IDA only: Pupil-teacher ratio, primary

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2018, IDA only's pupil-teacher ratio, primary rose 0.04 on 2017 (from 35.94 to 35.98).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1988 to 2017), the average change was −0.07 and a typical year strayed about 0.66 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.2 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 1.6 in 1980 and the biggest yearly fall was 1.42 in 1984. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2009 to 2018 the straight-line trend is downward, about 0.65 a year. A straight line explains 97% 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.

A straight-line projection, tested first

Extending that straight line gives about 33.41 for 2021. We show this only because the same method, fitted on earlier years, predicted 2016 to 2018 better than "no change" would have: its average miss was 0.36, against 0.91 for assuming no change. Treat it as a continuation of the recent pattern, not a forecast of events: it cannot see a recession, a policy change or a revision to the data.

See how a linear trend forecast works and the guide on forecasting without fooling yourself.

How it compares

See how every economy compares in the full ranking.

What this measures

Primary school pupil-teacher ratio is the average number of pupils per teacher in primary school.

Limitations: The comparability of pupil-teacher ratios across countries is affected by the definition of teachers and by differences in class size by grade and in the number of hours taught, as well as the different practices countries employ such as part-time teachers, school shifts, and multi-grade classes. Moreover, the underlying enrollment levels are subject to a variety of reporting errors.

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

All 49 values

Pupil-teacher ratio, primary in nearby economies

• Afghanistan — 48.79 (2018)
• Algeria — 24.32 (2018)
• Bahrain — 11.92 (2018)
• Djibouti — 29.37 (2018)
• Egypt, Arab Rep. — 23.68 (2018)
• Iran, Islamic Rep. — 28.52 (2017)
• Israel — 12.07 (2016)
• Jordan — 18.54 (2018)
• Kuwait — 8.88 (2018)
• Lebanon — 12.48 (2017)
• Malta — 12.94 (2017)
• Morocco

More education data for IDA only

• Primary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
• Secondary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
• School enrollment, tertiary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) — 0.85 (2024)
• Primary completion rate, total (% of relevant age group) — 72.45% (2024)
• Primary education, pupils — 182.51 million (2024)
• School enrollment, primary (% gross) — 100.37% (2024)
• School enrollment, primary, female (% gross) — 99.08% (2024)
• School enrollment, primary, male (% gross) — 101.62% (2024)
• Primary education, teachers — 5 million (2024)
• Primary education, teachers (% female)

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 IDA only's pupil-teacher ratio, primary?

35.98 in 2018, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1970?

It is down 8.71% from 39.41 in 1970 (0.19% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 43.45 in 2003 and the lowest 35.94 in 2017.

Is the latest change in pupil-teacher ratio, primary unusual for IDA only?

In 2018, IDA only's pupil-teacher ratio, primary rose 0.04 on 2017 (from 35.94 to 35.98). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1988 to 2017), the average change was −0.07 and a typical year strayed about 0.66 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.2 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.PRM.ENRL.TC.ZS, 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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