Colombia: Primary education, pupils

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2022, Colombia's primary education, pupils fell 1.2% on 2021 (from 4.19 million to 4.14 million).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1988 to 2021), the average change was −0.1% and a typical year strayed about 2.1% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.5 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 5.5% in 1971 and the biggest yearly fall was 6.8% in 1982. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2013 to 2022 the straight-line trend is downward, about 58,209 a year. A straight line explains 95% 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

See how every economy compares in the full ranking.

Closest to Colombia in the 2022 ranking

• Mozambique — 1st of 8: 7.66 million
• Benin — 3rd of 8: 2.4 million
• Liberia — 4th of 8: 569,741
• Ireland — 5th of 8: 548,873

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 51 values

Primary education, pupils in nearby economies

• Antigua and Barbuda — 8,720 (2023)
• Argentina — 4.58 million (2023)
• Aruba — 7,719 (2024)
• Bahamas, The — 26,817 (2024)
• Barbados — 16,314 (2024)
• Belize — 44,757 (2024)
• Bolivia — 1.38 million (2024)
• Brazil — 15.11 million (2024)
• British Virgin Islands — 1,626 (2024)
• Cayman Islands — 4,334 (2024)
• Chile — 1.49 million (2024)
• Costa Rica

More education data for Colombia

• Primary school starting age (years) — 6 (2025)
• Primary education, duration (years) — 5 (2025)
• Lower secondary school starting age (years) — 11 (2025)
• Secondary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
• Primary education, teachers — 180,781 (2022)
• School enrollment, primary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) — 0.97 (2020)
• Secondary education, pupils — 4.85 million (2022)
• Primary education, pupils (% female) — 48.13% (2018)
• Pupil-teacher ratio, primary — 23.3 (2018)
• Secondary education, teachers — 190,940 (2022)

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 Colombia's primary education, pupils?

4.14 million in 2022, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1970?

It is up 26% from 3.29 million in 1970 (0.45% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 5.3 million in 2009 and the lowest 3.29 million in 1970.

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

In 2022, Colombia's primary education, pupils fell 1.2% on 2021 (from 4.19 million to 4.14 million). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1988 to 2021), the average change was −0.1% and a typical year strayed about 2.1% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.5 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Where does this data come from?

The World Bank's World Development Indicators, 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..

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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