Switzerland: Children out of school, primary

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Switzerland's children out of school, primary rose 212.3% on 2023 (from 252 to 787).

Across the 18 yearly changes before that (2001 to 2023), the average change was +20.4% and a typical year strayed about 83.7% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 2.3 standard deviations above that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 212.3% in 2024 and the biggest yearly fall was 96.7% in 2013. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2024 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 23% of the movement over 10 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, Switzerland had the 85th highest value of the 101 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 Switzerland in the 2024 ranking

• Vanuatu — 82nd of 101: 1,261
• British Virgin Islands — 83rd of 101: 1,080
• St. Lucia — 84th of 101: 1,033
• Seychelles — 86th of 101: 699
• Samoa — 87th of 101: 626
• Mauritius — 88th of 101: 618.43

What this measures

Children out of school are the number of primary-school-age children not enrolled in primary or secondary school.

Limitations: Due to different data sources for enrollment and population data, the number may not capture the actual number of children not attending in primary school.

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

All 21 values

Children out of school, primary in nearby economies

• Albania — 617 (2024)
• Andorra — 102 (2024)
• Armenia — 1,710 (2024)
• Austria — 5,200 (2024)
• Azerbaijan — 152 (2024)
• Belarus — 20,600 (2024)
• Belgium — 13,226 (2023)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 2,933 (2023)
• Bulgaria — 14,529 (2024)
• Croatia — 2,642 (2023)
• Cyprus — 247 (2023)

More education data for Switzerland

• 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 — 556,945 (2024)
• Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP) — 4.86% (2022)
• School enrollment, primary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) — 0.99 (2020)
• Secondary education, pupils — 636,381 (2024)
• Expenditure on tertiary education (% of government expenditure on education) — 26% (2016)

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 Switzerland's children out of school, primary?

787 in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 2000?

It is down 74.8% from 3,123 in 2000 (5.58% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 6,515 in 2012 and the lowest 59 in 2014.

How does Switzerland rank?

85th highest of 101 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in children out of school, primary unusual for Switzerland?

In 2024, Switzerland's children out of school, primary rose 212.3% on 2023 (from 252 to 787). Across the 18 yearly changes before that (2001 to 2023), the average change was +20.4% and a typical year strayed about 83.7% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 2.3 standard deviations above that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SE.PRM.UNER, 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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