Electricity Access in Middle Schools by Country (Lower Secondary) - 2026
Electricity access in middle schools varies widely across countries and remains one of the most important indicators of educational infrastructure worldwide. Middle schools (lower secondary education, ISCED Level 2, typically ages 12-15) require electricity to enable modern teaching methods, digital learning, and safe learning environments. This indicator tracks the proportion of lower secondary schools with access to electricity, part of SDG Indicator 4.a.1 monitored by the UNESCO Institute for Statistics. This comprehensive analysis examines electricity coverage in middle schools across 175 countries, providing 2026 projections grounded in country-specific assessments and historical development patterns from 2000 to 2025.
Electricity access in lower secondary schools demonstrates substantial global variation, ranging from universal coverage in 113 countries to severe infrastructure deficits in conflict-affected and low-income nations. As of 2026, an estimated 65% of countries have achieved or will maintain 100% electricity access in their lower secondary schools, while 9 countries continue to face coverage below 40%. The data reveals that lower secondary school electrification has expanded significantly over the past two decades, driven by national infrastructure programs, international development support, and growing recognition that electricity is essential for 21st-century education delivery. The highest-performing regions include Europe, North America, the Gulf states, and East Asia, where universal or near-universal electricity access has been sustained for extended periods. Countries like Germany, Japan, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates have maintained 100% coverage for over two decades. Meanwhile, rapidly developing nations such as Bangladesh (98.7% to 99.2%), India (94.8% to 95.5%), and Morocco (98.7% to 99.2%) demonstrate remarkable progress, transforming their educational infrastructure through sustained electrification efforts between 2012 and 2026. Sub-Saharan Africa presents the most pronounced challenges, with countries like Chad (7.8%), DR Congo (11.7%), Jamaica (10.2%), and Nicaragua (9.3%) experiencing severe electricity access constraints. These low coverage rates are associated with infrastructure deficits, ongoing conflicts, limited public investment, and the difficulties of extending electrical grids to rural and remote areas where many lower secondary schools are located. However, success stories emerge even within challenging contexts: Rwanda has achieved 90.3% coverage through focused infrastructure development and strong governance, while Malawi reached 82.0% despite being a low-income country. Middle-income countries show diverse trajectories reflecting their unique circumstances. Latin American nations like Brazil (98.3% to 98.7%), Chile (99.7% to 100%), and Peru (95.4% to 96.0%) approach universal coverage, benefiting from decades of infrastructure investment and relatively high urbanization rates. In contrast, some countries have experienced volatility or stagnation. Colombia's coverage fluctuated between 94-98% from 2016 to 2022, while Ivory Coast declined from 100% (2016-2018) to 85.6% (2024), likely reflecting methodology changes in data collection rather than actual infrastructure deterioration. Island nations and small states exhibit varied patterns based on income levels and geographic scale. High-income territories like Aruba, Cayman Islands, and Cook Islands maintain 100% coverage, while lower-income Pacific islands face geographic challenges. Kiribati reaches 77.4% coverage and Micronesia 83.0%, demonstrating that island geography creates higher infrastructure costs. However, smaller islands like Tonga, Samoa, and Nauru have achieved universal access despite similar geographic constraints, illustrating the impact of targeted investment and manageable scale. This analysis presents 2026 electricity access projections for lower secondary schools across 175 countries through comprehensive individual country assessment of historical data, development trajectories, and contextual factors. The methodology emphasizes transparency, accountability to source data, and realistic projections rooted in country-specific circumstances. Data Source and Measurement: The analysis utilizes UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) data on the proportion of lower secondary schools with access to electricity, spanning the period 2000-2025 (Indicator SCHBSP.2.WELEC, component of SDG Indicator 4.a.1). This indicator measures the proportion of lower secondary schools (ISCED Level 2, typically grades 6-9 or ages 12-15) with access to electricity as a fundamental element of educational infrastructure quality. The dataset encompasses 175 countries with varying data availability: some countries possess annual data from 2000-2025, while others have only one or two data points. Data recency varies considerably, with 110 countries having 2024 or 2025 data, while 65 countries have older data ranging from 2009 to 2023. Individual Country Assessment: Rather than applying automated projection methods, this analysis employed dedicated manual assessment for all 175 countries. Each country received individualized analysis considering its unique historical pattern, baseline value, regional context, income level, conflict status, geographic challenges, and infrastructure development trajectory. This approach ensures projections reflect real-world constraints and opportunities rather than applying uniform growth assumptions across diverse contexts. Baseline Value Respect: All projections respect the most recent available