Saudi Arabia: School enrollment, preprimary (% gross)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2021, Saudi Arabia's school enrollment, preprimary (% gross) fell 3.47 percentage points on 2020 (from 21.79% to 18.32%).

Across the 13 yearly changes before that (2008 to 2020), the average change was +0.81 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 1.38 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 3.1 standard deviations below that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 3.78 percentage points in 2015 and the biggest yearly fall was 3.47 percentage points 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 2012 to 2021 the straight-line trend is upward, about 0.64 percentage points a year. A straight line explains 40% 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

In 2021, Saudi Arabia had the 58th highest value of the 66 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 Saudi Arabia in the 2021 ranking

• Sierra Leone — 55th of 66: 25%
• Benin — 56th of 66: 23.13%
• Guinea — 57th of 66: 19.66%
• Senegal — 59th of 66: 17.58%
• Burundi — 60th of 66: 16.49%
• Djibouti — 61st of 66: 11.62%

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. Preprimary education refers to programs at the initial stage of organized instruction, designed primarily to introduce very young children to a school-type environment and to provide a bridge between home and school.

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 17 values

School enrollment, preprimary (% gross) in nearby economies

• Bahrain — 52.6% (2020)
• Djibouti — 11.62% (2021)
• Egypt, Arab Rep. — 29.27% (2019)
• Iran, Islamic Rep. — 72.48% (2020)
• Israel — 111.23% (2020)
• Jordan — 26.6% (2021)
• Kuwait — 60.25% (2020)
• Malta — 112.49% (2020)
• Morocco — 59.87% (2021)
• Oman — 27.4% (2021)
• Pakistan

More education data for Saudi Arabia

• 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)
• School enrollment, tertiary (% gross) — 83.88% (2024)
• School enrollment, tertiary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) — 1.01 (2024)
• School enrollment, tertiary, female (% gross) — 84.15% (2024)
• School enrollment, tertiary, male (% gross) — 83.65% (2024)
• Tertiary education, academic staff (% female) — 48.05% (2024)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Saudi Arabia's school enrollment, preprimary (% gross)?

18.32% in 2021, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1979?

It is up 14.23 percentage points from 4.09% in 1979. The highest value was 22.21% in 2016 and the lowest 4.09% in 1979.

How does Saudi Arabia rank?

58th highest of 66 economies with data for 2021.

Is the latest change in school enrollment, preprimary (% gross) unusual for Saudi Arabia?

In 2021, Saudi Arabia's school enrollment, preprimary (% gross) fell 3.47 percentage points on 2020 (from 21.79% to 18.32%). Across the 13 yearly changes before that (2008 to 2020), the average change was +0.81 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 1.38 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 3.1 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.PRE.ENRR, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), uri: https://uis.unesco.org/bdds, publisher: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) 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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