Barbados: Primary education, pupils

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Barbados' primary education, pupils fell 5.2% on 2023 (from 17,209 to 16,314).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1978 to 2023), the average change was −1.5% and a typical year strayed about 2.2% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.7 standard deviations below that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 3.4% in 1977 and the biggest yearly fall was 9.4% in 1980. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2024 the straight-line trend is downward, about 513.41 a year. A straight line explains 95% 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 2024, Barbados had the 102nd highest value of the 119 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 Barbados in the 2024 ranking

• Samoa — 99th of 119: 34,962
• Bahamas, The — 100th of 119: 26,817
• Kiribati — 101st of 119: 17,457
• Tonga — 103rd of 119: 15,644
• St. Lucia — 104th of 119: 14,257
• Grenada — 105th of 119: 11,967

What this measures

Primary education pupils is the total number of pupils enrolled at primary level in public and private schools.

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

All 42 values

Primary education, pupils in nearby economies

• Antigua and Barbuda — 8,720 (2023)
• Argentina — 4.58 million (2023)
• Aruba — 7,719 (2024)
• Bahamas, The — 26,817 (2024)
• Belize — 44,757 (2024)
• Bolivia — 1.38 million (2024)
• Brazil — 15.11 million (2024)
• British Virgin Islands — 1,626 (2024)
• Cayman Islands — 4,334 (2024)
• Chile — 1.49 million (2024)
• Colombia — 4.14 million (2022)

More education data for Barbados

• Primary school starting age (years) — 5 (2025)
• Primary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
• Lower secondary school starting age (years) — 11 (2025)
• Secondary education, duration (years) — 5 (2025)
• School enrollment, primary (% gross) — 83.94% (2024)
• School enrollment, primary, female (% gross) — 83.04% (2024)
• School enrollment, primary, male (% gross) — 84.8% (2024)
• Secondary education, pupils — 18,457 (2024)
• School enrollment, secondary (% gross) — 104.37% (2024)
• School enrollment, secondary, female (% gross)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
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Questions people ask

What is Barbados's primary education, pupils?

16,314 in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1971?

It is down 58.18% from 39,006 in 1971 (1.63% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 39,006 in 1971 and the lowest 16,314 in 2024.

How does Barbados rank?

102nd highest of 119 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in primary education, pupils unusual for Barbados?

In 2024, Barbados' primary education, pupils fell 5.2% on 2023 (from 17,209 to 16,314). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1978 to 2023), the average change was −1.5% and a typical year strayed about 2.2% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.7 standard deviations below that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SE.PRM.ENRL, 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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