp | 1.00 | 2015 | MICS |
| 102 | Uzbekistan | Primary | 99.3% | 98.9% | -0.4 pp | 1.00 | 2021 | MICS |
| 103 | Turkmenistan | Primary | 98.2% | 97.9% | -0.4 pp | 1.00 | 2019 | MICS |
| 104 | Philippines | Primary | 94.6% | 94.2% | -0.4 pp | 1.00 | 2022 | DHS |
| 105 | Montenegro | Primary | 98.6% | 98.2% | -0.4 pp | 1.00 | 2013 | MICS |
| 106 | Palestine | Primary | 98.2% | 97.8% | -0.4 pp | 1.00 | 2020 | MICS |
| 107 | Dominican Republic | Primary | 99.1% | 98.6% | -0.5 pp | 1.01 | 2023 | ENCFT |
| 107 | Ecuador | Primary | 99.2% | 98.7% | -0.5 pp | 1.01 | 2023 | ENEMDU |
| 109 | Russian Federation | Primary | 98.7% | 98.1% | -0.5 pp | 1.01 | 2022 | HSE |
| 110 | Sri Lanka | Primary | 99.3% | 98.6% | -0.7 pp | 1.01 | 2019 | HIES |
| 111 | Bolivia | Primary | 99.3% | 98.5% | -0.8 pp | 1.01 | 2021 | ECH |
| 112 | Republic of Moldova | Primary | 99.0% | 98.1% | -0.8 pp | 1.01 | 2012 | MICS |
| 113 | Azerbaijan | Primary | 98.6% | 97.7% | -0.9 pp | 1.01 | 2023 | MICS |
| 114 | Kiribati | Primary | 96.2% | 95.2% | -1.0 pp | 1.01 | 2019 | MICS |
| 115 | North Macedonia | Primary | 99.0% | 98.0% | -1.0 pp | 1.01 | 2019 | MICS |
| 116 | Armenia | Primary | 100.0% | 99.0% | -1.0 pp | 1.01 | 2022 | HILCS |
| 117 | Trinidad and Tobago | Primary | 94.4% | 93.3% | -1.1 pp | 1.01 | 2022 | MICS |
| 118 | Japan | Primary | 100.0% | 98.5% | -1.5 pp | 1.01 | 2014 | JHPS |
| 119 | Bangladesh | Primary | 93.6% | 91.6% | -1.9 pp | 1.02 | 2022 | DHS |
| 120 | Türkiye | Primary | 94.8% | 92.5% | -2.3 pp | 1.03 | 2018 | DHS |
| 121 | Turks and Caicos Islands | Primary | 99.4% | 97.1% | -2.3 pp | 1.02 | 2020 | MICS |
| 122 | Belarus | Primary | 95.3% | 92.7% | -2.6 pp | 1.03 | 2019 | MICS |
| 123 | Côte d'Ivoire | Primary | 68.0% | 64.2% | -3.8 pp | 1.06 | 2021 | DHS |
| 1 | Niger | Lower secondary | 26.6% | 65.0% | +38.3 pp | 0.41 | 2021 | EHCVM |
| 2 | Guinea | Lower secondary | 38.1% | 73.8% | +35.7 pp | 0.52 | 2018 | DHS |
| 3 | Mali | Lower secondary | 35.1% | 70.6% | +35.5 pp | 0.50 | 2021 | EHCVM |
| 4 | Morocco | Lower secondary | 54.6% | 88.0% | +33.4 pp | 0.62 | 2004 | DHS |
| 5 | Sudan | Lower secondary | 50.8% | 83.2% | +32.5 pp | 0.61 | 2022 | SLMPS |
| 6 | Mauritania | Lower secondary | 47.3% | 75.8% | +28.5 pp | 0.62 | 2021 | DHS |
| 7 | South Sudan | Lower secondary | 29.6% | 56.5% | +26.9 pp | 0.52 | 2010 | MICS |
| 8 | Mozambique | Lower secondary | 57.8% | 83.8% | +26.0 pp | 0.69 | 2022 | DHS |
| 9 | Honduras | Lower secondary | 59.9% | 85.8% | +25.9 pp | 0.70 | 2023 | EPH |
| 10 | Djibouti | Lower secondary | 62.6% | 88.1% | +25.5 pp | 0.71 | 2017 | EDAM |
| 11 | Nigeria | Lower secondary | 64.5% | 89.9% | +25.5 pp | 0.72 | 2021 | MICS |
| 12 | Chad | Lower secondary | 42.5% | 66.7% | +24.2 pp | 0.64 | 2019 | MICS |
| 13 | Burkina Faso | Lower secondary | 52.4% | 75.7% | +23.3 pp | 0.69 | 2022 | HFPS |
| 14 | Madagascar | Lower secondary | 58.2% | 81.2% | +23.0 pp | 0.72 | 2021 | DHS |
| 15 | Central African Republic | Lower secondary | 67.2% | 88.9% | +21.7 pp | 0.76 | 2019 | MICS |
| 16 | Yemen | Lower secondary | 65.4% | 86.7% | +21.3 pp | 0.75 | 2023 | MICS |
| 17 | Benin | Lower secondary | 52.0% | 71.9% | +19.9 pp | 0.72 | 2021 | MICS |
| 18 | Senegal | Lower secondary | 51.7% | 70.5% | +18.9 pp | 0.73 | 2023 | DHS |
| 19 | Cameroon | Lower secondary | 71.7% | 89.7% | +18.1 pp | 0.80 | 2018 | DHS |
| 20 | Tuvalu | Lower secondary | 61.4% | 79.2% | +17.8 pp | 0.78 | 2020 | MICS |
| 21 | Angola | Lower secondary | 71.9% | 89.6% | +17.7 pp | 0.80 | 2015 | DHS |
| 22 | Somalia | Lower secondary | 34.6% | 51.7% | +17.1 pp | 0.67 | 2022 | SIHBS |
| 23 | Zambia | Lower secondary | 70.2% | 85.2% | +15.0 pp | 0.82 | 2018 | DHS |
| 24 | Guinea-Bissau | Lower secondary | 78.8% | 92.8% | +14.0 pp | 0.85 | 2021 | EHCVM |
| 25 | Bhutan | Lower secondary | 77.4% | 91.1% | +13.7 pp | 0.85 | 2010 | MICS |
| 26 | Pakistan | Lower secondary | 75.5% | 89.0% | +13.6 pp | 0.85 | 2019 | LFS |
| 27 | Afghanistan | Lower secondary | 29.3% | 42.8% | +13.5 pp | 0.68 | 2022 | MICS |
| 28 | Iraq | Lower secondary | 69.9% | 83.4% | +13.5 pp | 0.84 | 2018 | MICS |
