High School Out-of-School Rate by Country 2026

High school out-of-school rates measure the percentage of youth of high school age not enrolled in school. This indicator is critical because high school education represents the final stage of compulsory education in most countries and the gateway to higher education and skilled employment. Understanding which youth are excluded from high school education is essential for identifying and addressing educational inequities.

The High School Exclusion Crisis

High school out-of-school rates are typically 3-5 times higher than primary school rates in developing nations, indicating a dramatic escalation in educational exclusion. This pattern reveals that the majority of out-of-school youth globally are at the high school age, indicating that many students who complete middle school education do not progress to high school.

Out-of-school status at the high school level results from multiple barriers. Economic constraints are severe, as families must support older youth. High schools are often located in urban centers, creating distance barriers for rural youth. Gender discrimination intensifies, particularly for girls. Early marriage, particularly for girls, increases significantly at this age. Youth employment and family responsibilities also increase. Additionally, high school education is often not compulsory, reducing enrollment incentives.

High School Out-of-School Rate by Country 2026

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#	Country	Out-of-School Rate 2026 Estimate (%) (%)
1	South Sudan SS	98.7%
2	Somalia SO	95.5%
3	Liberia LR	95.4%
4	Guinea-Bissau GW	95.2%
5	Central African Republic CF	94.2%
6	Uganda UG	91.4%
7	Burundi BI	90.4%
8	Chad TD	90.4%
9	Malawi MW	90.2%
10	Mozambique MZ	89.2%
11	Angola AO	86.8%
12	Madagascar MG	86.8%
13	Mauritania MR	86.8%
14	Pakistan PK	86.8%
15	DR Congo CD	86.6%
16	Haiti HT	86.6%
17	Burkina Faso BF	85.9%
18	Mali ML	85.9%
19	Guinea GN	85.8%
20	Ethiopia ET	85.7%
21	Benin BJ	79.7%
22	Senegal SN	79.4%
23	Tanzania TZ	78.2%
24	Zambia ZM	78.1%
25	Papua New Guinea PG	77.6%
26	Sierra Leone SL	77.2%
27	Yemen YE	77.2%
28	Laos LA	76.9%
29	Afghanistan AF	76.6%
30	Niger NE	75.2%
31	Rwanda RW	75.2%
32	Sudan SD	69.8%
33	Ghana GH	69.4%
34	Equatorial Guinea GQ	69.4%
35	Ivory Coast CI	68.8%
36	Gambia GM	68.8%
37	Vanuatu VU	67.2%
38	Nigeria NG	66.6%
39	Cameroon CM	66.2%
40	Iraq IQ	65.8%
41	Cambodia KH	65.8%
42	Timor-Leste TL	65.8%
43	Nicaragua NI	59.8%
44	Gabon GA	59.4%
45	Guatemala GT	59.4%
46	Eswatini SZ	59.4%
47	Morocco MA	59.2%
48	Kenya KE	58.8%
49	Honduras HN	56.2%
50	Bangladesh BD	55.2%
51	Zimbabwe ZW	50.4%
52	El Salvador SV	49.8%
53	Namibia NA	49.7%
54	Myanmar MM	49.2%
55	Togo TG	49.2%
56	Comoros KM	48.8%
57	Nepal NP	48.8%
58	Djibouti DJ	48.7%
59	Lesotho LS	47.9%
60	Venezuela VE	40.6%
61	Nauru NR	40.2%
62	Suriname SR	40.2%
63	Sao Tome and Principe ST	39.4%
64	Bhutan BT	38.8%
65	Congo CG	38.8%
66	Egypt EG	36.2%
67	India IN	36.2%
68	Brazil BR	27.2%
69	Kiribati KI	26.9%
70	Colombia CO	26.2%
71	Dominican Republic DO	26.2%
72	Algeria DZ	26.2%
73	Iran IR	26.2%
74	Panama PA	26.2%
75	Philippines PH	26.2%
76	Paraguay PY	26.2%
77	Tunisia TN	26.2%
78	Bolivia BO	25.9%
79	Argentina AR	16.6%
80	Chile CL	16.6%
81	Mexico MX	16.6%
82	Peru PE	16.6%
83	Trinidad and Tobago TT	16.6%
84	Vietnam VN	16.6%
85	Albania AL	9.9%
86	China CN	9.9%
87	Cyprus CY	9.9%
88	Fiji FJ	9.9%
89	Indonesia ID	9.9%
90	Iceland IS	9.9%
91	Jamaica JM	9.9%
92	Kyrgyzstan KG	9.9%
93	Saint Lucia LC	9.9%
94	Luxembourg LU	9.9%
95	Moldova MD	9.9%
96	North Macedonia MK	9.9%
97	Malta MT	9.9%
98	Montenegro ME	9.9%
99	Portugal PT	9.9%
100	Palestine PS	9.9%
101	Syria SY	9.9%
102	Thailand TH	9.9%
103	Tajikistan TJ	9.9%
104	Tonga TO	9.9%
105	Türkiye TR	9.9%
106	Tuvalu TV	9.9%
107	Uruguay UY	9.9%
108	Uzbekistan UZ	9.9%
109	Samoa WS	9.9%
110	South Africa ZA	9.9%
111	Botswana BW	9.8%
112	Costa Rica CR	9.8%
113	Ecuador EC	9.8%
114	Guyana GY	9.8%
115	Jordan JO	9.8%
116	Maldives MV	9.8%
117	Qatar QA	9.8%
118	Azerbaijan AZ	5.2%
119	Barbados BB	5.2%
120	Turkmenistan TM	5.2%
121	Slovenia SI	3.6%
122	Spain ES	3.4%
123	France FR	3.4%
124	Georgia GE	3.4%
125	Greece GR	3.4%
126	Croatia HR	3.4%
127	Latvia LV	3.4%
128	Mongolia MN	3.4%
129	Malaysia MY	3.4%
130	Poland PL	3.4%
131	Romania RO	3.4%
132	Serbia RS	3.4%
133	Slovakia SK	3.4%
134	Ukraine UA	3.4%
135	Belgium BE	3.3%
136	Belarus BY	3%
137	Finland FI	3%
138	Italy IT	3%
139	Lithuania LT	3%
140	Netherlands NL	3%
141	Russia RU	3%
142	Australia AU	2.9%
143	Bulgaria BG	2.9%
144	Canada CA	2.9%
145	Cuba CU	2.9%
146	Denmark DK	2.9%
147	Estonia EE	2.9%
148	United Kingdom GB	2.9%
149	Hungary HU	2.9%
150	Ireland IE	2.9%
151	Israel IL	2.9%
152	Kazakhstan KZ	2.9%
153	Mauritius MU	2.9%
154	Norway NO	2.9%
155	United States US	2.9%
156	Armenia AM	2.8%
157	Bosnia and Herzegovina BA	2.8%
158	Switzerland CH	2.8%
159	Czech Republic CZ	2.4%
160	Sweden SE	2.4%
161	Japan JP	2.1%
162	Austria AT	1.9%
163	Germany DE	1.9%
164	South Korea KR	1.9%

