Pacific island small states: Primary education, pupils

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Pacific island small states' primary education, pupils fell 0.2% on 2023 (from 357,907 to 357,181).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was +0.5% and a typical year strayed about 1.7% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.4 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 3.8% in 1997 and the biggest yearly fall was 3.5% in 1996. 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 1% of the movement over 10 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

See how every economy compares in the full ranking.

What this measures

Primary education pupils is the total number of pupils enrolled at primary level in public and private schools.

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

All 55 values

Primary education, pupils in nearby economies

• Afghanistan — 7.51 million (2023)
• Algeria — 5.3 million (2025)
• Bahrain — 122,305 (2024)
• Djibouti — 69,705 (2023)
• Egypt, Arab Rep. — 15.4 million (2024)
• Iran, Islamic Rep. — 9.09 million (2023)
• Israel — 1.05 million (2024)
• Jordan — 1.12 million (2024)
• Kuwait — 265,113 (2021)
• Lebanon — 533,550 (2024)
• Malta — 27,337 (2023)
• Morocco

More education data for Pacific island small states

• School enrollment, tertiary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) — 0.88 (2024)
• School enrollment, primary (% gross) — 97.76% (2024)
• School enrollment, primary, female (% gross) — 96.26% (2024)
• School enrollment, primary, male (% gross) — 99.18% (2024)
• Primary education, teachers — 18,401 (2024)
• Secondary education, pupils — 319,112 (2024)
• School enrollment, secondary (% gross) — 83.76% (2024)
• School enrollment, secondary, female (% gross) — 84.81% (2024)
• School enrollment, secondary, male (% gross)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Pacific island small states's primary education, pupils?

357,181 in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1970?

It is up 62.67% from 219,568 in 1970 (0.91% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 378,388 in 2019 and the lowest 219,568 in 1970.

Is the latest change in primary education, pupils unusual for Pacific island small states?

In 2024, Pacific island small states' primary education, pupils fell 0.2% on 2023 (from 357,907 to 357,181). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was +0.5% and a typical year strayed about 1.7% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.4 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

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.PRM.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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