Malawi: Secondary education, pupils

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2023, Malawi's secondary education, pupils rose 5.8% on 2022 (from 1.1 million to 1.16 million).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1989 to 2022), the average change was +5.5% and a typical year strayed about 11.6% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.0 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 47.7% in 1995 and the biggest yearly fall was 12.5% in 2000. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2014 to 2023 the straight-line trend is upward, about 28,283 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

In 2023, Malawi had the 25th highest value of the 51 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 Malawi in the 2023 ranking

• Senegal — 21st of 51: 1.28 million
• Belgium — 22nd of 51: 1.18 million
• Sierra Leone — 23rd of 51: 1.16 million
• Czechia — 25th of 51: 918,975
• Togo — 26th of 51: 915,214
• West Bank and Gaza — 27th of 51: 868,232

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 50 values

Secondary education, pupils in nearby economies

• Angola — 2.59 million (2023)
• Benin — 929,099 (2022)
• Botswana — 175,513 (2021)
• Burkina Faso — 1.19 million (2024)
• Burundi — 590,027 (2025)
• Cabo Verde — 55,831 (2022)
• Cameroon — 2.01 million (2023)
• Central African Republic — 137,844 (2017)
• Chad — 764,990 (2024)
• Comoros — 67,764 (2022)
• Congo, Dem. Rep. — 7.93 million (2023)

More education data for Malawi

• 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) — 6 (2025)
• Primary education, pupils — 4.75 million (2024)
• School enrollment, primary (% gross) — 139.02% (2024)
• School enrollment, primary, female (% gross) — 140.69% (2024)
• School enrollment, primary, male (% gross) — 137.34% (2024)
• School enrollment, secondary (% gross) — 36.64% (2023)
• School enrollment, secondary, female (% gross) — 37.26% (2023)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
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• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Malawi's secondary education, pupils?

1.16 million in 2023, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1972?

It is up 1,669% from 65,634 in 1972 (5.79% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 1.2 million in 2020 and the lowest 65,634 in 1972.

How does Malawi rank?

25th highest of 51 economies with data for 2023.

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

In 2023, Malawi's secondary education, pupils rose 5.8% on 2022 (from 1.1 million to 1.16 million). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1989 to 2022), the average change was +5.5% and a typical year strayed about 11.6% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.0 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.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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