Indonesia: Primary education, pupils

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2025, Indonesia's primary education, pupils fell 1.1% on 2024 (from 28.99 million to 28.68 million).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was −0.1% and a typical year strayed about 1.1% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.9 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 11.3% in 1978 and the biggest yearly fall was 2.7% in 2000. 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 2025 the straight-line trend is downward, about 84,237 a year. A straight line explains 73% 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.

How it compares

In 2025, Indonesia had the 3rd highest value of the 14 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 Indonesia in the 2025 ranking

• India — 1st of 14: 126.12 million
• Mexico — 3rd of 14: 13.19 million
• Algeria — 4th of 14: 5.3 million
• Thailand — 5th of 14: 4.45 million

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 54 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)
• Hong Kong SAR, China — 329,780 (2024)
• 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 Indonesia

• 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)
• School enrollment, primary (% gross) — 100.37% (2025)
• School enrollment, primary, female (% gross) — 99.06% (2025)
• School enrollment, primary, male (% gross) — 101.61% (2025)
• Primary education, teachers — 1.51 million (2025)
• Secondary education, pupils — 27.84 million (2025)
• School enrollment, secondary (% gross)

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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• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Indonesia's primary education, pupils?

28.68 million in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1970?

It is up 92.9% from 14.87 million in 1970 (1.2% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 30.78 million in 2012 and the lowest 14.87 million in 1970.

How does Indonesia rank?

3rd highest of 14 economies with data for 2025.

Is the latest change in primary education, pupils unusual for Indonesia?

In 2025, Indonesia's primary education, pupils fell 1.1% on 2024 (from 28.99 million to 28.68 million). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was −0.1% and a typical year strayed about 1.1% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.9 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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