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

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2021, Guatemala's school enrollment, preprimary, female (% gross) rose 2.31 percentage points on 2020 (from 48.07% to 50.38%).

Across the 26 yearly changes before that (1986 to 2020), the average change was +0.66 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 5.7 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.3 standard deviations above 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 13.32 percentage points in 2009 and the biggest yearly fall was 20.35 percentage points in 2013. 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 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 4% 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 2021, Guatemala had the 33rd 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 Guatemala in the 2021 ranking

• India — 30th of 63: 52.27%
• Bhutan — 31st of 63: 51.75%
• West Bank and Gaza — 32nd of 63: 50.41%
• Lao PDR — 34th of 63: 49.94%
• Azerbaijan — 35th of 63: 46.22%
• Samoa — 36th of 63: 43.44%

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 31 values

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

• Antigua and Barbuda — 74.03% (2018)
• Argentina — 76.71% (2020)
• Aruba — 102.26% (2015)
• Bahamas, The — 41.52% (2019)
• Barbados — 76.8% (2021)
• Belize — 34.82% (2021)
• Bolivia — 79.06% (2020)
• British Virgin Islands — 90.35% (2021)
• Cayman Islands — 88.26% (2018)
• Chile

More education data for Guatemala

• 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 — 2.42 million (2024)
• School enrollment, primary (% gross) — 101.49% (2024)
• School enrollment, primary, female (% gross) — 100.56% (2024)
• School enrollment, primary, male (% gross) — 102.4% (2024)
• Primary education, teachers — 122,362 (2024)
• Secondary education, pupils — 1.13 million (2024)

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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Questions people ask

What is Guatemala's school enrollment, preprimary, female (% gross)?

50.38% in 2021, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1985?

It is up 26.22 percentage points from 24.16% in 1985. The highest value was 74.67% in 2009 and the lowest 22.94% in 1986.

How does Guatemala rank?

33rd highest of 63 economies with data for 2021.

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

In 2021, Guatemala's school enrollment, preprimary, female (% gross) rose 2.31 percentage points on 2020 (from 48.07% to 50.38%). Across the 26 yearly changes before that (1986 to 2020), the average change was +0.66 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 5.7 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.3 standard deviations above 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.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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