Jamaica: Pupil-teacher ratio, preprimary

Key figures

Since 1974 it is down 65.1% from 30.96 in 1974 (2.36% a year on average, compounded). The World Bank has no value for 25 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

In 2018, Jamaica's pupil-teacher ratio, preprimary rose 0.3 on 2017 (from 10.51 to 10.8).

Across the 14 yearly changes before that (1975 to 2017), the average change was −0.19 and a typical year strayed about 2.85 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 5.5 in 1975 and the biggest yearly fall was 5.9 in 1988. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2018, Jamaica had the 52nd highest value of the 56 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 Jamaica in the 2018 ranking

• Serbia — 48th of 56: 11.64
• Uzbekistan — 49th of 56: 11.58
• Bhutan — 50th of 56: 11.12
• Kuwait — 52nd of 56: 8.33
• Belarus — 53rd of 56: 7.92
• San Marino — 54th of 56: 7.05

What this measures

Preprimary school pupil-teacher ratio is the average number of pupils per teacher in preprimary 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 20 values

Pupil-teacher ratio, preprimary in nearby economies

• Bahamas, The — 20.66 (2018)
• Barbados — 15.65 (2018)
• Belize — 16.44 (2018)
• Bolivia — 31.01 (2018)
• Brazil — 16.48 (2017)
• British Virgin Islands — 8.27 (2016)
• Chile — 25.4 (2017)
• Costa Rica — 12.91 (2018)
• Dominica — 11.27 (2016)
• Dominican Republic — 18.89 (2018)
• Ecuador — 19.32 (2018)

More education data for Jamaica

• 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) — 5 (2025)
• Primary education, pupils — 211,097 (2024)
• School enrollment, primary (% gross) — 97.3% (2024)
• School enrollment, primary, female (% gross) — 97.08% (2024)
• School enrollment, primary, male (% gross) — 97.5% (2024)
• Secondary education, pupils — 177,095 (2024)
• School enrollment, secondary (% gross) — 84.46% (2024)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Jamaica's pupil-teacher ratio, preprimary?

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

How has it changed since 1974?

It is down 65.1% from 30.96 in 1974 (2.36% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 39.9 in 1976 and the lowest 10.51 in 2017.

How does Jamaica rank?

52nd highest of 56 economies with data for 2018.

Is the latest change in pupil-teacher ratio, preprimary unusual for Jamaica?

In 2018, Jamaica's pupil-teacher ratio, preprimary rose 0.3 on 2017 (from 10.51 to 10.8). Across the 14 yearly changes before that (1975 to 2017), the average change was −0.19 and a typical year strayed about 2.85 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.PRE.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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