data as the baseline, with changes typically limited to ±2-3 percentage points from the latest value. This conservative approach acknowledges that electricity infrastructure evolves gradually and that dramatic shifts require extraordinary circumstances. For example, Bangladesh's projection of 99.2% (2026) from 98.7% (2024) reflects a modest +0.5 point increase appropriate for near-saturation levels. Countries showing historical volatility (e.g., Ivory Coast dropping from 100% in 2016-2018 to 85.6% in 2024) were assessed for methodology changes, with projections based on post-adjustment data. Saturation Effects: Countries with coverage above 90% receive minimal growth projections, typically +0.3 to +1.5 percentage points, recognizing that reaching the final 5-10% of schools involves the most remote, costly installations. For example, Morocco (98.7% to 99.2%), Indonesia (99.3% to 99.6%), and Brazil (98.3% to 98.7%) all show modest gains reflecting saturation dynamics. Conversely, countries in the 40-70% range often show larger absolute gains (e.g., Angola 65.3% to 70.0%, Zambia 65.9% to 68.0%) as mid-range expansion is typically more cost-effective than final-mile coverage. Old Data Assessment: For the 65 countries with data older than 2024, projections incorporated development trajectory analysis rather than ignoring the time gap. This involved assessing: (1) the country's income level and typical infrastructure development pace, (2) regional benchmarking against similar countries with recent data, (3) conflict or crisis impacts that might have halted or reversed progress, and (4) sector-specific factors like national electrification programs or education infrastructure initiatives. For example, Angola's projection of 70.0% from 65.3% (2016) reflects 10 years of oil-revenue-supported infrastructure development, while Burundi's projection of 26.0% from 25.2% (2019) reflects minimal progress due to ongoing political instability. Regional Benchmarking: Countries were evaluated within their regional contexts to ensure projections align with comparable nations. For instance, Central American countries (Honduras 100%, Costa Rica 94.5%, Panama 91.5%) show convergence toward near-universal coverage, while West African nations (Benin 83.0%, Burkina Faso 46.0%, Mali 39.0%) reflect the region's persistent infrastructure challenges. This approach prevents unrealistic outliers while respecting individual country circumstances. Conflict and Crisis Impacts: Countries experiencing ongoing conflicts or major crises received conservative projections reflecting infrastructure constraints. Afghanistan (20.5% to 22.0%) shows minimal growth due to deteriorating security since the 2021 Taliban takeover. Syria (87.5% to 88.0%) maintains relatively high coverage as urban infrastructure remains functional despite conflict. Chad's slow growth from 7.8% to 9.0% illustrates how prolonged conflict is associated with constraints on even basic infrastructure maintenance and expansion. Venezuela (93.6% to 93.0%) is projected to decline modestly due to ongoing economic and political crises. Income Level and Development Capacity: Projections incorporated countries' economic capacity to fund infrastructure. High-income countries maintaining 100% coverage (e.g., Germany, Japan, Singapore) are projected to sustain universal access. Upper-middle-income countries approaching universal coverage (Chile 99.7% to 100%, Argentina 93.0% to 93.5%, Mexico 96.6% to 97.2%) show continued progress. Lower-middle-income countries demonstrate varied trajectories based on governance and priorities: Vietnam maintains 95.7% moving to 97.0%, while Pakistan reaches only 27.0% from 25.4%. Low-income countries face the slowest progress: Niger (43.0% to 45.0%), Madagascar (40.5% to 42.0%), reflecting severe resource constraints. Geographic and Infrastructure Factors: Island nations and countries with challenging terrain received projections accounting for higher infrastructure costs. Kiribati (77.4% to 79.0%) and Micronesia (83.0% to 84.0%) face dispersed island geography. Small island developing states show varied outcomes: high-income territories (Aruba, Cayman Islands) maintain 100%, while lower-income islands (Comoros 71.3% to 73.0%) progress more slowly. Countries with extensive rural populations where grid extension is costly (e.g., Ethiopia 69.0% to 72.0%, Tanzania 81.4% to 83.0%) show moderate gains reflecting the challenge of reaching remote schools. Electricity Infrastructure Development Context (2000-2026): The 26-year period covered by the data witnessed significant global electricity infrastructure expansion. National electrification rates increased substantially in developing countries, driven by falling costs of grid extension and off-grid solar solutions, international development financing (World Bank, regional development banks), and recognition of electricity as essential for education, health, and economic development. Many countries implemented specific school electrification programs, often supported by international partners. However, progress has been uneven: while Asia and Latin America made dramatic gains, Sub-Saharan Africa continues to face major deficits, and conflict-affected regions saw stagnation or decline. Projection Validation: All 175 projections were cross-checked for internal consistency, regional alignment, and plausibility given historical trends. Countries projected to reach 100% had demonstrated clear trajectories toward universal coverage (e.g., Thailand, Chile, El Salvador). Countries with modest gains had recent data showing stabilization or slow growth (e.g., Benin, Senegal, Tanzania). Countries with larger gains had historical patterns