Primary school completion rates, adjusted gender parity index in Zambia
Zambia: Primary school completion rates, adjusted gender parity index was 1.14 index in 2025. ▲ Rising
Primary school completion rates, adjusted gender parity index in Zambia, 1981–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in index.
Analysis
Zambia recorded 1.14 index for primary school completion rates, adjusted gender parity index in 2025. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 4.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary school completion rates, adjusted gender parity index in Zambia peaked at 1.14 index in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.778 index, in 1981.
Zambia ranks 16th of 165 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
Primary school completion rates, adjusted gender parity index in Zambia, year by year
| Year | index | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 0.778 index | — |
| 1982 | 0.7893 index | +1.5% |
| 1983 | 0.8026 index | +1.7% |
| 1984 | 0.8162 index | +1.7% |
| 1985 | 0.8284 index | +1.5% |
| 1986 | 0.8383 index | +1.2% |
| 1987 | 0.8479 index | +1.1% |
| 1988 | 0.8582 index | +1.2% |
| 1989 | 0.8694 index | +1.3% |
| 1990 | 0.8815 index | +1.4% |
| 1991 | 0.8955 index | +1.6% |
| 1992 | 0.9117 index | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 0.9259 index | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 0.9351 index | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 0.9435 index | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 0.95 index | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 0.9569 index | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 0.9651 index | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 0.9703 index | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 0.9751 index | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 0.9796 index | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 0.9818 index | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 0.9837 index | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 0.9858 index | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 0.9911 index | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 0.9975 index | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 1.01 index | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 1.02 index | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 1.03 index | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 1.04 index | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 1.05 index | +1.3% |
| 2012 | 1.06 index | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 1.07 index | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 1.09 index | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 1.1 index | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 1.11 index | +1.0% |
| 2017 | 1.12 index | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 1.12 index | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 1.13 index | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 1.14 index | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 1.14 index | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 1.14 index | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 1.14 index | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 1.14 index | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 1.14 index | +0.2% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 1.14 index is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.06 index, 1.1× the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 1.14 index is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.09 index, 1.0× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.8254 index | 0.778 index | 0.8694 index | 9 |
| 1990s | 0.9335 index | 0.8815 index | 0.9703 index | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.9941 index | 0.9751 index | 1.03 index | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.09 index | 1.04 index | 1.13 index | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.14 index | 1.14 index | 1.14 index | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 13 Papua New Guinea 1.16 index compare
- 14 Tanzania 1.15 index compare
- 15 Nicaragua 1.15 index compare
- 17 Burkina Faso 1.14 index compare
- 18 Eswatini 1.13 index compare
- 19 East Timor 1.13 index compare
More gender data for Zambia
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 9,719 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 1.61 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 15,306 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 15,306 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 3.24 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 340,219 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 341,639 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 331,557 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 332,331 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 324,712 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is primary school completion rates, adjusted gender parity index in Zambia?
- Primary school completion rates, adjusted gender parity index in Zambia was 1.14 index in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest primary school completion rates, adjusted gender parity index recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 1.14 index in 2025.
- What is the lowest primary school completion rates, adjusted gender parity index recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.778 index in 1981.
- How does Zambia rank for primary school completion rates, adjusted gender parity index?
- Zambia ranks 16th out of 165 countries with data for 2025.
- Is primary school completion rates, adjusted gender parity index rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Primary school completion rates, adjusted gender parity index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
An adjusted gender parity index of 1 indicates equal primary school completion rates between boys and girls. Values below 1 favor boys, and values above 1 favor girls.