Cambodia: School enrollment, preprimary, female (% gross)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2021, Cambodia's school enrollment, preprimary, female (% gross) rose 6.79 percentage points on 2020 (from 27.7% to 34.48%).

Across the 22 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2020), the average change was +1.08 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 1.52 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 3.8 standard deviations above that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 6.95 percentage points in 2020 and the biggest yearly fall was 1.37 percentage points in 2011. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2012 to 2021 the straight-line trend is upward, about 2.03 percentage points 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 2021, Cambodia had the 42nd highest value of the 63 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 Cambodia in the 2021 ranking

• Bangladesh — 39th of 63: 37.39%
• Namibia — 40th of 63: 37.36%
• Belize — 41st of 63: 34.82%
• Honduras — 43rd of 63: 34.33%
• Dominican Republic — 44th of 63: 33.94%
• Fiji — 45th of 63: 30.46%

What this measures

Gross enrollment ratio is the ratio of total enrollment, regardless of age, to the population of the age group that officially corresponds to the level of education shown. Preprimary education refers to programs at the initial stage of organized instruction, designed primarily to introduce very young children to a school-type environment and to provide a bridge between home and school.

Limitations: Enrollment indicators are based on annual school surveys, but do not necessarily reflect actual attendance or dropout rates during the year. Also, the length of education differs across countries and can influence enrollment rates, although the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) tries to minimize the difference. For example, a shorter duration for primary education tends to increase the rate; a longer one to decrease it (in part because older children are more at risk of dropping out). Moreover, age at enrollment may be inaccurately estimated or misstated, especially in communities where registration of births is not strictly enforced.

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

All 27 values

School enrollment, preprimary, female (% gross) in nearby economies

• Australia — 156.92% (2020)
• Brunei Darussalam — 63.11% (2020)
• China — 93.58% (2021)
• Fiji — 30.46% (2021)
• Hong Kong SAR, China — 96.01% (2020)
• Indonesia — 59.13% (2018)
• Korea, Rep. — 91.88% (2020)
• Lao PDR — 49.94% (2021)
• Macao SAR, China — 84.97% (2021)
• Malaysia

More education data for Cambodia

• 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) — 6 (2025)
• Primary education, pupils — 2.27 million (2024)
• School enrollment, primary (% gross) — 108.97% (2024)
• Primary education, teachers — 46,016 (2024)
• School enrollment, tertiary (% gross) — 21.44% (2024)
• Secondary education, general pupils — 955,656 (2018)
• School enrollment, preprimary (% gross) — 33.57% (2021)

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 Cambodia's school enrollment, preprimary, female (% gross)?

34.48% in 2021, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1991?

It is up 30.02 percentage points from 4.46% in 1991. The highest value was 34.48% in 2021 and the lowest 4.25% in 1997.

How does Cambodia rank?

42nd highest of 63 economies with data for 2021.

Is the latest change in school enrollment, preprimary, female (% gross) unusual for Cambodia?

In 2021, Cambodia's school enrollment, preprimary, female (% gross) rose 6.79 percentage points on 2020 (from 27.7% to 34.48%). Across the 22 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2020), the average change was +1.08 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 1.52 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 3.8 standard deviations above that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SE.PRE.ENRR.FE, 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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