Global Patterns in High School Out-of-School Rates

Global high school out-of-school rates show the most dramatic disparities of all education levels. Developed nations typically show rates below 5%, indicating near-universal high school enrollment. Many developing countries show rates between 20-50%, reflecting significant access challenges. The lowest-performing countries show rates exceeding 80%, indicating that the vast majority of high school-age youth are not in school.

Sub-Saharan Africa shows the highest high school out-of-school rates globally, with many countries exceeding 50%. South Asia also shows high rates, particularly for girls. Latin America and East Asia show lower rates, reflecting greater educational development. Developed regions show the lowest rates, with near-universal enrollment at high school level.

Gender Dimensions of High School Exclusion

Gender disparities in high school out-of-school rates are particularly pronounced. In many developing nations, girls' out-of-school rates at the high school level exceed boys' rates by 15-30 percentage points. Early marriage, pregnancy, and cultural restrictions on girls' education contribute significantly to this gap. Addressing high school exclusion requires targeted interventions to support girls' education.

The Escalating Exclusion Pattern

A critical pattern emerges when comparing out-of-school rates across all three levels. In many developing nations, the out-of-school rate escalates dramatically at each level. For example, in Afghanistan, the rates are: primary 27.5%, middle school 57.7%, and high school 78.7%. This indicates a progressive dropout pattern where students increasingly leave school as they advance through education levels.

Causes and Consequences of High School Out-of-School Status

High school out-of-school status has profound consequences for individual and national development. Youth not in high school face severely limited economic opportunities. They typically have access only to low-skill, low-wage employment. They are more vulnerable to exploitation, including child labor and trafficking. Girls not in school are at higher risk of early marriage and pregnancy.

For nations, high high school out-of-school rates indicate severe educational access problems and reflect broader development challenges. Countries with high out-of-school rates typically have lower GDP per capita, higher unemployment, and less diversified economies. Addressing high school out-of-school status is essential for breaking cycles of poverty and promoting sustainable development.

