Nicaragua: Trained teachers in primary education (% of total teachers)

Key figures

Since 1998 it is down 14.39 percentage points from 73.6% in 1998. The World Bank has no value for 13 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

In 2023, Nicaragua's trained teachers in primary education (% of total teachers) fell 9.48 percentage points on 2022 (from 68.68% to 59.21%).

Across the 8 yearly changes before that (1999 to 2022), the average change was −0.16 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 3.62 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 2.6 standard deviations below that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 5.6 percentage points in 1999 and the biggest yearly fall was 9.48 percentage points in 2023. 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 17th highest value of the 16 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

• Cameroon — 13th of 16: 72.34%
• Dominica — 14th of 16: 66.12%
• St. Kitts and Nevis — 15th of 16: 65.2%

What this measures

Trained teachers in primary education are the percentage of primary school teachers who have received the minimum organized teacher training (pre-service or in-service) required for teaching in a given country.

Limitations: This indicator does not take into account differences in teachers' experiences and status, teaching methods, teaching materials, and classroom conditions - all factors that affect the quality of teaching and learning. Some teachers without formal training may have acquired equivalent pedagogical skills through professional experience. In addition, national standards regarding teacher qualifications and pedagogical skills may vary.

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

All 13 values

Trained teachers in primary education (% of total teachers) in nearby economies

• Antigua and Barbuda — 52.82% (2018)
• Bahamas, The — 89.25% (2024)
• Barbados — 75.88% (2024)
• Belize — 88.67% (2024)
• Bolivia — 93.66% (2024)
• British Virgin Islands — 97.17% (2024)
• Cayman Islands — 100% (2024)
• Colombia — 97.63% (2022)
• Costa Rica

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 trained teachers in primary education (% of total teachers)?

59.21% in 2023, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1998?

It is down 14.39 percentage points from 73.6% in 1998. The highest value was 79.2% in 1999 and the lowest 59.21% in 2023.

How does Nicaragua rank?

17th highest of 16 economies with data for 2023.

Is the latest change in trained teachers in primary education (% of total teachers) unusual for Nicaragua?

In 2023, Nicaragua's trained teachers in primary education (% of total teachers) fell 9.48 percentage points on 2022 (from 68.68% to 59.21%). Across the 8 yearly changes before that (1999 to 2022), the average change was −0.16 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 3.62 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 2.6 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.TCAQ.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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