| 29 | Gambia | Lower secondary | 68.5% | 81.6% | +13.1 pp | 0.84 | 2020 | DHS |
| 30 | Ethiopia | Lower secondary | 67.5% | 80.1% | +12.7 pp | 0.84 | 2019 | ESS |
| 31 | Zimbabwe | Lower secondary | 78.2% | 90.5% | +12.3 pp | 0.86 | 2019 | MICS |
| 32 | Lao People's Democratic Republic | Lower secondary | 80.3% | 92.3% | +12.0 pp | 0.87 | 2017 | MICS |
| 33 | Sierra Leone | Lower secondary | 80.7% | 92.2% | +11.5 pp | 0.88 | 2019 | DHS |
| 34 | Nicaragua | Lower secondary | 84.1% | 95.2% | +11.1 pp | 0.88 | 2014 | EMNV |
| 35 | Lesotho | Lower secondary | 82.5% | 93.0% | +10.6 pp | 0.89 | 2018 | MICS |
| 36 | Ghana | Lower secondary | 85.1% | 95.2% | +10.1 pp | 0.89 | 2022 | DHS |
| 37 | Burundi | Lower secondary | 69.5% | 79.7% | +10.1 pp | 0.87 | 2017 | DHS |
| 38 | Togo | Lower secondary | 78.6% | 87.9% | +9.3 pp | 0.89 | 2021 | EHCVM |
| 39 | Uganda | Lower secondary | 82.8% | 91.8% | +9.0 pp | 0.90 | 2019 | UNPS |
| 40 | Belize | Lower secondary | 87.5% | 96.4% | +8.9 pp | 0.91 | 2016 | MICS |
| 41 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | Lower secondary | 79.2% | 88.0% | +8.8 pp | 0.90 | 2018 | MICS |
| 42 | Myanmar | Lower secondary | 81.3% | 89.9% | +8.5 pp | 0.91 | 2016 | DHS |
| 43 | United Republic of Tanzania | Lower secondary | 58.1% | 65.6% | +7.5 pp | 0.89 | 2022 | DHS |
| 44 | Mexico | Lower secondary | 86.8% | 94.2% | +7.4 pp | 0.92 | 2022 | ENIGH |
| 45 | Cambodia | Lower secondary | 69.6% | 76.3% | +6.7 pp | 0.91 | 2021 | DHS |
| 46 | Malawi | Lower secondary | 88.1% | 94.6% | +6.6 pp | 0.93 | 2020 | MICS |
| 47 | El Salvador | Lower secondary | 89.5% | 96.0% | +6.5 pp | 0.93 | 2023 | EHPM |
| 48 | Comoros | Lower secondary | 85.8% | 92.2% | +6.4 pp | 0.93 | 2022 | MICS |
| 49 | Papua New Guinea | Lower secondary | 89.8% | 96.1% | +6.2 pp | 0.94 | 2022 | SDES |
| 50 | Liberia | Lower secondary | 82.1% | 88.1% | +6.0 pp | 0.93 | 2019 | DHS |
| 51 | Suriname | Lower secondary | 92.2% | 97.3% | +5.1 pp | 0.95 | 2022 | SLC |
| 52 | Congo | Lower secondary | 90.1% | 94.8% | +4.6 pp | 0.95 | 2015 | MICS |
| 53 | Haiti | Lower secondary | 91.9% | 96.5% | +4.6 pp | 0.95 | 2017 | DHS |
| 54 | Rwanda | Lower secondary | 86.9% | 91.4% | +4.5 pp | 0.95 | 2020 | DHS |
| 55 | Timor-Leste | Lower secondary | 89.1% | 93.4% | +4.3 pp | 0.95 | 2016 | DHS |
| 56 | China | Lower secondary | 95.3% | 99.4% | +4.2 pp | 0.96 | 2018 | CFPS |
| 57 | Tonga | Lower secondary | 88.3% | 92.4% | +4.1 pp | 0.96 | 2019 | MICS |
| 58 | Algeria | Lower secondary | 92.6% | 96.6% | +4.0 pp | 0.96 | 2019 | MICS |
| 59 | Guatemala | Lower secondary | 80.4% | 84.4% | +4.0 pp | 0.95 | 2023 | ENCOVI |
| 60 | Tunisia | Lower secondary | 93.9% | 97.7% | +3.9 pp | 0.96 | 2024 | ENPE |
| 61 | Japan | Lower secondary | 96.2% | 100.0% | +3.8 pp | 0.96 | 2009 | JHPS |
| 62 | Uruguay | Lower secondary | 95.2% | 99.0% | +3.8 pp | 0.96 | 2023 | ECH |
| 63 | Vanuatu | Lower secondary | 83.2% | 86.5% | +3.2 pp | 0.96 | 2023 | MICS |
| 64 | Albania | Lower secondary | 93.4% | 96.6% | +3.2 pp | 0.97 | 2017 | DHS |
| 65 | India | Lower secondary | 91.4% | 94.4% | +3.0 pp | 0.97 | 2020 | DHS |
| 66 | Colombia | Lower secondary | 93.7% | 96.5% | +2.8 pp | 0.97 | 2023 | GEIH |
| 67 | Paraguay | Lower secondary | 95.7% | 98.3% | +2.6 pp | 0.97 | 2023 | EPH |
| 68 | Palestine | Lower secondary | 93.9% | 96.4% | +2.6 pp | 0.97 | 2020 | MICS |
| 69 | Thailand | Lower secondary | 93.7% | 96.1% | +2.4 pp | 0.97 | 2023 | MICS |
| 70 | Bolivia | Lower secondary | 96.0% | 98.4% | +2.4 pp | 0.98 | 2021 | ECH |
| 70 | Ecuador | Lower secondary | 95.2% | 97.6% | +2.4 pp | 0.98 | 2023 | ENEMDU |
| 72 | Viet Nam | Lower secondary | 93.8% | 96.2% | +2.4 pp | 0.98 | 2021 | MICS |
| 73 | Guyana | Lower secondary | 94.1% | 96.3% | +2.2 pp | 0.98 | 2020 | MICS |
| 74 | Samoa | Lower secondary | 93.1% | 95.3% | +2.2 pp | 0.98 | 2019 | MICS |
| 75 | Gabon | Lower secondary | 95.5% | 97.7% | +2.1 pp | 0.98 | 2021 | DHS |
| 76 | Kenya | Lower secondary | 95.6% | 97.7% | +2.1 pp | 0.98 | 2022 | DHS |
| 77 | Kiribati | Lower secondary | 88.7% | 90.6% | +2.0 pp | 0.98 | 2019 | MICS |
