Education in Kuna Yala, Panama: official figures
19.8% of people aged 10 and over in Kuna Yala could not read and write at the 2023 census (4,690 people), against 3.7% nationally and the highest of 13 provinces and comarcas.
Is illiteracy falling in Kuna Yala?
Illiteracy in Kuna Yala fell from 38.5% in 2000 to 28.3% in 2010 and 19.8% in 2023, a drop of 8.5 points since 2010 (nationally 1.8 points).
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica y Censo (INEC), Contraloria General de la Republica de Panama · saved copyHow many people cannot read in Kuna Yala?
The number of people aged 10 and over who cannot read and write in Kuna Yala fell from 6,703 in 2010 to 4,690 in 2023.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica y Censo (INEC), Contraloria General de la Republica de Panama · saved copyHow many young people go to school in Kuna Yala?
50.7% of people aged 5 to 39 in Kuna Yala were attending school or university at the 2023 census (9,490 of 18,728), against 50.4% nationally (5th lowest of 13 provinces and comarcas).
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica y Censo (INEC), Contraloria General de la Republica de Panama · saved copyIs school attendance rising in Kuna Yala?
School attendance among people aged 5 to 39 in Kuna Yala fell from 51.2% in 2010 to 50.7% in 2023 (-0.5 points); nationally it went from 49.0% to 50.4%.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica y Censo (INEC), Contraloria General de la Republica de Panama · saved copyHow many students are there in Kuna Yala?
1.0% of everyone in Panama aged 5 to 39 who attends school lives in Kuna Yala (9,490 of 980,233), against its 0.9% share of that age group.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica y Censo (INEC), Contraloria General de la Republica de Panama · saved copyHow does literacy in Kuna Yala compare with the rest of Panama?
Illiteracy in Kuna Yala stood at 19.8% in 2023, 16.1 pp higher than the national figure (3.7%).
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica y Censo (INEC), Contraloria General de la Republica de Panama · saved copyHow Kuna Yala compares with other provinces
Illiteracy rate, ages 10+ (2023 census)
Kuna Yala ranks 1 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Illiteracy rate, ages 10+ |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kuna Yala | 19.8% |
| 2 | Ngabe Bugle | 19.4% |
| 3 | Embera | 13.9% |
| 4 | Darien | 9.8% |
| 5 | Bocas Del Toro | 8.2% |
| 6 | Veraguas | 6.9% |
| 7 | Herrera | 4.2% |
Share of ages 5-39 attending school (2023 census)
Kuna Yala ranks 9 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Share of ages 5-39 attending school |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Darien | 51.5% |
| 7 | Herrera | 51.0% |
| 8 | Chiriqui | 50.9% |
| 9 | Kuna Yala | 50.7% |
| 10 | Los Santos | 50.0% |
| 11 | Panama | 48.6% |
| 12 | Cocle | 48.3% |
Fall in illiteracy since 2010 (points; Panama excluded, boundary change) (2010-2023)
Kuna Yala ranks 3 of 11, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Fall in illiteracy since 2010 (points; Panama excluded, boundary change) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ngabe Bugle | 11.4 pts |
| 2 | Embera | 9.0 pts |
| 3 | Kuna Yala | 8.5 pts |
| 4 | Darien | 6.1 pts |
| 5 | Veraguas | 4.0 pts |
| 6 | Bocas Del Toro | 3.9 pts |
| 7 | Herrera | 2.8 pts |
More on Kuna Yala: overview · economy and jobs · health · poverty and living standards · Panama
Sources
- Instituto Nacional de Estadistica y Censo (INEC), Contraloria General de la Republica de Panama: Censos 2000, 2010 y 2023, Cuadro 14: poblacion analfabeta de 10 y mas anos, segun provincia y comarca indigena, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 e852c84390e0…)
- Instituto Nacional de Estadistica y Censo (INEC), Contraloria General de la Republica de Panama: Censos 2010 y 2023, Cuadro 15: poblacion de 5 a 39 anos por asistencia escolar, segun provincia y comarca indigena, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 eaa4b877fbbe…)
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