Ecuador: Children out of school, primary

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2023, Ecuador's children out of school, primary rose 177.3% on 2022 (from 31,042 to 86,090).

Across the 14 yearly changes before that (2001 to 2022), the average change was +16.4% and a typical year strayed about 60.2% 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 177.3% in 2023 and the biggest yearly fall was 42.3% in 2014. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2014 to 2023 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 6% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2023, Ecuador had the 10th highest value of the 37 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 Ecuador in the 2023 ranking

• Romania — 7th of 37: 160,246
• Sri Lanka — 8th of 37: 157,499
• Canada — 9th of 37: 127,666
• West Bank and Gaza — 11th of 37: 53,793
• Nicaragua — 12th of 37: 53,481
• Italy — 13th of 37: 52,117

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 17 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)
• Chile — 31,779 (2024)
• Colombia — 289,295 (2022)

More education data for Ecuador

• 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 — 1.72 million (2024)
• Primary education, teachers — 77,432 (2024)
• School enrollment, preprimary (% gross) — 55.29% (2021)
• Primary education, teachers (% female) — 79.45% (2024)
• Secondary education, pupils — 1.79 million (2024)
• Pupil-teacher ratio, preprimary — 19.32 (2018)

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 Ecuador's children out of school, primary?

86,090 in 2023, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 2000?

It is down 25.14% from 115,003 in 2000 (1.25% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 115,003 in 2000 and the lowest 10,018 in 2010.

How does Ecuador rank?

10th highest of 37 economies with data for 2023.

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

In 2023, Ecuador's children out of school, primary rose 177.3% on 2022 (from 31,042 to 86,090). Across the 14 yearly changes before that (2001 to 2022), the average change was +16.4% and a typical year strayed about 60.2% 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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