| 78 | Syrian Arab Republic | Lower secondary | 79.2% | 81.2% | +2.0 pp | 0.98 | 2006 | MICS |
| 79 | Philippines | Lower secondary | 93.5% | 95.3% | +1.8 pp | 0.98 | 2022 | DHS |
| 80 | Panama | Lower secondary | 96.9% | 98.7% | +1.8 pp | 0.98 | 2023 | EML |
| 81 | Tajikistan | Lower secondary | 96.2% | 97.9% | +1.7 pp | 0.98 | 2012 | DHS |
| 82 | Peru | Lower secondary | 97.4% | 99.1% | +1.7 pp | 0.98 | 2023 | ENAHO |
| 83 | Indonesia | Lower secondary | 96.8% | 98.4% | +1.7 pp | 0.98 | 2023 | HFPS |
| 84 | Türkiye | Lower secondary | 95.8% | 97.2% | +1.4 pp | 0.99 | 2018 | DHS |
| 85 | Mongolia | Lower secondary | 98.1% | 99.4% | +1.3 pp | 0.99 | 2022 | HSES |
| 86 | Eswatini | Lower secondary | 93.4% | 94.4% | +1.0 pp | 0.99 | 2022 | MICS |
| 87 | Costa Rica | Lower secondary | 97.8% | 98.8% | +1.0 pp | 0.99 | 2023 | ENH |
| 88 | Russian Federation | Lower secondary | 97.7% | 98.6% | +0.9 pp | 0.99 | 2022 | HSE |
| 89 | Serbia | Lower secondary | 98.8% | 99.7% | +0.9 pp | 0.99 | 2019 | MICS |
| 90 | South Africa | Lower secondary | 95.3% | 96.0% | +0.8 pp | 0.99 | 2021 | GHS |
| 91 | Egypt | Lower secondary | 97.5% | 98.1% | +0.6 pp | 0.99 | 2022 | LFS |
| 92 | Jamaica | Lower secondary | 99.2% | 99.6% | +0.5 pp | 1.00 | 2011 | MICS |
| 93 | Cuba | Lower secondary | 96.4% | 96.8% | +0.4 pp | 1.00 | 2019 | MICS |
| 94 | Brazil | Lower secondary | 99.0% | 99.4% | +0.4 pp | 1.00 | 2023 | PNAD |
| 94 | Dominican Republic | Lower secondary | 97.8% | 98.2% | +0.4 pp | 1.00 | 2023 | ENCFT |
| 96 | Turkmenistan | Lower secondary | 99.1% | 99.5% | +0.4 pp | 1.00 | 2019 | MICS |
| 97 | Maldives | Lower secondary | 93.4% | 93.8% | +0.3 pp | 1.00 | 2017 | DHS |
| 98 | Azerbaijan | Lower secondary | 97.8% | 98.1% | +0.3 pp | 1.00 | 2023 | MICS |
| 99 | Fiji | Lower secondary | 96.4% | 96.6% | +0.2 pp | 1.00 | 2021 | MICS |
| 100 | Nepal | Lower secondary | 94.8% | 94.9% | +0.1 pp | 1.00 | 2022 | DHS |
| 101 | Georgia | Lower secondary | 98.7% | 98.8% | +0.1 pp | 1.00 | 2018 | MICS |
| 102 | Kazakhstan | Lower secondary | 99.7% | 99.7% | 0.0 pp | 1.00 | 2015 | MICS |
| 102 | Kyrgyzstan | Lower secondary | 97.4% | 97.4% | 0.0 pp | 1.00 | 2023 | MICS |
| 104 | Israel | Lower secondary | 100.0% | 99.9% | -0.1 pp | 1.00 | 2013 | HES |
| 105 | Montenegro | Lower secondary | 99.4% | 99.2% | -0.2 pp | 1.00 | 2013 | MICS |
| 106 | Chile | Lower secondary | 99.4% | 99.2% | -0.2 pp | 1.00 | 2022 | CASEN |
| 107 | Belarus | Lower secondary | 100.0% | 99.8% | -0.2 pp | 1.00 | 2019 | MICS |
| 108 | Jordan | Lower secondary | 94.3% | 94.0% | -0.3 pp | 1.00 | 2023 | DHS |
| 109 | Saint Lucia | Lower secondary | 99.3% | 99.0% | -0.3 pp | 1.00 | 2012 | MICS |
| 110 | Armenia | Lower secondary | 99.4% | 99.0% | -0.3 pp | 1.00 | 2022 | HILCS |
| 111 | Uzbekistan | Lower secondary | 99.4% | 99.1% | -0.3 pp | 1.00 | 2021 | MICS |
| 112 | Trinidad and Tobago | Lower secondary | 96.5% | 96.1% | -0.4 pp | 1.00 | 2022 | MICS |
| 113 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | Lower secondary | 99.3% | 98.7% | -0.6 pp | 1.01 | 2012 | MICS |
| 114 | Namibia | Lower secondary | 93.4% | 92.5% | -0.8 pp | 1.01 | 2015 | NHIES |
| 115 | Bangladesh | Lower secondary | 86.5% | 85.5% | -1.1 pp | 1.01 | 2022 | DHS |
| 116 | Ukraine | Lower secondary | 99.8% | 98.6% | -1.2 pp | 1.01 | 2013 | MICS |
| 117 | Republic of Moldova | Lower secondary | 97.2% | 95.8% | -1.4 pp | 1.01 | 2012 | MICS |
| 118 | Côte d'Ivoire | Lower secondary | 65.3% | 63.9% | -1.4 pp | 1.02 | 2022 | DHS |
| 118 | Sri Lanka | Lower secondary | 97.7% | 96.3% | -1.4 pp | 1.01 | 2022 | LFS |
| 120 | Turks and Caicos Islands | Lower secondary | 98.9% | 97.5% | -1.4 pp | 1.01 | 2020 | MICS |
| 121 | Barbados | Lower secondary | 99.4% | 97.8% | -1.6 pp | 1.02 | 2012 | MICS |
| 122 | North Macedonia | Lower secondary | 99.8% | 97.3% | -2.5 pp | 1.03 | 2019 | MICS |
| 123 | São Tomé and Príncipe | Lower secondary | 95.0% | 92.1% | -2.9 pp | 1.03 | 2019 | MICS |
| 1 | Morocco | Upper secondary | 22.4% | 67.8% | +45.5 pp | 0.33 | 2004 | DHS |
| 2 | Djibouti | Upper secondary | 31.3% | 73.2% | +41.9 pp | 0.43 | 2017 | EDAM |
