Zimbabwe Primary Completion Rate
Primary completion rate (% of relevant age group) SE.PRM.CMPT.ZS
Zimbabwe's primary completion rate was 84.37% in 2025, ranked 119th globally. This represents a 1.9% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1984–2025.
Overview
Zimbabwe's primary completion rate stood at 84.37% in 2025, a decline of +1.59pp from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 84.37% by 2025. Zimbabwe ranked 119th globally.
Zimbabwe’s primary completion rate stood at 84.37 % in 2025, placing the country 119th in the world. The indicator has shown modest fluctuation over the 19‑year series, rising from an early level of 83.48 % in 1984 to a brief all‑time peak of 100.80 % in 2001 before falling to a trough of 83.03 % in 2021. The recent figure is marginally below the rates of peers such as Mauritius (84.50 %) and the Gambia (84.17 %), suggesting that Zimbabwe remains close to regional averages but has not yet matched the higher performance of neighboring education systems. The post‑peak decline appears linked to economic instability and fiscal constraints that have limited school resources and teacher retention. Continued investment in infrastructure, teacher training and targeted cash‑transfer programmes could reverse the downward drift and push the completion rate above the current peer group in the coming years.
Data & projection
| Year | Primary Completion Rate | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027* trend | 83.85% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 84.11% | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 84.37% | - | - |
| 2025 | 84.37% | −1.59pp | #119 |
| 2024 | 85.96% | +0.76pp | #57 |
| 2023 | 85.20% | +2.00pp | #104 |
| 2022 | 83.20% | +0.16pp | #112 |
| 2021 | 83.03% | −5.31pp | #115 |
| 2020 | 88.34% | +1.51pp | #102 |
| 2019 | 86.83% | −1.04pp | #110 |
| 2018 | 87.87% | −0.06pp | #108 |
| 2017 | 87.93% | −0.99pp | #102 |
| 2016 | 88.92% | −0.32pp | #107 |
| 2015 | 89.24% | +3.18pp | #101 |
| 2014 | 86.06% | −1.01pp | #107 |
| 2013 | 87.07% | +0.09pp | #104 |
| 2012 | 86.98% | −6.73pp | #101 |
| 2003 | 93.71% | −1.53pp | #70 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Zimbabwe matched the Stagflation Risk pattern in 2024. Historically, 38% of countries showing this pattern (117 out of 307) saw primary completion rate improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Zimbabwe's primary completion rate was 84.37% in 2025. Ranked 119th globally. This represents a 1.9% decrease from the previous year.
Zimbabwe's primary completion rate peaked at 100.80% in 2001.
The lowest primary completion rate in Zimbabwe was 83.03% in 2021.
Zimbabwe ranks 119th globally in primary completion rate as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SE.PRM.CMPT.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Zimbabwe's primary completion rate is projected to reach 84.37% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The primary completion rate of Zimbabwe in 2025 was 84.37%. This ranks 119th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_zimbabwe_primary-completion-rate,
title = {Zimbabwe Primary Completion Rate},
url = {https://historysaid.com/zimbabwe/primary-completion-rate/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}