Kuwait: Primary education, pupils

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2021, Kuwait's primary education, pupils fell 4.4% on 2020 (from 277,437 to 265,113).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1991 to 2020), the average change was +1.7% and a typical year strayed about 8.8% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.7 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 28.2% in 2005 and the biggest yearly fall was 34.1% in 1991. 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 the straight-line trend is upward, about 4,391 a year. A straight line explains 67% 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

See how every economy compares in the full ranking.

Closest to Kuwait in the 2021 ranking

• Liechtenstein — 2nd of 2: 1,984

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 51 values

Primary education, pupils in nearby economies

• Afghanistan — 7.51 million (2023)
• Algeria — 5.3 million (2025)
• Bahrain — 122,305 (2024)
• Djibouti — 69,705 (2023)
• Egypt, Arab Rep. — 15.4 million (2024)
• Iran, Islamic Rep. — 9.09 million (2023)
• Israel — 1.05 million (2024)
• Jordan — 1.12 million (2024)
• Lebanon — 533,550 (2024)
• Malta — 27,337 (2023)
• Morocco — 4.61 million (2024)
• Oman

More education data for Kuwait

• Primary school starting age (years) — 6 (2025)
• Primary education, duration (years) — 5 (2025)
• Lower secondary school starting age (years) — 11 (2025)
• Secondary education, duration (years) — 7 (2025)
• School enrollment, primary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) — 1.15 (2021)
• School enrollment, primary (% gross) — 82.36% (2021)
• School enrollment, primary, female (% gross) — 88.67% (2021)
• School enrollment, primary, male (% gross) — 77.02% (2021)
• Primary education, teachers — 32,782 (2021)
• 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 Kuwait's primary education, pupils?

265,113 in 2021, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1971?

It is up 251.08% from 75,513 in 1971 (2.54% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 278,529 in 2018 and the lowest 75,513 in 1971.

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

In 2021, Kuwait's primary education, pupils fell 4.4% on 2020 (from 277,437 to 265,113). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1991 to 2020), the average change was +1.7% and a typical year strayed about 8.8% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.7 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Where does this data come from?

The World Bank's World Development Indicators, 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..

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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