| 3 | Guinea | Upper secondary | 19.2% | 59.8% | +40.6 pp | 0.32 | 2018 | DHS |
| 4 | Mali | Upper secondary | 15.8% | 56.2% | +40.4 pp | 0.28 | 2021 | EHCVM |
| 5 | Honduras | Upper secondary | 35.8% | 73.6% | +37.8 pp | 0.49 | 2023 | EPH |
| 6 | Central African Republic | Upper secondary | 34.8% | 71.0% | +36.2 pp | 0.49 | 2019 | MICS |
| 7 | Sudan | Upper secondary | 36.9% | 72.8% | +35.9 pp | 0.51 | 2022 | SLMPS |
| 8 | Mozambique | Upper secondary | 31.4% | 66.9% | +35.4 pp | 0.47 | 2022 | DHS |
| 9 | Niger | Upper secondary | 10.8% | 45.5% | +34.7 pp | 0.24 | 2021 | EHCVM |
| 10 | Mauritania | Upper secondary | 23.5% | 57.8% | +34.4 pp | 0.41 | 2021 | DHS |
| 11 | Angola | Upper secondary | 47.4% | 80.1% | +32.8 pp | 0.59 | 2015 | DHS |
| 12 | Bhutan | Upper secondary | 43.0% | 75.2% | +32.1 pp | 0.57 | 2010 | MICS |
| 13 | Madagascar | Upper secondary | 25.0% | 53.9% | +28.9 pp | 0.46 | 2021 | DHS |
| 14 | Burkina Faso | Upper secondary | 27.5% | 55.4% | +27.8 pp | 0.50 | 2022 | HFPS |
| 15 | Chad | Upper secondary | 30.1% | 57.3% | +27.1 pp | 0.53 | 2019 | MICS |
| 16 | Tuvalu | Upper secondary | 20.7% | 46.7% | +26.1 pp | 0.44 | 2020 | MICS |
| 17 | Lao People's Democratic Republic | Upper secondary | 53.5% | 79.3% | +25.8 pp | 0.67 | 2017 | MICS |
| 18 | Nicaragua | Upper secondary | 58.0% | 82.8% | +24.8 pp | 0.70 | 2014 | EMNV |
| 19 | Guinea-Bissau | Upper secondary | 63.7% | 88.1% | +24.5 pp | 0.72 | 2021 | EHCVM |
| 20 | Cameroon | Upper secondary | 45.1% | 68.9% | +23.8 pp | 0.65 | 2018 | DHS |
| 21 | Myanmar | Upper secondary | 40.7% | 63.8% | +23.2 pp | 0.64 | 2016 | DHS |
| 22 | Sierra Leone | Upper secondary | 60.9% | 83.9% | +23.0 pp | 0.73 | 2019 | DHS |
| 23 | Togo | Upper secondary | 49.8% | 72.8% | +23.0 pp | 0.68 | 2021 | EHCVM |
| 24 | Nigeria | Upper secondary | 55.8% | 78.8% | +23.0 pp | 0.71 | 2021 | MICS |
| 25 | Congo | Upper secondary | 58.6% | 80.7% | +22.1 pp | 0.73 | 2015 | MICS |
| 26 | South Sudan | Upper secondary | 33.9% | 55.9% | +21.9 pp | 0.61 | 2010 | MICS |
| 27 | Pakistan | Upper secondary | 55.5% | 76.8% | +21.3 pp | 0.72 | 2019 | LFS |
| 28 | Republic of Moldova | Upper secondary | 64.3% | 85.4% | +21.1 pp | 0.75 | 2012 | MICS |
| 29 | El Salvador | Upper secondary | 65.6% | 86.5% | +20.9 pp | 0.76 | 2023 | EHPM |
| 30 | Gambia | Upper secondary | 45.4% | 66.0% | +20.6 pp | 0.69 | 2020 | DHS |
| 31 | Benin | Upper secondary | 29.8% | 50.0% | +20.2 pp | 0.60 | 2021 | MICS |
| 32 | Yemen | Upper secondary | 43.5% | 62.9% | +19.4 pp | 0.69 | 2023 | MICS |
| 33 | Lesotho | Upper secondary | 55.9% | 74.8% | +18.9 pp | 0.75 | 2018 | MICS |
| 34 | Mexico | Upper secondary | 60.4% | 79.0% | +18.6 pp | 0.76 | 2022 | ENIGH |
| 35 | Maldives | Upper secondary | 61.7% | 79.5% | +17.8 pp | 0.78 | 2017 | DHS |
| 36 | Côte d'Ivoire | Upper secondary | 37.7% | 55.2% | +17.5 pp | 0.68 | 2022 | DHS |
| 37 | Somalia | Upper secondary | 34.1% | 50.8% | +16.7 pp | 0.67 | 2022 | SIHBS |
| 38 | Senegal | Upper secondary | 37.9% | 53.0% | +15.1 pp | 0.71 | 2023 | DHS |
| 39 | Liberia | Upper secondary | 70.7% | 85.6% | +14.9 pp | 0.83 | 2019 | DHS |
| 40 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | Upper secondary | 64.2% | 78.9% | +14.7 pp | 0.81 | 2018 | MICS |
| 41 | Belize | Upper secondary | 61.3% | 75.9% | +14.7 pp | 0.81 | 2016 | MICS |
| 42 | Albania | Upper secondary | 71.2% | 85.5% | +14.3 pp | 0.83 | 2017 | DHS |
| 43 | Guatemala | Upper secondary | 61.3% | 75.3% | +14.0 pp | 0.81 | 2023 | ENCOVI |
| 44 | Ethiopia | Upper secondary | 46.0% | 59.5% | +13.5 pp | 0.77 | 2019 | ESS |
| 45 | Iraq | Upper secondary | 50.7% | 64.2% | +13.5 pp | 0.79 | 2018 | MICS |
| 46 | Panama | Upper secondary | 82.3% | 95.6% | +13.3 pp | 0.86 | 2023 | EML |
| 47 | Zambia | Upper secondary | 41.1% | 53.7% | +12.6 pp | 0.76 | 2018 | DHS |
| 48 | Viet Nam | Upper secondary | 74.6% | 86.5% | +11.9 pp | 0.86 | 2021 | MICS |
| 49 | Serbia | Upper secondary | 78.2% | 90.0% | +11.7 pp | 0.87 | 2019 | MICS |
| 50 | Tunisia | Upper secondary | 76.1% | 87.4% | +11.3 pp | 0.87 | 2024 | ENPE |
| 51 | Burundi | Upper secondary | 44.8% | 56.0% | +11.2 pp | 0.80 | 2017 | DHS |
