Samoa: Children out of school, primary

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Samoa's children out of school, primary fell 49.8% on 2023 (from 1,246 to 626).

Across the 15 yearly changes before that (1999 to 2023), the average change was +180% and a typical year strayed about 328.9% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.7 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 1,115.7% in 2022 and the biggest yearly fall was 99.4% in 2021. 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 14% 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

In 2024, Samoa had the 87th highest value of the 101 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 Samoa in the 2024 ranking

• St. Lucia — 84th of 101: 1,033
• Switzerland — 85th of 101: 787
• Seychelles — 86th of 101: 699
• Mauritius — 88th of 101: 618.43
• Albania — 89th of 101: 617
• Moldova — 90th of 101: 588

What this measures

Children out of school are the number of primary-school-age children not enrolled in primary or secondary school.

Limitations: Due to different data sources for enrollment and population data, the number may not capture the actual number of children not attending in primary school.

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

All 21 values

Children out of school, primary in nearby economies

• Australia — 2,833 (2024)
• Brunei Darussalam — 1,438 (2024)
• Cambodia — 76,741 (2024)
• Fiji — 2,471 (2024)
• Hong Kong SAR, China — 4,491 (2024)
• Indonesia — 250,575 (2025)
• Japan — 4,225 (2023)
• Kiribati — 1,596 (2024)
• Korea, Rep. — 1,383 (2024)
• Lao PDR — 82,273 (2025)
• Macao SAR, China — 4,608 (2024)

More education data for Samoa

• Primary school starting age (years) — 5 (2025)
• Primary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
• Lower secondary school starting age (years) — 11 (2025)
• Secondary education, duration (years) — 7 (2025)
• Primary education, pupils — 34,962 (2024)
• School enrollment, primary (% gross) — 101.04% (2024)
• School enrollment, primary, female (% gross) — 99.1% (2024)
• School enrollment, primary, male (% gross) — 102.89% (2024)
• School enrollment, primary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) — 1 (2021)
• Primary education, pupils (% female) — 48.01% (2018)

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 Samoa's children out of school, primary?

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

How has it changed since 1994?

It is down 67.19% from 1,908 in 1994 (3.65% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 2,020 in 2020 and the lowest 13 in 2021.

How does Samoa rank?

87th highest of 101 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in children out of school, primary unusual for Samoa?

In 2024, Samoa's children out of school, primary fell 49.8% on 2023 (from 1,246 to 626). Across the 15 yearly changes before that (1999 to 2023), the average change was +180% and a typical year strayed about 328.9% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.7 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.UNER, 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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