Maldives: Children out of school, primary

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Maldives' children out of school, primary fell 86.5% on 2023 (from 3,089 to 417.77).

Across the 20 yearly changes before that (2000 to 2023), the average change was +3.3% and a typical year strayed about 15.6% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 5.8 standard deviations below that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 34.4% in 2010 and the biggest yearly fall was 86.5% in 2024. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2024 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 8% 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 2024, Maldives had the 92nd highest value of the 101 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 Maldives in the 2024 ranking

• Albania — 89th of 101: 617
• Moldova — 90th of 101: 588
• Grenada — 91st of 101: 534.64
• Cayman Islands — 93rd of 101: 234
• Lithuania — 94th of 101: 156
• Azerbaijan — 95th of 101: 152

What this measures

Children out of school are the number of primary-school-age children not enrolled in primary or secondary school.

Limitations: Due to different data sources for enrollment and population data, the number may not capture the actual number of children not attending in primary school.

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

All 25 values

Children out of school, primary in nearby economies

• Bangladesh — 918,575 (2024)
• Bhutan — 8,385 (2024)
• India — 134,967 (2025)
• Nepal — 21,146 (2025)
• Sri Lanka — 157,499 (2023)

More education data for Maldives

• 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 — 44,013 (2024)
• School enrollment, primary (% gross) — 99.71% (2024)
• School enrollment, preprimary (% gross) — 76.06% (2020)
• School enrollment, primary, female (% gross) — 104.82% (2024)
• School enrollment, primary, male (% gross) — 95.29% (2024)
• Secondary education, general pupils

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 Maldives's children out of school, primary?

417.77 in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1997?

It is down 85.6% from 2,901 in 1997 (6.93% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 3,089 in 2023 and the lowest 417.77 in 2024.

How does Maldives rank?

92nd highest of 101 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in children out of school, primary unusual for Maldives?

In 2024, Maldives' children out of school, primary fell 86.5% on 2023 (from 3,089 to 417.77). Across the 20 yearly changes before that (2000 to 2023), the average change was +3.3% and a typical year strayed about 15.6% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 5.8 standard deviations below that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SE.PRM.UNER, 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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