Chile: Children out of school, primary

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Chile's children out of school, primary rose 57.1% on 2023 (from 20,233 to 31,779).

Across the 16 yearly changes before that (2008 to 2023), the average change was −3.6% and a typical year strayed about 22.1% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 2.7 standard deviations above that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 57.1% in 2024 and the biggest yearly fall was 40.6% in 2022. 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 1,402 a year. A straight line explains 39% 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, Chile had the 37th highest value of the 101 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 Chile in the 2024 ranking

• Mongolia — 34th of 101: 35,209
• Spain — 35th of 101: 34,050
• Cuba — 36th of 101: 33,328
• Israel — 38th of 101: 28,644
• Oman — 39th of 101: 21,922
• Puerto Rico (US) — 40th of 101: 21,785

What this measures

Children out of school are the number of primary-school-age children not enrolled in primary or secondary school.

Limitations: Due to different data sources for enrollment and population data, the number may not capture the actual number of children not attending in primary school.

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

All 18 values

Children out of school, primary in nearby economies

• Antigua and Barbuda — 132.91 (2023)
• Argentina — 32,816 (2023)
• Bahamas, The — 4,585 (2024)
• Barbados — 3,420 (2024)
• Belize — 4,953 (2024)
• Bolivia — 136,027 (2024)
• Brazil — 316,818 (2024)
• British Virgin Islands — 1,080 (2024)
• Cayman Islands — 234 (2024)
• Colombia — 289,295 (2022)
• Costa Rica

More education data for Chile

• 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 — 1.49 million (2024)
• Secondary education, pupils — 1.63 million (2024)
• School enrollment, preprimary (% gross) — 84.51% (2020)
• School enrollment, primary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) — 0.97 (2020)
• School enrollment, primary and secondary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) — 0.98 (2020)
• School enrollment, secondary (gross), gender parity index (GPI)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
• Data analysis examples: 6 worked from one dataset — 3 min read
• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Chile's children out of school, primary?

31,779 in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 2007?

It is down 39.85% from 52,834 in 2007 (2.95% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 73,359 in 2009 and the lowest 19,938 in 2022.

How does Chile rank?

37th highest of 101 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in children out of school, primary unusual for Chile?

In 2024, Chile's children out of school, primary rose 57.1% on 2023 (from 20,233 to 31,779). Across the 16 yearly changes before that (2008 to 2023), the average change was −3.6% and a typical year strayed about 22.1% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 2.7 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.PRM.UNER, 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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