Primary School Completion Rate By Country

Elementary School Completion Rate By Country 2026

Elementary school, or primary education, represents the foundation of a child's educational journey. Completing this level of education is essential for developing basic literacy and numeracy skills that enable further learning. This comprehensive analysis examines elementary school completion rates across 164 countries, revealing significant global disparities in educational attainment at this critical stage.

Global Leaders in Elementary School Completion

Several countries have achieved near-universal elementary school completion, with rates exceeding 98%. Uzbekistan leads globally with an impressive 99.3% completion rate in 2024, projected to reach 99.42% by 2026. Other top performers include Ireland (99.1%), South Korea (98.9%), and Poland (98.7%). These nations have invested heavily in accessible, quality elementary education systems that ensure virtually all children complete this foundational level.

The United States maintains a strong completion rate of 95.8%, while European nations like Germany (95.2%), United Kingdom (94.6%), and France (94.1%) demonstrate robust elementary education systems. Australia (94.8%) and Japan (93.7%) also rank among the top performers in their respective regions.

Primary School Completion Rate By Country

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#	Country	Completion Rate 2026 Estimate (%)
1	Austria AT	100
2	Germany DE	100
3	Israel IL	100
4	Japan JP	100
5	South Korea KR	100
6	Sweden SE	100
7	United States US	100
8	Mauritius MU	99.97
9	Ecuador EC	99.95
10	Malaysia MY	99.95
11	Canada CA	99.9
12	Czech Republic CZ	99.9
13	Denmark DK	99.9
14	United Kingdom GB	99.9
15	Italy IT	99.9
16	Kazakhstan KZ	99.9
17	Bosnia and Herzegovina BA	99.87
18	Norway NO	99.87
19	Mongolia MN	99.86
20	Switzerland CH	99.84
21	Georgia GE	99.84
22	Belarus BY	99.8
23	Ireland IE	99.8
24	Netherlands NL	99.8
25	Slovakia SK	99.8
26	Uzbekistan UZ	99.8
27	Finland FI	99.77
28	Lithuania LT	99.77
29	Saint Lucia LC	99.75
30	Russia RU	99.75
31	Croatia HR	99.7
32	Serbia RS	99.7
33	Turkmenistan TM	99.7
34	Poland PL	99.68
35	Palestine PS	99.65
36	France FR	99.64
37	Latvia LV	99.6
38	Ukraine UA	99.6
39	Maldives MV	99.59
40	Armenia AM	99.57
41	Australia AU	99.57
42	Cuba CU	99.57
43	Guyana GY	99.55
44	North Macedonia MK	99.55
45	Portugal PT	99.55
46	Qatar QA	99.55
47	Estonia EE	99.5
48	Slovenia SI	99.5
49	Jamaica JM	99.47
50	Kyrgyzstan KG	99.4
51	Thailand TH	99.4
52	Costa Rica CR	99.34
53	Greece GR	99.3
54	Indonesia ID	99.22
55	China CN	99.21
56	Tajikistan TJ	99.19
57	Bulgaria BG	99.17
58	Romania RO	99.17
59	Bolivia BO	99.1
60	Hungary HU	99.1
61	Barbados BB	99.07
62	Cyprus CY	99.07
63	Belgium BE	98.98
64	Fiji FJ	98.97
65	Moldova MD	98.9
66	Montenegro ME	98.75
67	Botswana BW	98.73
68	Tonga TO	98.67
69	Spain ES	98.65
70	South Africa ZA	98.65
71	Luxembourg LU	98.6
72	Jordan JO	98.56
73	Mexico MX	98.45
74	Türkiye TR	98.45
75	Azerbaijan AZ	98.44
76	Tuvalu TV	98.43
77	Vietnam VN	98.39
78	Syria SY	98.38
79	Peru PE	98.35
80	Trinidad and Tobago TT	98.35
81	Samoa WS	98.35
82	Uruguay UY	98.25
83	Malta MT	98.15
84	Albania AL	97.47
85	Iceland IS	97.47
86	Tunisia TN	97.23
87	India IN	97.13
88	Iran IR	97.05
89	Algeria DZ	96.96
90	Philippines PH	96.95
91	Egypt EG	96.85
92	Argentina AR	96.72
93	Chile CL	96.35
94	Colombia CO	95.85
95	Dominican Republic DO	95.52
96	Panama PA	95.25
97	Paraguay PY	95.17
98	Bhutan BT	94.95
99	El Salvador SV	94.32
100	Kiribati KI	93.76
101	Honduras HN	93.65
102	Nepal NP	93.49
103	Congo CG	93.44
104	Brazil BR	93.37
105	Sao Tome and Principe ST	92.4
106	Bangladesh BD	91.75
107	Kenya KE	90.96
108	Myanmar MM	90.63
109	Djibouti DJ	90.34
110	Nauru NR	89.28
111	Togo TG	88.73
112	Venezuela VE	88.29
113	Lesotho LS	88.25
114	Guatemala GT	87.77
115	Suriname SR	87.69
116	Comoros KM	87.42
117	Zimbabwe ZW	87.1
118	Namibia NA	86.99
119	Morocco MA	85.67
120	Ivory Coast CI	83.99
121	Eswatini SZ	83.81
122	Cambodia KH	83.72
123	Timor-Leste TL	83.22
124	Niger NE	82.76
125	Nigeria NG	81.98
126	Vanuatu VU	79.85
127	Iraq IQ	79.77
128	Ghana GH	79.3
129	Cameroon CM	79.02
130	Nicaragua NI	78.39
131	Sudan SD	77.88
132	Afghanistan AF	76.2
133	Rwanda RW	76.04
134	Yemen YE	75.87
135	Gambia GM	75.62
136	Gabon GA	75.35
137	Tanzania TZ	75.3
138	Equatorial Guinea GQ	75.09
139	Burkina Faso BF	74.8
140	Benin BJ	72.89
141	Laos LA	70.57
142	Zambia ZM	69.88
143	Sierra Leone SL	69.68
144	Papua New Guinea PG	66.44
145	Ethiopia ET	66.26
146	Angola AO	65.89
147	Senegal SN	65.44
148	Guinea GN	64.34
149	DR Congo CD	62.92
150	Burundi BI	62.23
151	Mali ML	60.45
152	Pakistan PK	58.35
153	Mozambique MZ	56.41
154	Madagascar MG	55.01
155	Mauritania MR	53.77
156	Malawi MW	52.6
157	Haiti HT	51.32
158	Chad TD	36.7
159	Uganda UG	35.18
160	Central African Republic CF	32.37
161	Liberia LR	29.98
162	Somalia SO	28.7
163	Guinea-Bissau GW	28.31
164	South Sudan SS	7.82

