Barbados: Pupil-teacher ratio, preprimary

Key figures

Since 1978 it is down 31.53% from 22.85 in 1978 (0.94% a year on average, compounded). The World Bank has no value for 21 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

In 2018, Barbados' pupil-teacher ratio, preprimary fell 0.55 on 2017 (from 16.2 to 15.65).

Across the 14 yearly changes before that (1979 to 2017), the average change was −0.09 and a typical year strayed about 0.98 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.5 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 1.33 in 1979 and the biggest yearly fall was 2.61 in 2008. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2009 to 2018 the straight-line trend is downward, about 0.08 a year. A straight line explains 47% of the movement over 8 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 2018, Barbados had the 35th highest value of the 56 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 2018 ranking

• West Bank and Gaza — 31st of 56: 16.7
• Belize — 32nd of 56: 16.44
• Cabo Verde — 33rd of 56: 16.33
• Brunei Darussalam — 35th of 56: 15.43
• Saudi Arabia — 36th of 56: 15.04
• Qatar — 37th of 56: 14.83

What this measures

Preprimary school pupil-teacher ratio is the average number of pupils per teacher in preprimary school.

Limitations: The comparability of pupil-teacher ratios across countries is affected by the definition of teachers and by differences in class size by grade and in the number of hours taught, as well as the different practices countries employ such as part-time teachers, school shifts, and multi-grade classes. Moreover, the underlying enrollment levels are subject to a variety of reporting errors.

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

All 20 values

Pupil-teacher ratio, preprimary in nearby economies

• Bahamas, The — 20.66 (2018)
• Belize — 16.44 (2018)
• Bolivia — 31.01 (2018)
• Brazil — 16.48 (2017)
• British Virgin Islands — 8.27 (2016)
• Chile — 25.4 (2017)
• Costa Rica — 12.91 (2018)
• Dominica — 11.27 (2016)
• Dominican Republic — 18.89 (2018)
• Ecuador — 19.32 (2018)
• El Salvador — 28.21 (2018)

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)
• Primary education, pupils — 16,314 (2024)
• 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)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Barbados's pupil-teacher ratio, preprimary?

15.65 in 2018, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1978?

It is down 31.53% from 22.85 in 1978 (0.94% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 24.19 in 1979 and the lowest 15.65 in 2016.

How does Barbados rank?

35th highest of 56 economies with data for 2018.

Is the latest change in pupil-teacher ratio, preprimary unusual for Barbados?

In 2018, Barbados' pupil-teacher ratio, preprimary fell 0.55 on 2017 (from 16.2 to 15.65). Across the 14 yearly changes before that (1979 to 2017), the average change was −0.09 and a typical year strayed about 0.98 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.5 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.PRE.ENRL.TC.ZS, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), uri: https://uis.unesco.org/bdds, publisher: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) 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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