2026 Projections and Methodology

Projections for 2026 show modest improvements in high school out-of-school rates globally, with rates expected to decline slightly from 2023 levels. However, these improvements are typically only 2-4 percentage points, suggesting that without significant policy interventions, current disparities will persist.

The 2026 estimates are calculated using linear regression analysis based on historical trends from 2019-2023. This statistical method identifies the rate of change over recent years and projects that trend forward to 2026. The methodology examines each country's historical out-of-school rate trajectory and applies the observed trend to estimate 2026 values. All projections are constrained to the 0-100% range to ensure realistic estimates. This approach assumes that current trends will continue, which may not hold if significant policy changes or external shocks occur.

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted education globally, causing school closures and economic hardship that increased out-of-school rates in many countries. Recovery efforts and renewed investment in education infrastructure will be critical to achieving further improvements in high school out-of-school rates beyond these projections.

High School Out-of-School Rate by Country 2026

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#	Country	Out-of-School Rate 2023 (%) (%)	Out-of-School Rate 2026 Estimate (%) (%)
1	South Sudan	98.8%	98.7%
2	Somalia	95.9%	95.5%
3	Liberia	95.8%	95.4%
4	Guinea-Bissau	95.7%	95.2%
5	Central African Republic	94.7%	94.2%
6	Uganda	91.1%	91.4%
7	Burundi	91.1%	90.4%
8	Chad	91.1%	90.4%
9	Malawi	91.1%	90.2%
10	Mozambique	91.1%	89.2%
11	Angola	87.9%	86.8%
12	Madagascar	87.9%	86.8%
13	Mauritania	87.9%	86.8%
14	Pakistan	87.9%	86.8%
15	DR Congo	87.7%	86.6%
16	Haiti	87.9%	86.6%
17	Burkina Faso	87.7%	85.9%
18	Mali	87.7%	85.9%
19	Guinea	87.9%	85.8%
20	Ethiopia	87.9%	85.7%
21	Benin	81.1%	79.7%
22	Senegal	81.1%	79.4%
23	Tanzania	78.7%	78.2%
24	Zambia	78.7%	78.1%
25	Papua New Guinea	78.7%	77.6%
26	Sierra Leone	78.7%	77.2%
27	Yemen	78.7%	77.2%
28	Laos	78.7%	76.9%
29	Afghanistan	78.7%	76.6%
30	Niger	78.7%	75.2%
31	Rwanda	78.7%	75.2%
32	Sudan	71.1%	69.8%
33	Ghana	71.1%	69.4%
34	Equatorial Guinea	71.1%	69.4%
35	Ivory Coast	71.1%	68.8%
36	Gambia	71.1%	68.8%
37	Vanuatu	67.9%	67.2%
38	Nigeria	67.9%	66.6%
39	Cameroon	67.9%	66.2%
40	Iraq	67.9%	65.8%
41	Cambodia	67.9%	65.8%
42	Timor-Leste	67.9%	65.8%
43	Nicaragua	61.1%	59.8%
44	Gabon	61.1%	59.4%
45	Guatemala	61.1%	59.4%
46	Eswatini	61.1%	59.4%
47	Morocco	61.1%	59.2%
48	Kenya	61.1%	58.8%
49	Honduras	57.9%	56.2%
50	Bangladesh	57.9%	55.2%
51	Zimbabwe	51.1%	50.4%
52	El Salvador	51.1%	49.8%
53	Namibia	51.1%	49.7%
54	Myanmar	51.1%	49.2%
55	Togo	51.1%	49.2%
56	Comoros	51.1%	48.8%
57	Nepal	51.1%	48.8%
58	Djibouti	51.1%	48.7%
59	Lesotho	51.1%	47.9%
60	Venezuela	41.1%	40.6%
61	Nauru	41.1%	40.2%
62	Suriname	41.1%	40.2%
63	Sao Tome and Principe	41.1%	39.4%
64	Bhutan	41.1%	38.8%
65	Congo	41.1%	38.8%
66	Egypt	37.9%	36.2%
67	India	37.9%	36.2%
68	Brazil	28.8%	27.2%
69	Kiribati	27.7%	26.9%
70	Colombia	27.7%	26.2%
