What share of children in Esmeraldas attend basic school?

The net attendance rate in basic general education (ages 5 to 14) in Esmeraldas was 94.6% in 2025 against 95.5% nationally; 8th lowest of the 24 provinces.

What share of teenagers in Esmeraldas attend secondary school?

85.2% of young people aged 12 to 17 in Esmeraldas attended secondary school at the expected level in 2025 (national 87.0%), 10th lowest of the 24 provinces.

What share of young people in Esmeraldas attend upper secondary school?

The net attendance rate in bachillerato (upper secondary, ages 15 to 17) in Esmeraldas was 69.0% in 2025 against 74.7% nationally, 7th lowest of the 24 provinces. The gross rate, which counts students of any age, was 93.7%.

Education in Esmeraldas, Ecuador: official figures

People aged 24 and over in Esmeraldas had 9.8 years of schooling on average in 2025, against 10.4 nationally; 12th highest of the 24 provinces. In 2018 the average was 9.1 years.

What is the illiteracy rate in Esmeraldas?

The illiteracy rate among people aged 15 and over in Esmeraldas was 7.3% in 2025, against 6.4% nationally; 10th highest of the 24 provinces. In 2018 it was 8.1%.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (INEC) · saved copy

Is school attendance rising in Esmeraldas?

Net bachillerato attendance in Esmeraldas was 65.2% in 2018 and 69.0% in 2025 (up 3.8 percentage points); nationally it went from 71.0% to 74.7%.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (INEC) · saved copy

How Esmeraldas compares with other provinces

Average years of schooling (aged 24 and over) (2025)

Esmeraldas ranks 12 of 24, highest first.

Rank	Region	Average years of schooling (aged 24 and over)
9	Loja	10.3
10	Sucumbios	10.1
11	Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas	10.1
12	Esmeraldas	9.8
13	Santa Elena	9.7
14	Los Rios	9.6
15	Napo	9.6

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (INEC) · saved copy

Illiteracy rate (aged 15 and over) (2025)

Esmeraldas ranks 10 of 24, highest first.

Rank	Region	Illiteracy rate (aged 15 and over)
7	Morona Santiago	8.8%
8	Carchi	7.7%
9	Los Rios	7.4%
10	Esmeraldas	7.3%
11	Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas	6.8%
12	Tungurahua	5.8%
13	Pastaza	5.3%

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (INEC) · saved copy

Net attendance rate, bachillerato (ages 15 to 17) (2025)

Esmeraldas ranks 18 of 24, highest first.

Rank	Region	Net attendance rate, bachillerato (ages 15 to 17)
15	Bolivar	72.9%
16	Guayas	71.2%
17	Los Rios	70.8%
18	Esmeraldas	69.0%
19	Carchi	66.2%
20	Sucumbios	65.9%
21	Pastaza	64.3%

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (INEC) · saved copy

Net attendance rate, secondary (ages 12 to 17) (2025)

Esmeraldas ranks 15 of 24, highest first.

Rank	Region	Net attendance rate, secondary (ages 12 to 17)
12	Guayas	86.7%
13	Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas	86.2%
14	Imbabura	85.9%
15	Esmeraldas	85.2%
16	Carchi	84.5%
17	Manabi	84.4%
18	Pastaza	82.1%

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (INEC) · saved copy

More on Esmeraldas: overview · economy and jobs · health · poverty and living standards · Ecuador

Sources

Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (INEC): ENEMDU Anual 2025 (Encuesta Nacional de Empleo, Desempleo y Subempleo): tabulados de mercado laboral, educación, vivienda, pobreza y desigualdad por provincia, 2018-2025, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 f969666762d3…)

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