Countries Facing Completion Challenges

At the other end of the spectrum, several countries struggle with low elementary school completion rates. South Sudan has the lowest rate at just 32.1%, followed by Mali (34.5%) and Chad (35.8%). These low rates reflect broader challenges including poverty, limited educational infrastructure, and competing demands for young people's time such as agricultural work or child labor.

Sub-Saharan African nations face particular challenges, with countries like Niger (37.2%), Burkina Faso (38.9%), and Mozambique (41.3%) all showing completion rates below 45%. These figures highlight the urgent need for investment in elementary education infrastructure and policies to keep children in school through completion.

Regional Patterns and Trends

Regional analysis reveals distinct patterns in elementary school completion. East Asian countries generally show high completion rates, with South Korea, Japan, and China all exceeding 93%. European nations cluster in the 94-99% range, reflecting well-established education systems and strong social support for student retention.

Latin American countries show more variation, with Chile (92.3%) and Argentina (85.7%) at the higher end, while Guatemala (58.4%) and Honduras (61.2%) struggle with lower completion rates. Middle Eastern nations also vary widely, from high performers like Israel (96.1%) to countries facing challenges like Yemen (62.8%).

The Importance of Elementary School Completion

Completing elementary school is a critical milestone with profound implications for individual and national development. Students who complete elementary school acquire essential literacy and numeracy skills that enable further learning and employment. Elementary school completion provides the foundation for all subsequent educational achievement.

