Sierra Leone: Pupil-teacher ratio, primary

Key figures

Over five years it is down 20.98% from 34.83 in 2013 (4.6% a year on average, compounded). Since 1971 it is down 14.8% from 32.3 in 1971 (0.34% a year on average, compounded). The World Bank has no value for 23 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

In 2018, Sierra Leone's pupil-teacher ratio, primary fell 11.92 on 2017 (from 39.44 to 27.52).

Across the 17 yearly changes before that (1972 to 2017), the average change was +0.98 and a typical year strayed about 1.89 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 6.8 standard deviations below that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 4.85 in 1986 and the biggest yearly fall was 11.92 in 2018. 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 2018, Sierra Leone had the 26th highest value of the 83 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 Sierra Leone in the 2018 ranking

• Bangladesh — 22nd of 83: 30.05
• Djibouti — 23rd of 83: 29.37
• Comoros — 24th of 83: 28.06
• El Salvador — 26th of 83: 26.89
• Morocco — 27th of 83: 26.8
• Solomon Islands — 28th of 83: 25.41

What this measures

Primary school pupil-teacher ratio is the average number of pupils per teacher in primary school.

Limitations: The comparability of pupil-teacher ratios across countries is affected by the definition of teachers and by differences in class size by grade and in the number of hours taught, as well as the different practices countries employ such as part-time teachers, school shifts, and multi-grade classes. Moreover, the underlying enrollment levels are subject to a variety of reporting errors.

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

All 25 values

Pupil-teacher ratio, primary in nearby economies

• Angola — 50.03 (2015)
• Benin — 39.2 (2018)
• Botswana — 23.71 (2015)
• Burkina Faso — 39.72 (2018)
• Burundi — 42.52 (2018)
• Cabo Verde — 21.07 (2018)
• Cameroon — 44.83 (2018)
• Central African Republic — 83.41 (2016)
• Chad — 56.89 (2016)
• Comoros — 28.06 (2018)
• Congo, Dem. Rep. — 33.2 (2015)

More education data for Sierra Leone

• 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) — 7 (2025)
• Primary education, pupils — 2.07 million (2024)
• School enrollment, primary (% gross) — 162.12% (2024)
• School enrollment, primary, female (% gross) — 166.35% (2024)
• School enrollment, primary, male (% gross) — 157.95% (2024)
• Primary education, teachers — 46,575 (2024)
• School enrollment, primary (gross), gender parity index (GPI)

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 Sierra Leone's pupil-teacher ratio, primary?

27.52 in 2018, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1971?

It is down 14.8% from 32.3 in 1971 (0.34% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 39.44 in 2017 and the lowest 27.52 in 2018.

How does Sierra Leone rank?

26th highest of 83 economies with data for 2018.

Is the latest change in pupil-teacher ratio, primary unusual for Sierra Leone?

In 2018, Sierra Leone's pupil-teacher ratio, primary fell 11.92 on 2017 (from 39.44 to 27.52). Across the 17 yearly changes before that (1972 to 2017), the average change was +0.98 and a typical year strayed about 1.89 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 6.8 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.ENRL.TC.ZS, 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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