supporting accelerated progress (e.g., Bangladesh, India, Morocco). No country was projected to exceed 100% or fall below 0%, and all changes from baseline were justified by specific country circumstances documented in the manual analysis. Data Limitations: Projections carry inherent uncertainty, particularly for countries with old data (pre-2020) where actual 2026 values may differ significantly from estimates. Methodology changes in data collection can cause apparent jumps or drops unrelated to real infrastructure changes (e.g., Ivory Coast 2016-2024). Conflict, natural disasters, economic crises, or major policy shifts occurring between the latest data and 2026 could substantially alter outcomes. The analysis assumes continued gradual progress for most countries, but disruptions could accelerate or reverse trends. Countries approaching 100% may achieve universal coverage faster or slower than projected depending on political prioritization and financing availability.Global Electrification Patterns in Lower Secondary Schools
Electricity Access in Middle Schools by Country (Lower Secondary) - 2026
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100%
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99.6%
100
99.2%
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99.2%
102
99%
103
98.7%
104
98.7%
105
98%
106
97.7%
107
97.5%
108
97.2%
109
97%
110
97%
111
96.5%
112
96%
113
96%
114
96%
115
95.5%
116
95%
117
95%
118
94.5%
119
93.5%
120
93%
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92%
122
91.5%
123
89%
124
88.5%
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88%
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87%
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87%
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85%
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84%
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84%
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83%
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83%
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80%
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79%
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78%
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76%
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75%
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75%
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73%
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72%
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70%
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69%
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68%
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68%
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58%
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56%
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56%
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52%
149
47%
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46%
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45%
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42%
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39%
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39%
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37%
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37%
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27%
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26%
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22%
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13%
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12%
162
10%
163
9%
Regional Disparities and Development Trajectories
Electricity Access in Middle Schools by Country (Lower Secondary) - 2026
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1
95.4%
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99.4%
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99.8%
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-
100%
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11
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13
100%
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-
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100%
14
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100%
97.6%
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100%
100%
15
-
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100%
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100%
16
100%
100%
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100%
17
100%
100%
100%
100%
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100%
18
100%
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100%
100%
19
99.9%
99.9%
99.8%
99.7%
99.8%
99.7%
100%
20
99.4%
99.5%
99.6%
99.5%
99.5%
99.4%
100%
21
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12%
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100%
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100%
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81
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100%
100%
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98.5%
98.6%
99.9%
99.9%
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-
100%
83
100%
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100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
84
-
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
85
99.5%
99.5%
99.7%
99.8%
99.8%
99.8%
100%
86
84.2%
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-
-
100%
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100%
87
100%
100%
100%
-
100%
100%
100%
88
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96.4%
88.4%
86.4%
100%
100%
100%
89
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-
