Education in Pasto, Colombia: official figures
The Ministry of Education counted 59,882 children aged 5 to 16 in Pasto in 2024, of whom 96.4% were enrolled in school (net coverage), 30th highest of 74 Colombian cities on this site; the rate was 105.1% in 2019.
How many teenagers in Pasto are in school?
Net enrolment in Pasto in 2024 was 79.2% at pre-school transition level, 96.7% in primary, 86.4% in lower secondary and 65.9% in upper secondary (media).
Source: Ministerio de Educación Nacional (MinEducación) · saved copyWhat is the school enrolment rate in Pasto?
Gross enrolment (all students at a level, whatever their age, as a share of the school-age population) in Pasto was 106.5% in 2024, 104.3% in primary and 110.8% in upper secondary.
Source: Ministerio de Educación Nacional (MinEducación) · saved copyWhat is the school dropout rate in Pasto?
2.10% of students enrolled in Pasto left school during 2024 (dropout rate), 7th lowest of 74 Colombian cities on this site; the rate was 1.57% in 2019.
Source: Ministerio de Educación Nacional (MinEducación) · saved copyHow many students repeat a year in Pasto?
In 2024 90.7% of students in Pasto passed their school year, 7.2% failed and 6.7% were repeating a grade, joint 5th lowest of 74 Colombian cities on this site on repetition.
Source: Ministerio de Educación Nacional (MinEducación) · saved copyWhat is the average Saber 11 score in Pasto?
Students at schools in Pasto averaged 273 points out of 500 in the 2022 Saber 11 school-leaving exam (9,090 test takers), 11th highest of 74 Colombian cities on this site; in 2019 the average was 267.
Source: Instituto Colombiano para la Evaluación de la Educación (ICFES) · saved copyHow do students in Pasto do in maths and English?
In the 2022 Saber 11 exam, students in Pasto averaged 56 in mathematics, 57 in critical reading and 54 in English (each out of 100); the English average was 20th highest of 74 Colombian cities on this site.
Source: Instituto Colombiano para la Evaluación de la Educación (ICFES) · saved copyDo private schools in Pasto score higher?
In 2022, students at public schools in Pasto averaged 273 on the Saber 11 exam (6,840 test takers) and students at private schools 274 (2,250), a gap of 2 points.
Source: Instituto Colombiano para la Evaluación de la Educación (ICFES) · saved copyAre school exam results in Pasto improving?
The average Saber 11 score of Pasto changed by +6 points between 2019 and 2022, 35th largest rise of 74 Colombian cities on this site.
Source: Instituto Colombiano para la Evaluación de la Educación (ICFES) · saved copyHow many adults in Pasto cannot read?
In the 2018 census, 41.0% of households in Pasto were deprived on educational achievement (members aged 15 and over averaged under nine years of schooling), 34th highest of 74 Colombian cities on this site, and 7.1% had a member who could not read or write and 13.1% a child with school lag (national: 46.1%, 10.5% and 16.0%).
Source: Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (DANE) · saved copyHow Pasto compares with other cities in Colombia
Net enrolment rate, ages 5-16, 2024 (MEN) (2024)
Pasto ranks 30 of 74, highest first.
| Rank | City | Net enrolment rate, ages 5-16, 2024 (MEN) |
|---|---|---|
| 27 | Sincelejo | 96.7% |
| 28 | Piedecuesta | 96.6% |
| 29 | Barranquilla | 96.5% |
| 30 | Pasto | 96.4% |
| 31 | Lorica | 96.2% |
| 32 | Duitama | 95.2% |
| 33 | Girón | 94.9% |
School dropout rate, 2024 (MEN) (2024)
Pasto ranks 68 of 74, highest first.
| Rank | City | School dropout rate, 2024 (MEN) |
|---|---|---|
| 65 | Ipiales | 2.48% |
| 66 | Sabanalarga | 2.33% |
| 67 | Duitama | 2.22% |
| 68 | Pasto | 2.10% |
| 69 | Sogamoso | 1.99% |
| 70 | Malambo | 1.97% |
| 71 | Funza | 1.78% |
Grade repetition rate, 2024 (MEN) (2024)
Pasto ranks 70 of 74, highest first.
| Rank | City | Grade repetition rate, 2024 (MEN) |
|---|---|---|
| 67 | Soacha | 6.7% |
| 68 | Piedecuesta | 6.7% |
| 69 | Barranquilla | 6.7% |
| 70 | Pasto | 6.7% |
| 71 | Sabanalarga | 6.6% |
| 72 | Soledad | 5.8% |
| 73 | Malambo | 5.7% |
Saber 11 average global score, 2022 (out of 500) (2022)
Pasto ranks 11 of 74, highest first.
| Rank | City | Saber 11 average global score, 2022 (out of 500) |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Chía | 277 |
| 9 | Zipaquirá | 277 |
| 10 | Cajicá | 274 |
| 11 | Pasto | 273 |
| 12 | Facatativá | 272 |
| 13 | Pitalito | 271 |
| 14 | Piedecuesta | 271 |
Change in Saber 11 average global score, 2019 to 2022 (2019-2022)
Pasto ranks 35 of 74, highest first.
| Rank | City | Change in Saber 11 average global score, 2019 to 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| 32 | Neiva | +7 |
| 33 | Turbaco | +6 |
| 34 | Pereira | +6 |
| 35 | Pasto | +6 |
| 36 | Villa del Rosario | +6 |
| 37 | Barrancabermeja | +6 |
| 38 | Palmira | +5 |
Households with low educational achievement, 2018 census (2018)
Pasto ranks 34 of 74, highest first.
| Rank | City | Households with low educational achievement, 2018 census |
|---|---|---|
| 31 | Pereira | 41.5% |
| 32 | Dosquebradas | 41.4% |
| 33 | Montería | 41.2% |
| 34 | Pasto | 41.0% |
| 35 | Gudalajara de Buga | 40.9% |
| 36 | Palmira | 40.3% |
| 37 | Piedecuesta | 40.3% |
More on Pasto: overview · economy and jobs · health · poverty and living standards · government budget · all cities in Colombia
Sources
- Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (DANE): Medida de pobreza multidimensional municipal de fuente censal 2018: municipal incidence (urban and rural) and household deprivations by indicator, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a3ac3a60498a…)
- Ministerio de Educación Nacional (MinEducación): MEN estadísticas en educación en preescolar, básica y media por municipio, 2011-2024: net and gross coverage, dropout, approval, failure and repetition rates (datos.gov.co API response for the 74 municipalities; query saved as men-municipal-2011-2024.request.txt), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 8de3c5ca5744…)
- Instituto Colombiano para la Evaluación de la Educación (ICFES): Resultados únicos Saber 11: average scores by municipality of the school and school type, 2019-4 and 2022-4 sittings (datos.gov.co aggregate query; saved as saber11.request.txt), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 6b32c41e9323…)
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