| 52 | Timor-Leste | Upper secondary | 75.0% | 86.1% | +11.0 pp | 0.87 | 2016 | DHS |
| 53 | India | Upper secondary | 67.0% | 77.6% | +10.7 pp | 0.86 | 2020 | DHS |
| 54 | Malawi | Upper secondary | 64.4% | 75.0% | +10.6 pp | 0.86 | 2020 | MICS |
| 55 | Rwanda | Upper secondary | 54.6% | 65.0% | +10.4 pp | 0.84 | 2020 | DHS |
| 56 | Paraguay | Upper secondary | 80.8% | 91.2% | +10.4 pp | 0.89 | 2023 | EPH |
| 57 | China | Upper secondary | 76.8% | 86.8% | +10.0 pp | 0.89 | 2018 | CFPS |
| 58 | Zimbabwe | Upper secondary | 45.1% | 54.7% | +9.6 pp | 0.82 | 2019 | MICS |
| 59 | Ghana | Upper secondary | 70.9% | 80.3% | +9.4 pp | 0.88 | 2022 | DHS |
| 60 | Ecuador | Upper secondary | 79.6% | 89.0% | +9.4 pp | 0.89 | 2023 | ENEMDU |
| 61 | Cuba | Upper secondary | 66.5% | 75.9% | +9.4 pp | 0.88 | 2019 | MICS |
| 62 | Bulgaria | Upper secondary | 87.5% | 96.9% | +9.4 pp | 0.90 | 2021 | EU-LFS |
| 63 | Samoa | Upper secondary | 76.7% | 85.8% | +9.0 pp | 0.89 | 2019 | MICS |
| 64 | Guyana | Upper secondary | 74.6% | 83.6% | +9.0 pp | 0.89 | 2020 | MICS |
| 65 | Suriname | Upper secondary | 77.2% | 86.1% | +8.9 pp | 0.90 | 2022 | SLC |
| 66 | Russian Federation | Upper secondary | 52.7% | 61.5% | +8.8 pp | 0.86 | 2022 | HSE |
| 67 | Vanuatu | Upper secondary | 51.3% | 59.7% | +8.4 pp | 0.86 | 2023 | MICS |
| 68 | Colombia | Upper secondary | 81.2% | 89.5% | +8.3 pp | 0.91 | 2023 | GEIH |
| 69 | Afghanistan | Upper secondary | 18.3% | 26.1% | +7.8 pp | 0.70 | 2022 | MICS |
| 70 | Romania | Upper secondary | 84.4% | 92.1% | +7.7 pp | 0.92 | 2021 | EU-LFS |
| 71 | Uganda | Upper secondary | 63.7% | 71.2% | +7.5 pp | 0.89 | 2019 | UNPS |
| 72 | Comoros | Upper secondary | 72.6% | 80.0% | +7.4 pp | 0.91 | 2022 | MICS |
| 73 | Palestine | Upper secondary | 68.9% | 76.3% | +7.4 pp | 0.90 | 2020 | MICS |
| 74 | Haiti | Upper secondary | 82.8% | 89.8% | +7.0 pp | 0.92 | 2017 | DHS |
| 75 | Kazakhstan | Upper secondary | 89.2% | 96.1% | +6.9 pp | 0.93 | 2015 | MICS |
| 76 | Algeria | Upper secondary | 72.6% | 79.2% | +6.6 pp | 0.92 | 2019 | MICS |
| 77 | Papua New Guinea | Upper secondary | 89.8% | 96.1% | +6.2 pp | 0.94 | 2022 | SDES |
| 78 | Kiribati | Upper secondary | 58.0% | 64.2% | +6.2 pp | 0.90 | 2019 | MICS |
| 79 | Fiji | Upper secondary | 68.0% | 74.0% | +6.0 pp | 0.92 | 2021 | MICS |
| 79 | Syrian Arab Republic | Upper secondary | 39.1% | 45.1% | +6.0 pp | 0.87 | 2006 | MICS |
| 81 | Bolivia | Upper secondary | 90.6% | 96.3% | +5.7 pp | 0.94 | 2021 | ECH |
| 82 | Armenia | Upper secondary | 82.8% | 88.3% | +5.5 pp | 0.94 | 2022 | HILCS |
| 83 | Tonga | Upper secondary | 59.9% | 65.4% | +5.5 pp | 0.92 | 2019 | MICS |
| 84 | Gabon | Upper secondary | 84.8% | 90.2% | +5.4 pp | 0.94 | 2021 | DHS |
| 85 | United Republic of Tanzania | Upper secondary | 17.3% | 22.5% | +5.2 pp | 0.77 | 2022 | DHS |
| 86 | Hungary | Upper secondary | 90.4% | 95.6% | +5.1 pp | 0.95 | 2021 | EU-LFS |
| 87 | Türkiye | Upper secondary | 79.0% | 84.2% | +5.1 pp | 0.94 | 2018 | DHS |
| 88 | Jamaica | Upper secondary | 88.9% | 93.7% | +4.8 pp | 0.95 | 2011 | MICS |
| 89 | Croatia | Upper secondary | 89.6% | 93.6% | +4.1 pp | 0.96 | 2021 | EU-LFS |
| 90 | Mongolia | Upper secondary | 90.2% | 94.2% | +4.0 pp | 0.96 | 2022 | HSES |
| 91 | Norway | Upper secondary | 86.6% | 90.5% | +3.9 pp | 0.96 | 2021 | EU-LFS |
| 92 | Cambodia | Upper secondary | 49.8% | 53.4% | +3.6 pp | 0.93 | 2021 | DHS |
| 93 | Brazil | Upper secondary | 88.3% | 91.9% | +3.6 pp | 0.96 | 2023 | PNAD |
| 94 | Sri Lanka | Upper secondary | 91.1% | 94.6% | +3.6 pp | 0.96 | 2022 | LFS |
| 95 | Egypt | Upper secondary | 89.4% | 92.9% | +3.5 pp | 0.96 | 2022 | LFS |
| 96 | Canada | Upper secondary | 95.8% | 99.1% | +3.3 pp | 0.97 | 2018 | CIS |
| 97 | Lithuania | Upper secondary | 92.0% | 95.2% | +3.2 pp | 0.97 | 2021 | EU-LFS |
| 98 | Ukraine | Upper secondary | 95.8% | 99.0% | +3.1 pp | 0.97 | 2013 | MICS |
| 99 | Tajikistan | Upper secondary | 81.4% | 84.2% | +2.8 pp | 0.97 | 2012 | DHS |
| 100 | Costa Rica | Upper secondary | 94.2% | 96.9% | +2.7 pp | 0.97 | 2023 | ENH |