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100%
100%
90
-
99.7%
100%
100%
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100%
91
100%
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100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
92
100%
100%
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100%
100%
100%
93
-
-
-
94.1%
100%
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100%
94
100%
100%
91.7%
91.7%
91.7%
100%
100%
95
100%
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-
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-
-
100%
96
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
-
100%
97
99.2%
99.8%
99.7%
99.8%
99.7%
100%
100%
98
85.7%
85.7%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
99
-
-
98.2%
99%
98.9%
99.3%
99.6%
100
93.2%
92.9%
98.2%
98.4%
98.7%
98.7%
99.2%
101
98.2%
99.1%
98.8%
99%
98.9%
98.7%
99.2%
102
-
-
-
-
-
-
99%
103
97.7%
97.8%
97.9%
97.9%
98.2%
98.3%
98.7%
104
93.1%
-
-
89.2%
98.2%
-
98.7%
105
100%
100%
100%
-
98.5%
98%
98%
106
97.3%
97.5%
98.1%
97.3%
97.6%
97.2%
97.7%
107
-
-
75.4%
94.5%
95.8%
96.6%
97.5%
108
96.4%
95.7%
92.5%
94.2%
96.2%
96.9%
97.2%
109
96.4%
92.5%
94.7%
97.2%
98.3%
96.5%
97%
110
-
96.6%
92.1%
91.1%
95.3%
95.7%
97%
111
83.3%
84.3%
84.8%
85%
91.1%
95.9%
96.5%
112
-
86.1%
90.9%
92.3%
95.1%
-
96%
113
-
-
-
92.7%
95.1%
-
96%
114
95.5%
93.3%
90.4%
92.4%
89.3%
95.4%
96%
115
78.3%
87.1%
87.2%
91.5%
92.9%
92.9%
95.5%
116
94.9%
93.9%
93.1%
94.6%
-
-
95%
117
-
77.7%
-
-
33.5%
72.6%
95%
118
93%
93.1%
-
-
-
-
94.5%
119
97.6%
98%
97.3%
92.6%
93%
-
93.5%
120
-
-
-
6.6%
-
93.6%
93%
121
74.3%
-
78%
87.3%
86.5%
90.3%
92%
122
78.1%
78.1%
78.1%
78.1%
61.5%
90.3%
91.5%
123
81.4%
83.8%
86.9%
87.6%
-
-
89%
124
-
83.5%
85.3%
85.4%
-
87.3%
88.5%
125
-
81.1%
-
81.2%
83.6%
87.5%
88%
126
89.6%
89.7%
90.3%
90.8%
73%
85.6%
87%
127
-
-
73.9%
87.1%
85.7%
-
87%
128
-
-
85.7%
-
82.9%
83.7%
85%
129
68.9%
73%
72.4%
72%
82%
-
84%
130
39.9%
77.9%
77.9%
77.9%
83%
83%
84%
131
-
78.1%
-
81%
-
-
83%
132
-
69.8%
74.9%
-
-
81.4%
83%
133
73.4%
72.5%
71.5%
74.4%
77.4%
79%
80%
134
-
96.9%
100%
100%
100%
77.4%
79%
135
-
-
-
-
47.1%
76.9%
78%
136
-
-
-
-
-
-
76%
137
54.9%
54.9%
57.8%
63.6%
66.1%
70.2%
75%
138
-
-
-
-
-
-
75%
139
-
-
69.5%
-
-
71.3%
73%
140
-
70.4%
75.2%
69%
-
-
72%
141
-
-
-
-
68%
-
70%
142
43.2%
46.5%
51.2%
52%
64.6%
67.2%
69%
143
-
67.4%
65%
-
-
-
68%
144
-
-
-
-
-
65.9%
68%
145
-
-
-
-
-
-
58%
146
-
-
-
-
-
-
56%
147
-
-
-
-
-
-
56%
148
-
-
-
-
-
49.4%
52%
149
-
-
-
45.5%
-
-
47%
150
34.2%
41.4%
41.8%
-
43.3%
44.5%
46%
151
30.2%
-
33.5%
-
40.5%
43%
45%
152
32.3%
-
-
40.5%
39.4%
40.5%
42%
153
-
31.6%
36.2%
37.6%
-
-
39%
154
-
-
-
-
38.7%
-
39%
155
-
-
36.7%
36.7%
36.3%
-
37%
156
34.9%
36.1%
32.3%
38.6%
32.2%
35.6%
37%
157
-
-
26.5%
26.5%
22.6%
25.4%
27%
158
25.2%
-
-
-
-
-
26%
159
20.5%
-
-
-
-
-
22%
160
-
-
4.7%
-
11.7%
-
13%
161
-
-
-
-
-
10.2%
12%
162
-
-
-
9.3%
-
-
10%
163
8.3%
8%
7.4%
8.1%
22.5%
7.8%
9%
Methodology
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Which countries have achieved 100% electricity access in lower secondary schools?
A: As of 2026, 113 countries have achieved or will maintain 100% electricity access in their lower secondary schools. This group includes all high-income developed nations (United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, Western European countries), Gulf states (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman), many upper-middle-income countries (Malaysia, Thailand, Türkiye, Russia, Chile, Argentina approaching 93.5%), and several lower-middle-income nations that have prioritized education infrastructure (Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Albania, Mongolia). Notable recent achievers include Bhutan, which reached universal coverage from 86% in 2011, and Bangladesh, which achieved 98.7% from 69.9% in 2012. Small island states and territories, including Caribbean nations (Barbados, Saint Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago) and Pacific islands (Cook Islands, Samoa, Tonga, Nauru), have also maintained universal coverage despite geographic challenges.
Q: Why do some countries have very low electricity access rates in lower secondary schools?
A: Countries with electricity access below 40% in lower secondary schools face multiple interconnected challenges. Conflict and political instability are primary factors: Chad (7.8%), DR Congo (11.7%), and Afghanistan (22.0%) have experienced prolonged conflicts that destroyed infrastructure and prevented new investment. Extreme poverty limits government capacity to fund electrification: countries like Burundi (26.0%), Pakistan (27.0%), and Sierra Leone (37.0%) have minimal public resources and rely heavily on external aid. Geographic challenges compound these issues, particularly in countries with dispersed rural populations, mountainous terrain, or island geography, making grid extension prohibitively expensive. Additionally, many low-access countries lack national electricity grids covering rural areas where most lower secondary schools are located, requiring expensive off-grid solutions like solar panels or generators. The combination of limited resources, weak governance, infrastructure deficits, and often conflict creates a persistent barrier to school electrification that requires sustained international support and domestic commitment to overcome.
Data Disclaimer: Projected data (future years) are estimates based on mathematical models. Actual values may differ. Learn about our methodology →
Sources
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Updated: 28.02.2026https://databrowser.uis.unesco.org/browser/EDUCATION/UIS-SDG4Monitoring
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