Panama: Primary education, teachers (% female)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2017, Panama's primary education, teachers (% female) did not change 0 percentage points on 2016 (from 76.7% to 76.7%).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1975 to 2016), the average change was −0.13 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 0.87 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.2 standard deviations above 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 2.8 percentage points in 1980 and the biggest yearly fall was 2.27 percentage points in 1976. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2008 to 2017 the straight-line trend is upward, about 0.15 percentage points a year. A straight line explains 79% of the movement over 10 observed years.

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.

Closest to Panama in the 2017 ranking

• Tajikistan — 2nd of 4: 76%
• São Tomé and Principe — 3rd of 4: 54.9%
• Uganda — 4th of 4: 43.07%

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 38 values

Primary education, teachers (% female) in nearby economies

• Antigua and Barbuda — 94.11% (2023)
• Aruba — 84.39% (2015)
• Bahamas, The — 91.12% (2024)
• Barbados — 76.76% (2024)
• Belize — 77.41% (2024)
• Bolivia — 65.58% (2024)
• Brazil — 89.08% (2024)
• British Virgin Islands — 92.71% (2024)
• Cayman Islands — 84.83% (2024)
• Chile — 81.26% (2024)
• Colombia

More education data for Panama

• 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 — 451,308 (2024)
• School enrollment, primary (% gross) — 96.94% (2024)
• School enrollment, preprimary (% gross) — 26.97% (2020)
• School enrollment, tertiary (% gross) — 53.7% (2023)
• School enrollment, primary, private (% of total primary) — 12.61% (2024)
• School enrollment, primary, female (% gross)

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

76.7% in 2017, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1970?

It is down 3.23 percentage points from 79.94% in 1970. The highest value was 80.69% in 1975 and the lowest 74.15% in 1989.

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

In 2017, Panama's primary education, teachers (% female) did not change 0 percentage points on 2016 (from 76.7% to 76.7%). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1975 to 2016), the average change was −0.13 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 0.87 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.2 standard deviations above 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.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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