Burkina Faso: Pupil-teacher ratio, preprimary

Key figures

Over five years it is down 30.23% from 24.67 in 2013 (6.95% a year on average, compounded). Since 1972 it is down 8.97% from 18.91 in 1972 (0.2% a year on average, compounded). The World Bank has no value for 18 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

In 2018, Burkina Faso's pupil-teacher ratio, preprimary fell 0.37 on 2017 (from 17.58 to 17.21).

Across the 22 yearly changes before that (1976 to 2017), the average change was −0.68 and a typical year strayed about 6.5 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.0 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 7.26 in 1996 and the biggest yearly fall was 26.95 in 1976. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those 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, Burkina Faso had the 30th 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 Burkina Faso in the 2018 ranking

• Jordan — 26th of 56: 17.56
• China — 27th of 56: 17.38
• Viet Nam — 28th of 56: 17.27
• Albania — 30th of 56: 17.09
• West Bank and Gaza — 31st of 56: 16.7
• Belize — 32nd of 56: 16.44

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 29 values

Pupil-teacher ratio, preprimary in nearby economies

• Benin — 23.97 (2018)
• Burundi — 38.19 (2018)
• Cabo Verde — 16.33 (2018)
• Cameroon — 20.26 (2018)
• Congo, Dem. Rep. — 23.29 (2015)
• Côte d'Ivoire — 21.1 (2018)
• Eritrea — 29.35 (2018)
• Ghana — 29.95 (2019)
• Kenya — 28.87 (2016)
• Lesotho — 18.46 (2016)
• Madagascar — 22.13 (2018)

More education data for Burkina Faso

• 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) — 7 (2025)
• Primary education, pupils — 3.07 million (2024)
• School enrollment, primary (% gross) — 77.17% (2024)
• School enrollment, primary, female (% gross) — 78.3% (2024)
• School enrollment, primary, male (% gross) — 76.06% (2024)
• Primary education, teachers — 91,764 (2024)
• Primary education, teachers (% female)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Burkina Faso's pupil-teacher ratio, preprimary?

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

How has it changed since 1972?

It is down 8.97% from 18.91 in 1972 (0.2% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 53.11 in 1975 and the lowest 17.21 in 2018.

How does Burkina Faso rank?

30th highest of 56 economies with data for 2018.

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

In 2018, Burkina Faso's pupil-teacher ratio, preprimary fell 0.37 on 2017 (from 17.58 to 17.21). Across the 22 yearly changes before that (1976 to 2017), the average change was −0.68 and a typical year strayed about 6.5 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.0 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.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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