Hong Kong SAR, China: Primary education, pupils

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Hong Kong SAR, China's primary education, pupils fell 2.3% on 2023 (from 337,549 to 329,780).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1992 to 2023), the average change was −1.4% and a typical year strayed about 3.1% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.3 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 3.9% in 1999 and the biggest yearly fall was 5.9% in 2008. 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 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains less than 1% 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 2024, Hong Kong SAR, China had the 69th highest value of the 119 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 Hong Kong SAR, China in the 2024 ranking

• Finland — 66th of 119: 360,117
• Oman — 67th of 119: 358,346
• Georgia — 68th of 119: 342,203
• Lesotho — 70th of 119: 309,480
• Serbia — 71st of 119: 251,941
• Slovak Republic — 72nd of 119: 244,806

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 53 values

Primary education, pupils in nearby economies

• Australia — 2.27 million (2024)
• Brunei Darussalam — 37,751 (2024)
• Cambodia — 2.27 million (2024)
• China — 108.57 million (2024)
• Fiji — 113,938 (2024)
• Indonesia — 28.68 million (2025)
• Japan — 6.25 million (2023)
• Kiribati — 17,457 (2024)
• Korea, Rep. — 2.51 million (2024)
• Lao PDR — 739,554 (2025)
• Macao SAR, China — 38,349 (2024)
• Malaysia

More education data for Hong Kong SAR, China

• 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, teachers — 28,284 (2024)
• Pupil-teacher ratio, primary — 13.35 (2018)
• School enrollment, primary, private (% of total primary) — 20.6% (2024)
• Secondary education, general pupils — 341,591 (2018)
• Secondary education, teachers — 31,678 (2024)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Hong Kong SAR, China's primary education, pupils?

329,780 in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1971?

It is down 55.41% from 739,619 in 1971 (1.51% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 739,944 in 1972 and the lowest 320,654 in 2013.

How does Hong Kong SAR, China rank?

69th highest of 119 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in primary education, pupils unusual for Hong Kong SAR, China?

In 2024, Hong Kong SAR, China's primary education, pupils fell 2.3% on 2023 (from 337,549 to 329,780). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1992 to 2023), the average change was −1.4% and a typical year strayed about 3.1% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.3 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.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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