| 101 | Georgia | Upper secondary | 85.8% | 88.5% | +2.7 pp | 0.97 | 2018 | MICS |
| 102 | Philippines | Upper secondary | 87.4% | 90.0% | +2.7 pp | 0.97 | 2022 | DHS |
| 103 | Sweden | Upper secondary | 94.3% | 97.0% | +2.6 pp | 0.97 | 2021 | EU-LFS |
| 104 | Montenegro | Upper secondary | 89.5% | 91.9% | +2.4 pp | 0.97 | 2013 | MICS |
| 104 | Nepal | Upper secondary | 82.1% | 84.5% | +2.4 pp | 0.97 | 2022 | DHS |
| 106 | São Tomé and Príncipe | Upper secondary | 81.5% | 83.3% | +1.8 pp | 0.98 | 2019 | MICS |
| 107 | Azerbaijan | Upper secondary | 89.1% | 90.5% | +1.4 pp | 0.98 | 2023 | MICS |
| 108 | Uruguay | Upper secondary | 90.1% | 91.4% | +1.3 pp | 0.99 | 2023 | ECH |
| 109 | Peru | Upper secondary | 91.2% | 92.4% | +1.2 pp | 0.99 | 2023 | ENAHO |
| 110 | Thailand | Upper secondary | 84.1% | 85.2% | +1.1 pp | 0.99 | 2023 | MICS |
| 111 | Luxembourg | Upper secondary | 89.0% | 90.0% | +1.0 pp | 0.99 | 2021 | EU-LFS |
| 112 | Trinidad and Tobago | Upper secondary | 89.5% | 90.5% | +1.0 pp | 0.99 | 2022 | MICS |
| 113 | Bangladesh | Upper secondary | 62.1% | 62.8% | +0.7 pp | 0.99 | 2022 | DHS |
| 114 | Denmark | Upper secondary | 91.3% | 91.7% | +0.3 pp | 1.00 | 2021 | EU-LFS |
| 115 | Chile | Upper secondary | 97.7% | 97.9% | +0.2 pp | 1.00 | 2022 | CASEN |
| 116 | Latvia | Upper secondary | 97.9% | 98.0% | +0.1 pp | 1.00 | 2021 | EU-LFS |
| 117 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | Upper secondary | 90.8% | 90.8% | 0.0 pp | 1.00 | 2012 | MICS |
| 118 | Slovenia | Upper secondary | 92.8% | 92.8% | 0.0 pp | 1.00 | 2021 | EU-LFS |
| 119 | Greece | Upper secondary | 98.1% | 98.0% | -0.1 pp | 1.00 | 2021 | EU-LFS |
| 120 | Kenya | Upper secondary | 93.4% | 93.3% | -0.2 pp | 1.00 | 2022 | DHS |
| 121 | France | Upper secondary | 97.2% | 97.0% | -0.2 pp | 1.00 | 2021 | EU-LFS |
| 122 | Dominican Republic | Upper secondary | 92.8% | 92.5% | -0.3 pp | 1.00 | 2023 | ENCFT |
| 123 | Spain | Upper secondary | 95.5% | 95.2% | -0.3 pp | 1.00 | 2021 | EU-LFS |
| 124 | Portugal | Upper secondary | 99.2% | 98.7% | -0.6 pp | 1.01 | 2021 | EU-LFS |
| 125 | Poland | Upper secondary | 93.3% | 92.6% | -0.8 pp | 1.01 | 2021 | EU-LFS |
| 126 | Uzbekistan | Upper secondary | 76.4% | 75.4% | -1.0 pp | 1.01 | 2021 | MICS |
| 127 | Belarus | Upper secondary | 100.0% | 99.0% | -1.0 pp | 1.01 | 2019 | MICS |
| 128 | Japan | Upper secondary | 100.0% | 99.0% | -1.0 pp | 1.01 | 2009 | JHPS |
| 129 | Estonia | Upper secondary | 94.2% | 93.0% | -1.2 pp | 1.01 | 2021 | EU-LFS |
| 130 | North Macedonia | Upper secondary | 88.5% | 87.1% | -1.4 pp | 1.02 | 2019 | MICS |
| 131 | Turkmenistan | Upper secondary | 98.6% | 97.1% | -1.5 pp | 1.01 | 2019 | MICS |
| 132 | Barbados | Upper secondary | 97.6% | 96.0% | -1.6 pp | 1.02 | 2012 | MICS |
| 133 | Germany | Upper secondary | 92.8% | 91.0% | -1.8 pp | 1.02 | 2021 | EU-LFS |
| 134 | Jordan | Upper secondary | 84.0% | 82.3% | -1.8 pp | 1.02 | 2023 | DHS |
| 135 | Israel | Upper secondary | 97.7% | 95.8% | -1.8 pp | 1.02 | 2015 | HES |
| 136 | Cyprus | Upper secondary | 97.9% | 95.9% | -2.0 pp | 1.02 | 2021 | EU-LFS |
| 137 | Namibia | Upper secondary | 74.1% | 70.9% | -3.2 pp | 1.05 | 2015 | NHIES |
| 138 | Finland | Upper secondary | 97.0% | 93.8% | -3.2 pp | 1.03 | 2021 | EU-LFS |
| 139 | Saint Lucia | Upper secondary | 97.6% | 94.0% | -3.6 pp | 1.04 | 2012 | MICS |
| 140 | South Africa | Upper secondary | 75.8% | 71.5% | -4.4 pp | 1.06 | 2021 | GHS |
| 141 | Eswatini | Upper secondary | 83.9% | 78.8% | -5.0 pp | 1.06 | 2022 | MICS |
| 142 | Switzerland | Upper secondary | 84.5% | 79.4% | -5.2 pp | 1.07 | 2021 | EU-LFS |
| 143 | Indonesia | Upper secondary | 79.0% | 72.4% | -6.6 pp | 1.09 | 2023 | HFPS |
| 144 | Kyrgyzstan | Upper secondary | 86.9% | 79.9% | -7.0 pp | 1.09 | 2023 | MICS |
Table analysis
- The table contains 123 primary, 123 lower-secondary, and 144 upper-secondary country observations.
- The widest primary gap is Sudan, 41.6 percentage points in 2022.
- The widest lower-secondary gap is Niger, 38.3 percentage points in 2021.
- The widest upper-secondary gap is Morocco, 45.5 percentage points in 2004.
