Zimbabwe: Primary education, teachers (% female)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Zimbabwe's primary education, teachers (% female) rose 0.66 percentage points on 2023 (from 61.3% to 61.96%).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1977 to 2023), the average change was +0.46 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 0.91 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 1.92 percentage points in 1982 and the biggest yearly fall was 1.88 percentage points in 1988. 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 the straight-line trend is upward, about 0.45 percentage points a year. A straight line explains 84% of the movement over 10 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 2024, Zimbabwe had the 85th highest value of the 105 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 Zimbabwe in the 2024 ranking

• Morocco — 81st of 105: 64.74%
• Fiji — 82nd of 105: 64.64%
• Vanuatu — 83rd of 105: 62.79%
• Cameroon — 85th of 105: 61.38%
• Cambodia — 86th of 105: 60.14%
• Zambia — 87th of 105: 59.15%

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 39 values

Primary education, teachers (% female) in nearby economies

• Benin — 29.64% (2022)
• Botswana — 74.08% (2022)
• Burkina Faso — 50.07% (2024)
• Burundi — 55.24% (2025)
• Cabo Verde — 63.51% (2022)
• Cameroon — 61.38% (2024)
• Central African Republic — 19.09% (2016)
• Chad — 21.27% (2024)
• Comoros — 43.24% (2024)
• Congo, Dem. Rep. — 32.35% (2023)
• Congo, Rep.

More education data for Zimbabwe

• Primary school starting age (years) — 6 (2025)
• Primary education, duration (years) — 7 (2025)
• Lower secondary school starting age (years) — 13 (2025)
• Secondary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
• Primary education, pupils — 2.94 million (2024)
• School enrollment, primary (% gross) — 93.08% (2024)
• School enrollment, primary, female (% gross) — 93.39% (2024)
• School enrollment, primary, male (% gross) — 92.76% (2024)
• Primary education, teachers — 90,330 (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
• 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 Zimbabwe's primary education, teachers (% female)?

61.96% in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1973?

It is up 29.38 percentage points from 32.58% in 1973. The highest value was 62.35% in 2021 and the lowest 32.58% in 1973.

How does Zimbabwe rank?

85th highest of 105 economies with data for 2024.

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

In 2024, Zimbabwe's primary education, teachers (% female) rose 0.66 percentage points on 2023 (from 61.3% to 61.96%). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1977 to 2023), the average change was +0.46 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 0.91 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.

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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