Nicaragua: School enrollment, secondary (% gross)

Key figures

Since 1970 it is up 52.14 percentage points from 18.04% in 1970. The World Bank has no value for 17 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 6.83 percentage points in 1980 and the biggest yearly fall was 4.4 percentage points in 1984. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those 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, Nicaragua had the 39th highest value of the 49 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 Nicaragua in the 2023 ranking

• Maldives — 35th of 49: 79.36%
• Suriname — 36th of 49: 76.11%
• Bermuda — 37th of 49: 74.4%
• Togo — 39th of 49: 63.42%
• Afghanistan — 40th of 49: 59.61%
• Congo, Dem. Rep. — 41st of 49: 55.49%

What this measures

Gross enrollment ratio is the ratio of total enrollment, regardless of age, to the population of the age group that officially corresponds to the level of education shown. Secondary education completes the provision of basic education that began at the primary level, and aims at laying the foundations for lifelong learning and human development, by offering more subject- or skill-oriented instruction using more specialized teachers.

Limitations: Enrollment indicators are based on annual school surveys, but do not necessarily reflect actual attendance or dropout rates during the year. Also, the length of education differs across countries and can influence enrollment rates, although the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) tries to minimize the difference. For example, a shorter duration for primary education tends to increase the rate; a longer one to decrease it (in part because older children are more at risk of dropping out). Moreover, age at enrollment may be inaccurately estimated or misstated, especially in communities where registration of births is not strictly enforced.

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

All 37 values

School enrollment, secondary (% gross) in nearby economies

• Antigua and Barbuda — 108.88% (2023)
• Argentina — 105.58% (2023)
• Aruba — 124.38% (2024)
• Bahamas, The — 79.49% (2024)
• Barbados — 104.37% (2024)
• Belize — 86.46% (2024)
• Bolivia — 90.53% (2024)
• Brazil — 104.15% (2024)
• British Virgin Islands — 75.58% (2024)
• Cayman Islands — 84.76% (2024)

More education data for Nicaragua

• 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) — 5 (2025)
• School enrollment, preprimary (% gross) — 69.04% (2020)
• School enrollment, primary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) — 0.99 (2020)
• School enrollment, preprimary, female (% gross) — 70.43% (2020)
• School enrollment, preprimary, male (% gross) — 67.72% (2020)
• Primary education, pupils — 880,080 (2023)
• Primary education, teachers

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 Nicaragua's school enrollment, secondary (% gross)?

70.17% in 2023, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1970?

It is up 52.14 percentage points from 18.04% in 1970. The highest value was 72.18% in 2007 and the lowest 18.04% in 1970.

How does Nicaragua rank?

39th highest of 49 economies with data for 2023.

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.ENRR, 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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