Estonia: Primary education, teachers (% female)

Key figures

Over five years it is down 0.32 percentage points from 90.16% in 2019. Since 1994 it is down 5.9 percentage points from 95.74% in 1994. The World Bank has no value for 11 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

In 2024, Estonia's primary education, teachers (% female) fell 0.23 percentage points on 2023 (from 90.07% to 89.84%).

Across the 14 yearly changes before that (2000 to 2023), the average change was +0.23 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 1.17 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.4 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 4.2 percentage points in 2007 and the biggest yearly fall was 0.57 percentage points in 2009. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2016 to 2024 the straight-line trend is downward, about 0.08 percentage points a year. A straight line explains 89% of the movement over 9 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, Estonia had the 19th highest value of the 105 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 Estonia in the 2024 ranking

• Georgia — 15th of 105: 90.87%
• Syrian Arab Republic — 16th of 105: 90.51%
• Lebanon — 17th of 105: 90.02%
• Armenia — 19th of 105: 89.52%
• Slovak Republic — 20th of 105: 89.21%
• Jamaica — 21st of 105: 89.17%

What this measures

Female teachers as a percentage of total primary education teachers includes full-time and part-time teachers.

Limitations: The indicator measures the level of gender representation in the teaching profession, rather than the effectiveness and quality of teaching.

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

All 20 values

Primary education, teachers (% female) in nearby economies

• Albania — 88.8% (2024)
• Andorra — 81.6% (2024)
• Armenia — 89.52% (2024)
• Austria — 91.39% (2024)
• Azerbaijan — 94.18% (2024)
• Belarus — 99.51% (2024)
• Belgium — 82.68% (2023)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 86.56% (2023)
• Bulgaria — 94.22% (2024)
• Croatia — 93.42% (2023)
• Cyprus

More education data for Estonia

• Primary school starting age (years) — 7 (2025)
• Primary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
• Lower secondary school starting age (years) — 13 (2025)
• Secondary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
• Primary education, pupils — 89,246 (2024)
• School enrollment, primary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) — 1 (2020)
• School enrollment, preprimary (% gross) — 94.31% (2019)
• Primary education, pupils (% female) — 48.52% (2017)
• Secondary education, general pupils — 63,544 (2017)
• Secondary education, general pupils (% female)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Estonia's primary education, teachers (% female)?

89.84% in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1994?

It is down 5.9 percentage points from 95.74% in 1994. The highest value was 95.74% in 1994 and the lowest 85.75% in 2000.

How does Estonia rank?

19th highest of 105 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in primary education, teachers (% female) unusual for Estonia?

In 2024, Estonia's primary education, teachers (% female) fell 0.23 percentage points on 2023 (from 90.07% to 89.84%). Across the 14 yearly changes before that (2000 to 2023), the average change was +0.23 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 1.17 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.4 standard deviations below 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.PRM.TCHR.FE.ZS, 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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