- Near parity, defined here as an absolute gap below 3 percentage points, covers 72 primary, 58 lower-secondary, and 38 upper-secondary observations.
- Rural attendance is higher than urban attendance in 31 primary, 20 lower-secondary, and 27 upper-secondary observations; negative gaps should not be treated automatically as measurement errors.
- Kyrgyzstan records the largest rural advantage in the upper-secondary table, with a gap of −7.0 percentage points in 2023.
- Source years vary by country, so rank positions compare latest available observations rather than one common calendar year.
How the Rural–Urban Gap Changes by Education Level
The medians summarize separate country samples at each level; the progression table then restricts comparison to one survey-year record containing all three levels.
Median attendance gap by school level
Urban attendance minus rural attendance across the latest available country observations.
The median rises from 1.7 percentage points at primary level to 7.4 percentage points at upper-secondary level.
Chart analysis
- The lower-secondary median is 2.1 percentage points above the primary median.
- The upper-secondary median is 3.6 percentage points above the lower-secondary median.
- The upper-secondary median is about 4.4 times the primary median, but the country composition is not identical across levels.
Largest Primary-to-Upper-Secondary Gap Shifts
Selected systems with the largest widening and narrowing where primary, lower-secondary, and upper-secondary values come from the same survey and year.
| Country | Primary gap | Lower-secondary gap | Upper-secondary gap | Upper minus primary | Direction | Year | Survey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honduras | +1.0 pp | +25.9 pp | +37.8 pp | +36.8 pp | Widened | 2023 | EPH |
| Morocco | +15.2 pp | +33.4 pp | +45.5 pp | +30.3 pp | Widened | 2004 | DHS |
| Bhutan | +5.3 pp | +13.7 pp | +32.1 pp | +26.8 pp | Widened | 2010 | MICS |
| Republic of Moldova | -0.8 pp | -1.4 pp | +21.1 pp | +22.0 pp | Widened | 2012 | MICS |
| El Salvador | -0.3 pp | +6.5 pp | +20.9 pp | +21.2 pp | Widened | 2023 | EHPM |
| Côte d'Ivoire | -3.8 pp | -1.7 pp | +17.2 pp | +21.0 pp | Widened | 2021 | DHS |
| Lesotho | +0.4 pp | +10.6 pp | +18.9 pp | +18.5 pp | Widened | 2018 | MICS |
| Myanmar | +4.7 pp | +8.5 pp | +23.2 pp | +18.5 pp | Widened | 2016 | DHS |
| Lao People's Democratic Republic | +7.4 pp | +12.0 pp | +25.8 pp | +18.4 pp | Widened | 2017 | MICS |
| Maldives | -0.3 pp | +0.3 pp | +17.8 pp | +18.1 pp | Widened | 2017 | DHS |
| Indonesia | -0.2 pp | +1.7 pp | -6.6 pp | -6.5 pp | Narrowed | 2023 | HFPS |
| Kyrgyzstan | +0.2 pp | 0.0 pp | -7.0 pp | -7.2 pp | Narrowed | 2023 | MICS |
| United Republic of Tanzania | +13.6 pp | +7.5 pp | +5.2 pp | -8.3 pp | Narrowed | 2022 | DHS |
| Senegal | +25.6 pp | +18.9 pp | +15.1 pp | -10.5 pp | Narrowed | 2023 | DHS |
| Afghanistan | +24.5 pp | +13.5 pp | +7.8 pp | -16.8 pp | Narrowed | 2022 | MICS |
Table analysis
- Honduras records the largest displayed widening across levels: the gap rises from 1.0 point at primary level to 37.8 points at upper-secondary level in the 2023 EPH observation.
- Morocco records a 30.3-point widening in its 2004 DHS observation.
- Bhutan records a 26.8-point widening between primary and upper-secondary levels in 2010.
- Afghanistan, Senegal, and the United Republic of Tanzania are among the displayed systems where the upper-secondary gap is smaller than the primary gap.
- These within-survey comparisons avoid combining education levels from different observation years.
Regional Median Gaps
Regional values are medians of the country observations available at each school level, not population-weighted regional rates.
| Region | Primary median gap | Lower-secondary median gap | Upper-secondary median gap | Countries represented |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sub-Saharan Africa | +13.2 pp | +12.5 pp | +18.2 pp | 42 |
| Latin America and the Caribbean | +0.4 pp | +2.3 pp | +8.3 pp | 26 |
| Oceania | +1.7 pp | +3.2 pp | +6.2 pp | 7 |
| Northern Africa and Western Asia | +0.5 pp | +2.0 pp | +5.8 pp | 16 |
| Eastern and South-eastern Asia | +1.8 pp | +3.8 pp | +4.0 pp | 11 |
| Central and Southern Asia | +0.2 pp | +0.3 pp | +3.6 pp | 13 |
| Europe and Northern America | -0.4 pp | -0.2 pp | +0.7 pp | 30 |
Table analysis
- Sub-Saharan Africa has the largest median gap at all three levels: 13.2 points in primary, 12.5 in lower secondary, and 18.2 in upper secondary.
- Latin America and the Caribbean moves from a 0.4-point primary median to an 8.3-point upper-secondary median.
- Europe and Northern America records medians close to parity: −0.4 points in primary, −0.2 in lower secondary, and 0.7 in upper secondary.
- The regional rows contain different country counts and source years, so they describe the distribution of reported country gaps rather than synchronized regional conditions.
Change Between the Latest Two Upper-Secondary Observations
The chart and table show ten of the largest increases and ten of the largest decreases in the reported rural–urban gap. The interval and survey program may differ by country.
Change in the upper-secondary attendance gap
Latest reported gap minus the preceding available gap for selected countries.
Positive values indicate a wider urban advantage in the latest observation; negative values indicate a narrower gap or a movement toward rural advantage.
Trend analysis
- Maldives records the largest displayed increase at 24.9 percentage points between 2009 and 2017 DHS observations.
- Djibouti records an 18.8-point increase between the 2006 MICS and 2017 EDAM observations.
- Bolivia records the largest displayed decrease at 22.7 percentage points between 2020 and 2021 ECH observations.
- North Macedonia records an 18.0-point decrease between 2011 and 2018 MICS observations.
