Lao PDR: Secondary education, pupils

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2025, Lao PDR's secondary education, pupils fell 2.2% on 2024 (from 543,952 to 532,092).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was +4.4% and a typical year strayed about 5.5% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.2 standard deviations below that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 31.7% in 1978 and the biggest yearly fall was 4.4% in 2022. 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 17,759 a year. A straight line explains 92% 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 Lao PDR in the 2025 ranking

• Kazakhstan — 5th of 9: 2.57 million
• Kyrgyz Republic — 6th of 9: 909,619
• Burundi — 7th of 9: 590,027
• Naoero — 9th of 9: 1,659

What this measures

Secondary education pupils is the total number of pupils enrolled at secondary level in public and private schools.

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

All 47 values

Secondary education, pupils in nearby economies

• Australia — 2.65 million (2024)
• Brunei Darussalam — 40,924 (2023)
• Cambodia — 1.17 million (2024)
• China — 97.98 million (2024)
• Fiji — 113,613 (2024)
• Hong Kong SAR, China — 340,877 (2024)
• Indonesia — 27.84 million (2025)
• Japan — 6.61 million (2023)
• Kiribati — 16,846 (2024)
• Korea, Rep. — 2.66 million (2024)
• Macao SAR, China — 31,617 (2024)

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 secondary education, pupils?

532,092 in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1971?

It is up 3,343% from 15,453 in 1971 (6.77% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 678,082 in 2018 and the lowest 15,453 in 1971.

Is the latest change in secondary education, pupils unusual for Lao PDR?

In 2025, Lao PDR's secondary education, pupils fell 2.2% on 2024 (from 543,952 to 532,092). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was +4.4% and a typical year strayed about 5.5% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.2 standard deviations below that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

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.SEC.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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