Lao PDR: Primary education, duration (years)

Key figures

What the numbers say

On record, the biggest yearly fall was 1 in 1977. 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 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 2025, Lao PDR had the 154th highest value of the 210 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 Lao PDR in the 2025 ranking

• Italy — 168th of 210: 5
• Korea, Dem. People's Rep. — 169th of 210: 5
• Kuwait — 170th of 210: 5
• Liechtenstein — 172nd of 210: 5
• Madagascar — 173rd of 210: 5
• Monaco — 174th of 210: 5

What this measures

Primary duration refers to the number of grades (years) in primary school.

Limitations: The presence of national legislation does not guarantee that countries will implement it effectively, nor does it ensure that parents will take advantage of the provisions available for their children.

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

All 56 values

Primary education, duration (years) in nearby economies

• American Samoa — 6 (2025)
• Australia — 7 (2025)
• Brunei Darussalam — 6 (2025)
• Cambodia — 6 (2025)
• China — 6 (2025)
• Fiji — 6 (2025)
• French Polynesia — 5 (2025)
• Guam — 8 (2025)
• Hong Kong SAR, China — 6 (2025)
• Indonesia — 6 (2025)
• Japan — 6 (2025)

More education data for Lao PDR

• Primary school starting age (years) — 6 (2025)
• Lower secondary school starting age (years) — 11 (2025)
• Secondary education, duration (years) — 7 (2025)
• Primary education, pupils — 739,554 (2025)
• School enrollment, primary (% gross) — 93.14% (2025)
• Primary education, teachers — 21,845 (2025)
• School enrollment, primary, female (% gross) — 92.64% (2025)
• School enrollment, primary, male (% gross) — 93.63% (2025)
• Primary education, teachers (% female) — 54.89% (2025)
• Secondary education, pupils — 532,092 (2025)

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 Lao PDR's primary education, duration (years)?

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

How has it changed since 1970?

It is down 16.67% from 6 in 1970 (0.33% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 6 in 1970 and the lowest 5 in 1977.

How does Lao PDR rank?

154th highest of 210 economies with data for 2025.

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.DURS, 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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