Argentina: Children out of school, primary

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2023, Argentina's children out of school, primary fell 697.73 on 2022 (from 33,513 to 32,816).

Across the 26 yearly changes before that (1975 to 2022), the average change was +1,836 and a typical year strayed about 9,046 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.3 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 30,193 in 1998 and the biggest yearly fall was 16,321 in 2004. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2014 to 2023 the straight-line trend is upward, about 2,796 a year. A straight line explains 81% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2023, Argentina had the 15th highest value of the 37 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Argentina in the 2023 ranking

• West Bank and Gaza — 11th of 37: 53,793
• Nicaragua — 12th of 37: 53,481
• Italy — 13th of 37: 52,117
• Türkiye — 15th of 37: 32,563
• Venezuela, RB — 16th of 37: 17,643
• Guyana — 17th of 37: 17,362

What this measures

Children out of school are the number of primary-school-age children not enrolled in primary or secondary school.

Limitations: Due to different data sources for enrollment and population data, the number may not capture the actual number of children not attending in primary school.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a sum.

All 32 values

Children out of school, primary in nearby economies

• Antigua and Barbuda — 132.91 (2023)
• Bahamas, The — 4,585 (2024)
• Barbados — 3,420 (2024)
• Belize — 4,953 (2024)
• Bolivia — 136,027 (2024)
• Brazil — 316,818 (2024)
• British Virgin Islands — 1,080 (2024)
• Cayman Islands — 234 (2024)
• Chile — 31,779 (2024)
• Colombia — 289,295 (2022)
• Costa Rica — 19,701 (2024)

More education data for Argentina

• Primary school starting age (years) — 6 (2025)
• Primary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
• Lower secondary school starting age (years) — 12 (2025)
• Secondary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
• Secondary education, pupils — 4.56 million (2023)
• School enrollment, secondary (% gross) — 105.58% (2023)
• Primary education, pupils — 4.58 million (2023)
• School enrollment, primary (% gross) — 102.54% (2023)
• School enrollment, primary, female (% gross) — 103.18% (2023)
• School enrollment, primary, male (% gross)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
• Data analysis examples: 6 worked from one dataset — 3 min read
• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Argentina's children out of school, primary?

32,816 in 2023, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1970?

It is down 81.14% from 173,980 in 1970 (3.1% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 193,529 in 1991 and the lowest 0 in 1997.

How does Argentina rank?

15th highest of 37 economies with data for 2023.

Is the latest change in children out of school, primary unusual for Argentina?

In 2023, Argentina's children out of school, primary fell 697.73 on 2022 (from 33,513 to 32,816). Across the 26 yearly changes before that (1975 to 2022), the average change was +1,836 and a typical year strayed about 9,046 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.3 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SE.PRM.UNER, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), uri: https://databrowser.uis.unesco.org/resources, note: The data are obtained through the UIS API. Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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