- Different intervals and survey instruments limit direct comparison of the magnitude of change across countries.
| Country | Previous year | Previous gap | Latest year | Latest gap | Change | Direction | Previous survey | Latest survey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maldives | 2009 | -7.1 pp | 2017 | +17.8 pp | +24.9 pp | Widened | DHS | DHS |
| Djibouti | 2006 | +23.1 pp | 2017 | +41.9 pp | +18.8 pp | Widened | MICS | EDAM |
| Guinea-Bissau | 2019 | +6.7 pp | 2021 | +24.5 pp | +17.8 pp | Widened | MICS | EHCVM |
| Nigeria | 2019 | +9.4 pp | 2021 | +23.0 pp | +13.6 pp | Widened | GHS | MICS |
| Sudan | 2014 | +23.5 pp | 2022 | +35.9 pp | +12.4 pp | Widened | MICS | SLMPS |
| Rwanda | 2015 | -0.7 pp | 2020 | +10.4 pp | +11.1 pp | Widened | DHS | DHS |
| Congo | 2012 | +13.2 pp | 2015 | +22.1 pp | +8.9 pp | Widened | DHS | MICS |
| Mali | 2020 | +32.0 pp | 2021 | +40.4 pp | +8.5 pp | Widened | EMOP | EHCVM |
| Palestine | 2017 | -0.7 pp | 2020 | +7.4 pp | +8.1 pp | Widened | PECS | MICS |
| Togo | 2018 | +16.3 pp | 2021 | +23.0 pp | +6.7 pp | Widened | EHCVM | EHCVM |
| Guatemala | 2022 | +23.7 pp | 2023 | +14.0 pp | -9.7 pp | Narrowed | ENEI | ENCOVI |
| Lesotho | 2014 | +30.4 pp | 2018 | +18.9 pp | -11.5 pp | Narrowed | DHS | MICS |
| Mongolia | 2014 | +15.9 pp | 2022 | +4.0 pp | -11.9 pp | Narrowed | MICS | HSES |
| Türkiye | 2014 | +17.2 pp | 2018 | +5.1 pp | -12.1 pp | Narrowed | DHS | DHS |
| Kyrgyzstan | 2018 | +5.4 pp | 2023 | -7.0 pp | -12.3 pp | Narrowed | MICS | MICS |
| Indonesia | 2022 | +6.5 pp | 2023 | -6.6 pp | -13.2 pp | Narrowed | SUSENAS | HFPS |
| Senegal | 2019 | +28.3 pp | 2023 | +15.1 pp | -13.2 pp | Narrowed | DHS | DHS |
| Vanuatu | 2007 | +23.2 pp | 2023 | +8.4 pp | -14.8 pp | Narrowed | MICS | MICS |
| North Macedonia | 2011 | +16.6 pp | 2019 | -1.4 pp | -18.0 pp | Narrowed | MICS | MICS |
| Bolivia | 2020 | +28.4 pp | 2021 | +5.7 pp | -22.7 pp | Narrowed | ECH | ECH |
Table analysis
- The table is intentionally limited to the largest upward and downward changes; it is not a complete historical ranking.
- Survey continuity is strongest where the same program appears in both columns, such as DHS-to-DHS or MICS-to-MICS comparisons.
- Short intervals can produce large movements, including Bolivia’s one-year comparison between 2020 and 2021.
- A narrower gap does not establish that both rural and urban attendance increased; it records only the change in the difference between the two rates.
Observation-Year Coverage
The 2026 update label refers to the editorial and source-review cycle. Country measurements retain their actual survey years.
| Observation period | Primary | Lower secondary | Upper secondary | All levels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021–2024 | 60 | 60 | 81 | 201 |
| 2017–2020 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 123 |
| 2013–2016 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 35 |
| 2012 or earlier | 9 | 11 | 11 | 31 |
Source-year analysis
- 201 of 390 records come from 2021–2024 observations.
- 123 records come from 2017–2020, including surveys collected during the COVID-19 period.
- 66 records predate 2017; 31 of them are from 2012 or earlier.
- Upper-secondary education has the largest count of 2021–2024 observations at 81.
Measurement and Interpretation
The gap is a location inequality measure, not a general education-system score.
Attendance is derived from out-of-school rates
Primary attendance equals 100 minus the reported share of primary-school-age children out of school. The same complement is used for lower-secondary-age adolescents and upper-secondary-age youth.
Attendance is not enrollment
Household-survey participation measures should not be substituted for administrative enrollment ratios. They also do not measure daily absence, punctuality, or the location of the school attended.
Parity can occur at high or low participation
A small gap can pair two high attendance rates or two low attendance rates. Rural and urban rates remain visible beside the difference for that reason.
Negative gaps remain in the dataset
A negative value means the rural estimate exceeds the urban estimate. Survey sampling, urban poverty, migration patterns, and national geography definitions may affect individual observations, but the table does not assign a cause.
Urban and rural are nationally defined
Country statistical systems use different population, density, administrative, and infrastructure criteria. Cross-country ranks therefore compare reported categories that are not perfectly uniform.
2020 observations require caution
UIS release documentation notes that pandemic-era telephone collection, sample changes, and non-response can affect comparability with earlier household surveys.
Source and Methodology
Main data source
UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report, World Inequality Database on Education (WIDE), June 2025 downloadable dataset.
2026 release context
UNESCO Institute for Statistics, February 2026 education data release documentation.
Coverage
145 countries with a valid rural and urban pair for at least one education level; 390 latest country-level records.
Unit
Attendance rates are percentages. The rural–urban gap is measured in percentage points.
Gap calculation
Urban derived attendance minus rural derived attendance. Positive values indicate higher urban attendance.
Parity calculation
Rural derived attendance divided by urban derived attendance. A value of 1.00 denotes equal reported rates.
Latest-record rule
The latest year containing both rural and urban estimates is selected separately for each country and level. Same-year ties use the observation with the larger combined sample where available.
Missing data
Missing rural or urban values are excluded. No interpolation, projection, or replacement with another year is used.
Rounding
Displayed rates and gaps are rounded to one decimal; ranks and calculations use unrounded values. Parity is displayed to two decimals.
Geography
Rural and urban refer to household residence under the national definition used by the underlying survey.
Official source links
UIS documentation
Indicator construction: derived primary attendance = 100 − out-of-school children rate; derived lower-secondary attendance = 100 − out-of-school adolescents rate; derived upper-secondary attendance = 100 − out-of-school youth rate. These are page-level calculations from the WIDE location-disaggregated indicators. Regional values are unweighted medians of available country observations. Historical comparisons use each country’s latest two reported upper-secondary observations and do not normalize for the length of the interval.
Methodological Safety Note
Rankings describe the reported rural–urban difference for one indicator and one source observation. They do not measure learning quality, school effectiveness, daily absenteeism, or causal effects. Survey years, instruments, samples, school-age definitions, and national rural–urban classifications vary. Older observations should not be interpreted as measurements for 2026.