Singapore: Secondary education, teachers (% female)

Key figures

Over five years it is down 0.64 percentage points from 65.05% in 2018. Since 1970 it is up 23.66 percentage points from 40.74% in 1970. The World Bank has no value for 32 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

In 2023, Singapore's secondary education, teachers (% female) fell 0.1 percentage points on 2022 (from 64.51% to 64.41%).

Across the 17 yearly changes before that (1971 to 2022), the average change was +0.53 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 0.78 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.8 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 percentage points in 1974 and the biggest yearly fall was 0.37 percentage points in 2017. 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 the straight-line trend is downward, about 0.07 percentage points a year. A straight line explains 49% of the movement over 8 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 2023, Singapore had the 14th highest value of the 36 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

• Ireland — 11th of 36: 67.97%
• Cyprus — 12th of 36: 67.78%
• Greece — 13th of 36: 64.74%
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 15th of 36: 64.15%
• Belgium — 16th of 36: 63.96%
• United States — 17th of 36: 62.81%

What this measures

Female teachers as a percentage of total secondary 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 22 values

Secondary education, teachers (% female) in nearby economies

• Brunei Darussalam — 69.68% (2023)
• China — 60.33% (2024)
• Hong Kong SAR, China — 55.16% (2024)
• Indonesia — 62.14% (2025)
• Kiribati — 62.85% (2024)
• Korea, Rep. — 64.99% (2024)
• Lao PDR — 51.8% (2022)
• Macao SAR, China — 57.42% (2024)
• Malaysia — 70.12% (2024)
• Mongolia — 75.85% (2024)

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)
• Primary education, teachers (% female) — 80.55% (2023)

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

64.41% in 2023, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1970?

It is up 23.66 percentage points from 40.74% in 1970. The highest value was 66.85% in 2008 and the lowest 40.74% in 1970.

How does Singapore rank?

14th highest of 36 economies with data for 2023.

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

In 2023, Singapore's secondary education, teachers (% female) fell 0.1 percentage points on 2022 (from 64.51% to 64.41%). Across the 17 yearly changes before that (1971 to 2022), the average change was +0.53 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 0.78 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.8 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.SEC.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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