Singapore: Primary education, teachers (% female)

Key figures

Over five years it is up 0.05 percentage points from 80.5% in 2018. Since 1970 it is up 14.52 percentage points from 66.02% in 1970. The World Bank has no value for 21 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

In 2023, Singapore's primary education, teachers (% female) fell 0.09 percentage points on 2022 (from 80.63% to 80.55%).

Across the 28 yearly changes before that (1971 to 2022), the average change was +0.25 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 0.67 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.5 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 2.49 percentage points in 1982 and the biggest yearly fall was 0.79 percentage points in 1980. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2016 to 2023 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 18% of the movement over 8 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 2023, Singapore had the 19th highest value of the 37 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 Singapore in the 2023 ranking

• Portugal — 16th of 37: 81.92%
• Iceland — 17th of 37: 81.5%
• Samoa — 18th of 37: 80.81%
• South Africa — 20th of 37: 78.52%
• Nicaragua — 21st of 37: 77.89%
• West Bank and Gaza — 22nd of 37: 77.36%

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 33 values

Primary education, teachers (% female) in nearby economies

• Brunei Darussalam — 77.77% (2024)
• Cambodia — 60.14% (2024)
• China — 74.51% (2024)
• Fiji — 64.64% (2024)
• Hong Kong SAR, China — 76.08% (2024)
• Indonesia — 72.37% (2025)
• Kiribati — 84.33% (2024)
• Korea, Rep. — 76.66% (2024)
• Lao PDR — 54.89% (2025)
• Macao SAR, China — 81.11% (2024)
• Malaysia

More education data for Singapore

• 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) — 4 (2025)
• Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP) — 2.19% (2024)
• Preprimary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
• Primary education, pupils — 238,816 (2023)
• Primary education, teachers — 16,639 (2023)
• Secondary education, pupils — 163,746 (2023)
• Pupil-teacher ratio, primary — 14.69 (2017)

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

80.55% in 2023, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1970?

It is up 14.52 percentage points from 66.02% in 1970. The highest value was 81.44% in 2009 and the lowest 65.4% in 1972.

How does Singapore rank?

19th highest of 37 economies with data for 2023.

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

In 2023, Singapore's primary education, teachers (% female) fell 0.09 percentage points on 2022 (from 80.63% to 80.55%). Across the 28 yearly changes before that (1971 to 2022), the average change was +0.25 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 0.67 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.5 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.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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