71	Dominican Republic	27.7%	26.2%
72	Algeria	27.7%	26.2%
73	Iran	27.7%	26.2%
74	Panama	27.7%	26.2%
75	Philippines	27.7%	26.2%
76	Paraguay	27.7%	26.2%
77	Tunisia	27.7%	26.2%
78	Bolivia	27.7%	25.9%
79	Argentina	17.9%	16.6%
80	Chile	17.9%	16.6%
81	Mexico	17.9%	16.6%
82	Peru	17.9%	16.6%
83	Trinidad and Tobago	17.9%	16.6%
84	Vietnam	17.9%	16.6%
85	Albania	10.7%	9.9%
86	China	10.7%	9.9%
87	Cyprus	10.7%	9.9%
88	Fiji	10.7%	9.9%
89	Indonesia	10.7%	9.9%
90	Iceland	10.7%	9.9%
91	Jamaica	10.7%	9.9%
92	Kyrgyzstan	10.7%	9.9%
93	Saint Lucia	10.7%	9.9%
94	Luxembourg	10.7%	9.9%
95	Moldova	10.7%	9.9%
96	North Macedonia	10.7%	9.9%
97	Malta	10.7%	9.9%
98	Montenegro	10.7%	9.9%
99	Portugal	10.7%	9.9%
100	Palestine	10.7%	9.9%
101	Syria	10.7%	9.9%
102	Thailand	10.7%	9.9%
103	Tajikistan	10.7%	9.9%
104	Tonga	10.7%	9.9%
105	Türkiye	10.7%	9.9%
106	Tuvalu	10.7%	9.9%
107	Uruguay	10.7%	9.9%
108	Uzbekistan	10.7%	9.9%
109	Samoa	10.7%	9.9%
110	South Africa	10.7%	9.9%
111	Botswana	10.7%	9.8%
112	Costa Rica	10.7%	9.8%
113	Ecuador	10.7%	9.8%
114	Guyana	10.7%	9.8%
115	Jordan	10.7%	9.8%
116	Maldives	10.7%	9.8%
117	Qatar	10.7%	9.8%
118	Azerbaijan	5.8%	5.2%
119	Barbados	5.8%	5.2%
120	Turkmenistan	5.8%	5.2%
121	Slovenia	3.9%	3.6%
122	Spain	3.7%	3.4%
123	France	3.8%	3.4%
124	Georgia	3.7%	3.4%
125	Greece	3.8%	3.4%
126	Croatia	3.7%	3.4%
127	Latvia	3.7%	3.4%
128	Mongolia	3.8%	3.4%
129	Malaysia	3.7%	3.4%
130	Poland	3.7%	3.4%
131	Romania	3.8%	3.4%
132	Serbia	3.8%	3.4%
133	Slovakia	3.7%	3.4%
134	Ukraine	3.7%	3.4%
135	Belgium	3.7%	3.3%
136	Belarus	3.3%	3%
137	Finland	3.3%	3%
138	Italy	3.3%	3%
139	Lithuania	3.3%	3%
140	Netherlands	3.3%	3%
141	Russia	3.3%	3%
142	Australia	3.3%	2.9%
143	Bulgaria	3.2%	2.9%
144	Canada	3.2%	2.9%
145	Cuba	3.2%	2.9%
146	Denmark	3.2%	2.9%
147	Estonia	3.2%	2.9%
148	United Kingdom	3.2%	2.9%
149	Hungary	3.2%	2.9%
150	Ireland	3.2%	2.9%
151	Israel	3.2%	2.9%
152	Kazakhstan	3.2%	2.9%
153	Mauritius	3.2%	2.9%
154	Norway	3.2%	2.9%
155	United States	3.2%	2.9%
156	Armenia	3.2%	2.8%
157	Bosnia and Herzegovina	3.1%	2.8%
158	Switzerland	3.1%	2.8%
159	Czech Republic	2.7%	2.4%
160	Sweden	2.7%	2.4%
161	Japan	2.4%	2.1%
162	Austria	2.2%	1.9%
163	Germany	2.2%	1.9%
164	South Korea	2.2%	1.9%

Methodology and Data Sources

This analysis uses UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) modelled estimates of high school out-of-school rates. Modelled estimates provide consistent, comparable data across countries by using statistical techniques to fill gaps in reported data and account for different reporting methodologies.

Out-of-school rates are calculated as: (Number of out-of-school youth / Total population of high school age) × 100

The data reflects 2023 actual rates (the most recent available), with 2026 projections calculated using linear regression analysis based on historical trends from 2019-2023. Using modelled estimates ensures methodological consistency across all 195 countries included in this analysis, though it is important to note that these are statistical estimates rather than direct observations. This approach allows for meaningful comparisons between countries with different education systems and reporting practices.