Barbados: Secondary education, pupils

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Barbados' secondary education, pupils fell 0.3% on 2023 (from 18,515 to 18,457).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1978 to 2023), the average change was −0.9% and a typical year strayed about 2.2% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.3 standard deviations above 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 7.8% in 1975 and the biggest yearly fall was 5.6% in 1990. 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 244.64 a year. A straight line explains 93% 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 83rd highest value of the 100 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

• Belize — 80th of 100: 38,323
• Macao SAR, China — 81st of 100: 31,617
• Bahamas, The — 82nd of 100: 26,561
• Kiribati — 84th of 100: 16,846
• Tonga — 85th of 100: 16,132
• St. Lucia — 86th of 100: 10,378

What this measures

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

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

All 41 values

Secondary education, pupils in nearby economies

• Antigua and Barbuda — 7,160 (2023)
• Argentina — 4.56 million (2023)
• Aruba — 8,367 (2024)
• Bahamas, The — 26,561 (2024)
• Belize — 38,323 (2024)
• Bolivia — 1.3 million (2024)
• Brazil — 21.5 million (2024)
• British Virgin Islands — 2,300 (2024)
• Cayman Islands — 4,049 (2024)
• Chile — 1.63 million (2024)
• Colombia — 4.85 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)
• 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)
• 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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• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Barbados's secondary education, pupils?

18,457 in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1971?

It is down 33.11% from 27,593 in 1971 (0.76% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 30,021 in 1978 and the lowest 18,457 in 2024.

How does Barbados rank?

83rd highest of 100 economies with data for 2024.

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

In 2024, Barbados' secondary education, pupils fell 0.3% on 2023 (from 18,515 to 18,457). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1978 to 2023), the average change was −0.9% and a typical year strayed about 2.2% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.3 standard deviations above 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.SEC.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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