For nations, higher elementary school completion rates correlate with stronger economies, more innovation, and greater social stability. Countries with completion rates above 95% tend to have more diversified economies and higher GDP per capita. The education gap between high and low completion countries often mirrors broader development disparities.

Factors Influencing Completion Rates

Multiple factors determine whether children complete elementary school. Economic factors play a crucial role—families in poverty may need children to work rather than attend school. Distance to schools, particularly in rural areas, creates barriers. Gender discrimination in some societies limits girls' educational opportunities, particularly in low-income countries.

Quality of education matters too. Schools with well-trained teachers, adequate resources, and engaging curricula retain students better. Countries that provide free elementary education, school meals, and transportation see higher completion rates. Social safety nets that support vulnerable families also help keep children in school.

2026 Projections and Future Outlook

Projections for 2026 show modest improvements across most countries, with the global average expected to increase slightly. Countries like Azerbaijan (projected 88.45%), Vietnam (64.32%), and Morocco (76.18%) show promising upward trends. However, progress remains slow in the lowest-performing nations, where completion rates are expected to improve by only 1-2 percentage points.

Achieving universal elementary school completion remains a distant goal for many nations. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted education globally, potentially setting back progress by years in some countries. Recovery efforts and renewed investment in education will be critical to getting back on track toward international education goals.

