Belarus: Primary education, pupils

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Belarus' primary education, pupils fell 1.8% on 2023 (from 451,993 to 444,044).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was −1% and a typical year strayed about 4.3% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.2 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 6.1% in 2016 and the biggest yearly fall was 29.2% in 1991. 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 upward, about 6,076 a year. A straight line explains 82% 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, Belarus had the 59th 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 Belarus in the 2024 ranking

• Lebanon — 56th of 119: 533,550
• Costa Rica — 57th of 119: 460,126
• Panama — 58th of 119: 451,308
• Norway — 60th of 119: 434,422
• Denmark — 61st of 119: 432,238
• Hungary — 62nd of 119: 384,692

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 54 values

Primary education, pupils in nearby economies

• Albania — 141,089 (2024)
• Andorra — 4,218 (2024)
• Armenia — 160,885 (2024)
• Austria — 368,502 (2024)
• Azerbaijan — 603,966 (2024)
• Belgium — 814,388 (2023)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 141,518 (2023)
• Bulgaria — 234,521 (2024)
• Croatia — 147,483 (2023)
• Cyprus — 60,596 (2024)
• Czechia — 579,161 (2023)
• Denmark

More education data for Belarus

• Primary school starting age (years) — 6 (2025)
• Primary education, duration (years) — 4 (2025)
• Lower secondary school starting age (years) — 10 (2025)
• Secondary education, duration (years) — 7 (2025)
• School enrollment, primary (% gross) — 96.82% (2024)
• Lower secondary completion rate, total (% of relevant age group) — 100.82% (2024)
• Primary completion rate, total (% of relevant age group) — 95.77% (2024)
• School enrollment, preprimary (% gross) — 96.77% (2021)
• Persistence to last grade of primary, total (% of cohort) — 97.86% (2023)

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 Belarus's primary education, pupils?

444,044 in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1971?

It is down 53.08% from 946,400 in 1971 (1.42% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 946,400 in 1971 and the lowest 351,780 in 2012.

How does Belarus rank?

59th highest of 119 economies with data for 2024.

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

In 2024, Belarus' primary education, pupils fell 1.8% on 2023 (from 451,993 to 444,044). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was −1% and a typical year strayed about 4.3% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.2 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.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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