10 answers, 5 from Eritrea's own official bodies, with a link to each figure.
What is the literacy rate in Eritrea?
The adult literacy rate in Eritrea was 64.7% in 2008, the latest year available in World Bank Open Data, from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics. The net enrolment rate in primary school was 51.5% in 2018, according to the World Bank enrolment series.
The literacy rate is the share of people aged 15 and over who can read and write a short simple statement about their everyday life. Because the latest figure is from 2008, it does not reflect later changes. Net enrolment counts children of official primary school age who are enrolled in primary school.
How many students graduate from college in Eritrea?
The College of Business and Social Science graduated 1,018 students on 4 July 2026, 536 of them with degrees and 47% of them women, according to the Ministry of Information. Other 2026 graduations it reported: Hamelmalo College of Agriculture 375, Mai-Nefhi College of Science 300, Mai-Nefhi College of Engineering and Technology 297, Asmara Technical School 136 and Orotta College of Medicine and Health Sciences 114.
These numbers come from separate graduation reports and do not form a complete national total. The College of Business and Social Science reports more than 14,000 graduates over its 19 commencements.
How many students pass Eritrea's school leaving exam?
21,561 students sat Eritrea's National School Leaving Examination in 2025/26, and 4,831 of them, 22.4%, qualified for degree and diploma programmes, according to the results announced by the Ministry of Education and reported by the Ministry of Information on 13 July 2026. Regular candidates made up 89.3% of those sitting and repeat candidates 10.7%. The exam was held from 16 to 22 March.
The examination is taken at the end of secondary school, and the qualifying share is the number who reached the mark for higher education places, not a simple pass rate. Students who qualify go on to the colleges whose graduations are listed in the university graduates answer.
How many students pass the eighth-grade exam in Eritrea?
65,876 students sat Eritrea's eighth-grade national examination in 2026, and 60% passed, according to the Ministry of Education as reported by the Ministry of Information on 18 August 2026. Of those who passed, 45% were female. The exam was taken at 535 centres in Mathematics, English, Civic Education and Science.
The eighth-grade exam marks the end of middle school and decides who moves on to secondary school.
How many children finish primary school in Eritrea?
The primary completion rate in Eritrea was 61.3% in 2022, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics data in World Bank Open Data. Gross enrolment was 89.7% in primary school and 44.0% in secondary school in the same year, according to the primary and secondary enrolment series.
The completion rate compares the number of new entrants to the last grade of primary school with the number of children of that age, so it can count over-age pupils and is a proxy rather than a cohort count. Gross enrolment also counts pupils older or younger than the official age. There were 38.7 pupils per teacher in primary school in 2018, according to the pupil-teacher ratio.
The figures below use one definition for every country, so they can differ from national figures.
What is primary school enrolment in Eritrea?
The UNESCO Institute for Statistics puts net primary school enrolment in Eritrea at 51.5% in 2018. That is the lowest since at least 2005. It is 19th highest of 19 in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the median is 90.7%. Of 69 countries with 2018 data, 69th highest.
How many children in Eritrea go to secondary school?
The latest figure from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, for 2022, is 44.0%. It is the bottom of the series, which starts in 2005. Across Sub-Saharan Africa the middle value was 54.1%, and Eritrea placed 12th highest of 15. Of 132 countries with 2022 data, 127th highest.
What is university enrolment in Eritrea?
The UNESCO Institute for Statistics puts gross tertiary enrolment in Eritrea at 3.2% in 2016. That compares with 2.0% in 2004. Across Sub-Saharan Africa the middle value was 10.3%, and Eritrea placed 24th highest of 24. World rank, highest first: 129th of 129.
What is the pupil-teacher ratio in Eritrea?
The UNESCO Institute for Statistics puts the number of primary pupils per teacher in Eritrea at 39 in 2018. Its high point since 2005 was 2007, at 48; its low point was 2010, at 38. It is 12th highest of 23 in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the median is 39. Of 85 countries with 2018 data, 15th highest.
What share of children in Eritrea finish primary school?
The UNESCO Institute for Statistics puts the primary completion rate in Eritrea at 61.3% in 2022. Since 2005 it has ranged from 57.4% (2013) to 86.2% (2005). Across Sub-Saharan Africa the middle value was 70.6%, and Eritrea placed 17th highest of 23. Worldwide: 120th of 127.