Lao PDR: Pupil-teacher ratio, preprimary

Key figures

Since 1972 it is down 46.34% from 34 in 1972 (1.34% a year on average, compounded). The World Bank has no value for 7 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

In 2018, Lao PDR's pupil-teacher ratio, preprimary rose 0.00272 on 2017 (from 18.24 to 18.24).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1982 to 2017), the average change was −0.18 and a typical year strayed about 2.27 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 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 5.98 in 2009 and the biggest yearly fall was 8.09 in 1979. 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 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 20% of the movement over 9 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 2018, Lao PDR had the 23rd 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 Lao PDR in the 2018 ranking

• Ecuador — 20th of 56: 19.32
• Dominican Republic — 21st of 56: 18.89
• Seychelles — 22nd of 56: 18.24
• Azerbaijan — 24th of 56: 18.17
• Malaysia — 25th of 56: 18.11
• Jordan — 26th of 56: 17.56

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 40 values

Pupil-teacher ratio, preprimary in nearby economies

• Brunei Darussalam — 15.43 (2018)
• Cambodia — 33.34 (2018)
• China — 17.38 (2018)
• Indonesia — 12.68 (2018)
• Korea, Rep. — 13.03 (2017)
• Macao SAR, China — 14.5 (2018)
• Malaysia — 18.11 (2018)
• Mongolia — 33.15 (2018)
• Naoero — 22.5 (2016)
• Philippines — 27.08 (2017)
• Samoa — 11.75 (2018)

More education data for Lao PDR

• 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)
• 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)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Lao PDR's pupil-teacher ratio, preprimary?

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

How has it changed since 1972?

It is down 46.34% from 34 in 1972 (1.34% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 34 in 1972 and the lowest 14.38 in 1983.

How does Lao PDR rank?

23rd highest of 56 economies with data for 2018.

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

In 2018, Lao PDR's pupil-teacher ratio, preprimary rose 0.00272 on 2017 (from 18.24 to 18.24). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1982 to 2017), the average change was −0.18 and a typical year strayed about 2.27 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 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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