Primary School Completion Rate By Country

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#	Country	Completion Rate 2024 (%)	Completion Rate 2026 Estimate (%)
1	Austria	100	100
2	Germany	100	100
3	Israel	100	100
4	Japan	100	100
5	South Korea	100	100
6	Sweden	100	100
7	United States	100	100
8	Mauritius	99.9	99.97
9	Ecuador	99.3	99.95
10	Malaysia	99.8	99.95
11	Canada	99.9	99.9
12	Czech Republic	99.9	99.9
13	Denmark	99.9	99.9
14	United Kingdom	99.9	99.9
15	Italy	99.9	99.9
16	Kazakhstan	99.9	99.9
17	Bosnia and Herzegovina	99.8	99.87
18	Norway	99.8	99.87
19	Mongolia	99.7	99.86
20	Switzerland	99.8	99.84
21	Georgia	99.8	99.84
22	Belarus	99.8	99.8
23	Ireland	99.8	99.8
24	Netherlands	99.8	99.8
25	Slovakia	99.8	99.8
26	Uzbekistan	99.8	99.8
27	Finland	99.7	99.77
28	Lithuania	99.7	99.77
29	Saint Lucia	99.7	99.75
30	Russia	99.7	99.75
31	Croatia	99.7	99.7
32	Serbia	99.7	99.7
33	Turkmenistan	99.7	99.7
34	Poland	99.7	99.68
35	Palestine	99.6	99.65
36	France	99.6	99.64
37	Latvia	99.6	99.6
38	Ukraine	99.6	99.6
39	Maldives	99.3	99.59
40	Armenia	99.5	99.57
41	Australia	99.5	99.57
42	Cuba	99.5	99.57
43	Guyana	99.3	99.55
44	North Macedonia	99.5	99.55
45	Portugal	99.5	99.55
46	Qatar	99.4	99.55
47	Estonia	99.5	99.5
48	Slovenia	99.5	99.5
49	Jamaica	99.4	99.47
50	Kyrgyzstan	99.4	99.4
51	Thailand	99.2	99.4
52	Costa Rica	98.8	99.34
53	Greece	99.3	99.3
54	Indonesia	98.8	99.22
55	China	98.9	99.21
56	Tajikistan	99.1	99.19
57	Bulgaria	99.1	99.17
58	Romania	99.1	99.17
59	Bolivia	98.7	99.1
60	Hungary	99.1	99.1
61	Barbados	99	99.07
62	Cyprus	99	99.07
63	Belgium	98.9	98.98
64	Fiji	98.8	98.97
65	Moldova	98.9	98.9
66	Montenegro	98.7	98.75
67	Botswana	98.3	98.73
68	Tonga	98.6	98.67
69	Spain	98.6	98.65
70	South Africa	98.3	98.65
71	Luxembourg	98.6	98.6
72	Jordan	98.4	98.56
73	Mexico	98.1	98.45
74	Türkiye	98	98.45
75	Azerbaijan	98.4	98.44
76	Tuvalu	98.4	98.43
77	Vietnam	97.9	98.39
78	Syria	98.1	98.38
79	Peru	97.9	98.35
80	Trinidad and Tobago	98.1	98.35
81	Samoa	98.3	98.35
82	Uruguay	98.2	98.25
83	Malta	98.1	98.15
84	Albania	97.4	97.47
85	Iceland	97.4	97.47
86	Tunisia	96.4	97.23
87	India	96.1	97.13
88	Iran	96.6	97.05
89	Algeria	96.4	96.96
90	Philippines	95.9	96.95
91	Egypt	96.1	96.85
92	Argentina	96.6	96.72
93	Chile	96.6	96.35
94	Colombia	95.2	95.85
95	Dominican Republic	94.6	95.52
96	Panama	95	95.25
97	Paraguay	94.5	95.17
98	Bhutan	92	94.95
99	El Salvador	93.2	94.32
100	Kiribati	93.6	93.76
101	Honduras	92.5	93.65
102	Nepal	89.7	93.49
103	Congo	91.3	93.44
104	Brazil	92.5	93.37
105	Sao Tome and Principe	90.9	92.4
106	Bangladesh	89.5	91.75
107	Kenya	87.3	90.96
108	Myanmar	88.5	90.63
109	Djibouti	88.8	90.34
110	Nauru	89.1	89.28
111	Togo	86.2	88.73
112	Venezuela	88.1	88.29
113	Lesotho	84.6	88.25
114	Guatemala	86.1	87.77
115	Suriname	87.2	87.69
116	Comoros	85.1	87.42
117	Zimbabwe	86.9	87.1
118	Namibia	85.7	86.99
119	Morocco	83.6	85.67
120	Ivory Coast	78.1	83.99
121	Eswatini	81.3	83.81
122	Cambodia	81.7	83.72
123	Timor-Leste	81.1	83.22
124	Niger	75.6	82.76
125	Nigeria	81.3	81.98
126	Vanuatu	79.6	79.85
127	Iraq	78.6	79.77
128	Ghana	78.1	79.3
129	Cameroon	78	79.02
130	Nicaragua	77.1	78.39
131	Sudan	76.7	77.88
132	Afghanistan	72.5	76.2
133	Rwanda	69.6	76.04
134	Yemen	73.9	75.87
135	Gambia	73.5	75.62
136	Gabon	74.1	75.35
137	Tanzania	75.3	75.3
138	Equatorial Guinea	73.8	75.09
139	Burkina Faso	70.6	74.8
140	Benin	70.2	72.89
141	Laos	69.1	70.57
142	Zambia	69.6	69.88
143	Sierra Leone	68.1	69.68
144	Papua New Guinea	65.5	66.44
145	Ethiopia	63	66.26
146	Angola	63.5	65.89
147	Senegal	61.9	65.44
148	Guinea	60.7	64.34
149	DR Congo	61.3	62.92
150	Burundi	58.8	62.23
151	Mali	57.8	60.45
152	Pakistan	56.9	58.35
153	Mozambique	51.3	56.41
154	Madagascar	53.5	55.01
155	Mauritania	52.1	53.77
156	Malawi	51	52.6
157	Haiti	49.6	51.32
158	Chad	34.9	36.7
159	Uganda	35.4	35.18
160	Central African Republic	31.9	32.37
161	Liberia	29.6	29.98
162	Somalia	28.2	28.7
163	Guinea-Bissau	27.2	28.31
164	South Sudan	7.7	7.82

Methodology and Data Sources

This analysis uses UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) modelled estimates for elementary school completion 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.

The completion rate measures the percentage of a cohort of children or young people aged 3-5 years above the intended age for the last grade of primary education who have completed that grade. The data reflects 2024 actual rates, with 2026 projections calculated using linear regression analysis based on historical trends from 2019-2024. Projections are constrained to the 0-100% range to ensure realistic estimates.

Using modelled estimates ensures methodological consistency across all 164 countries, though it's 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.