Nepal: Primary education, teachers (% female)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2025, Nepal's primary education, teachers (% female) rose 0.62 percentage points on 2024 (from 54.08% to 54.7%).

Across the 25 yearly changes before that (1977 to 2024), the average change was +1.26 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 1.27 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.5 standard deviations below 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 3.46 percentage points in 2008 and the biggest yearly fall was 0.7 percentage points in 2013. 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 upward, about 1.24 percentage points a year. A straight line explains 90% of the movement over 9 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 2025, Nepal had the 14th highest value of the 14 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 Nepal in the 2025 ranking

• India — 10th of 14: 58.6%
• Burundi — 11th of 14: 55.24%
• Lao PDR — 12th of 14: 54.89%
• Gambia, The — 14th of 14: 46.48%

What this measures

Female teachers as a percentage of total primary education teachers includes full-time and part-time teachers.

Limitations: The indicator measures the level of gender representation in the teaching profession, rather than the effectiveness and quality of teaching.

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

All 34 values

Primary education, teachers (% female) in nearby economies

• Bangladesh — 65.87% (2024)
• Bhutan — 45.79% (2024)
• India — 58.6% (2025)
• Maldives — 85.28% (2024)
• Sri Lanka — 87.86% (2023)

More education data for Nepal

• Primary education, pupils — 3.57 million (2025)
• Primary education, teachers — 157,456 (2025)
• Secondary education, pupils — 3.67 million (2024)
• Primary school starting age (years) — 5 (2025)
• Primary education, duration (years) — 5 (2025)
• Lower secondary school starting age (years) — 10 (2025)
• Secondary education, duration (years) — 7 (2025)
• Primary education, pupils (% female) — 50.61% (2019)
• Pupil-teacher ratio, primary — 19.74 (2019)
• Secondary education, teachers — 124,257 (2025)
• School enrollment, primary (% gross)

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 Nepal's primary education, teachers (% female)?

54.7% in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1976?

It is up 46.49 percentage points from 8.21% in 1976. The highest value was 54.7% in 2025 and the lowest 7.95% in 1977.

How does Nepal rank?

14th highest of 14 economies with data for 2025.

Is the latest change in primary education, teachers (% female) unusual for Nepal?

In 2025, Nepal's primary education, teachers (% female) rose 0.62 percentage points on 2024 (from 54.08% to 54.7%). Across the 25 yearly changes before that (1977 to 2024), the average change was +1.26 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 1.27 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.5 standard deviations below 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.PRM.TCHR.FE.ZS, 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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