Sri Lanka's educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary, population 25+, female (%) (cumulative) was 81.76% in 2024, the latest year in the World Bank's World Development Indicators. That is up 1.59 percentage points from 80.17% in 2019.
Key figures
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Latest | 81.76% | 2024 |
| Five years earlier | 80.17% | 2019 |
| Highest | 83.96% | 2020 |
| Lowest | 32.03% | 1981 |
| Average since 2016 | 81.76% | 2016–2024 |
| First recorded | 32.03% | 1981 |
Over five years it is up 1.59 percentage points from 80.17% in 2019. Since 1981 it is up 49.73 percentage points from 32.03% in 1981. The World Bank has no value for 29 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.
What the numbers say
In 2024, Sri Lanka's educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary, population 25+, female (%) (cumulative) rose 0.27 percentage points on 2023 (from 81.5% to 81.76%).
Across the 10 yearly changes before that (2007 to 2023), the average change was −0.07 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 1.95 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.2 standard deviations above 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 3.79 percentage points in 2020 and the biggest yearly fall was 3.32 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 2016 to 2024 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 3% of the movement over 9 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, Sri Lanka had the 15th highest value of the 30 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 Sri Lanka in the 2024 ranking
- Korea, Rep. — 11th of 30: 85.58%
- South Africa — 12th of 30: 84.85%
- Saudi Arabia — 13th of 30: 81.96%
- Greece — 15th of 30: 75.35%
- Mexico — 16th of 30: 68.27%
- Panama — 17th of 30: 65.72%
What this measures
The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed lower secondary education.
Limitations: Caution is required when using this indicator for cross-country comparison, since the countries do not always classify degrees and qualifications at the same International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) levels, even if they are received at roughly the same age or after a similar number of years of schooling. Also, certain educational programmes and study courses cannot be easily classified according to ISCED. This indicator only measures educational attainment in terms of level of education attained, i.e. years of schooling, and does not necessarily reveal the quality of the education (learning achievement and other impacts).
All 15 values
| Year | Educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary, population 25+, female (%) (cumulative) |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 81.76 |
| 2023 | 81.5 |
| 2022 | 81.12 |
| 2021 | 80.65 |
| 2020 | 83.96 |
| 2019 | 80.17 |
| 2018 | 82.84 |
| 2017 | 82.2 |
| 2016 | 81.65 |
| 2015 | no data |
Educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary, population 25+, female (%) (cumulative) in nearby economies
- Bangladesh — 45.36% (2021)
More education data for Sri Lanka
- Primary school starting age (years) — 5 (2025)
- Primary education, duration (years) — 5 (2025)
- Lower secondary school starting age (years) — 10 (2025)
- Secondary education, duration (years) — 8 (2025)
- Primary education, pupils — 1.58 million (2023)
- School enrollment, primary (% gross) — 91.45% (2023)
- School enrollment, primary, female (% gross) — 92.09% (2023)
- School enrollment, primary, male (% gross) — 90.84% (2023)
- School enrollment, primary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) — 1 (2020)
- Secondary education, general pupils
Reading data like this
Questions people ask
- What is Sri Lanka's educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary, population 25+, female (%) (cumulative)?
- 81.76% in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).
- How has it changed since 1981?
- It is up 49.73 percentage points from 32.03% in 1981. The highest value was 83.96% in 2020 and the lowest 32.03% in 1981.
- How does Sri Lanka rank?
- 15th highest of 30 economies with data for 2024.
- Is the latest change in educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary, population 25+, female (%) (cumulative) unusual for Sri Lanka?
Source
World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SE.SEC.CUAT.LO.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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