11 answers, 5 from Qatar's own official bodies, with a link to each figure.
Qatar's schools had 399,512 students in the 2024-2025 school year: 142,130 in government schools and 257,382 in private schools, according to the Ministry of Education and Higher Education's students and teachers dataset. Government schools had 16,083 teachers and private schools 14,993.
The totals add the figures for each level of education and gender. In 2023-2024 there were 136,889 students in government schools and 239,257 in private schools.
Qatar's gross enrolment ratio in tertiary education was 43.0% in 2024, according to World Bank Open Data, from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
The gross ratio divides everyone enrolled in universities and other tertiary institutions, whatever their age, by the population in the five-year age group after secondary school. Government spending on education was 3.2% of GDP in 2020, according to the World Bank education spending series.
99.6% of Qatari men and 98.4% of Qatari women aged 15 and over could read and write in 2021, according to the National Planning Council's SDG 4.6.1 literacy dataset. Among non-Qataris the rates were 99.1% for men and 99.8% for women.
Literacy among young Qataris aged 15 to 24 was 100%. The rate for Qatari women aged 50 and over was 93.6%. 2021 is the latest year in the dataset. The World Bank series, from UNESCO, gives 97.75% for all adults in 2014.
Qatar's 349 government schools had 148,310 students in 5,877 classes in the 2025-2026 school year, about 25 students a class, according to the National Planning Council's public schools dataset. They employed 17,409 teachers, about one for every 8.5 students.
Primary schools had 67,893 students, preparatory schools 35,087 and secondary schools 35,578, the breakdown by level shows. Private schools had more students than government schools in 2024-2025, 257,382 against 142,130.
Government spending on education in Qatar was 3.23% of GDP in 2020, the latest year available, according to UNESCO data on World Bank Open Data. It was 2.8% in 2019 and 2.97% in 2017.
The figure covers spending by government on schools, universities and scholarships. Qatar's GDP moves with oil and gas prices, so the share of GDP can change even when spending does not. The Ministry of Education site (edu.gov.qa) did not respond on 15 October 2026.
The figures below use one definition for every country, so they can differ from national figures.
In 2018, net primary school enrolment in Qatar was 94.1%, according to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Its high point since 2005 was 2005, at 95.0%; its low point was 2013, at 88.6%. Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan median: 94.1%; Qatar is 6th highest of 11. Worldwide: 29th of 69.
The latest figure from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, for 2024, is 99.6%. The peak was 105.9% in 2020 and the low 90.1% in 2005. Across Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan the middle value was 95.1%, and Qatar placed 4th highest of 13. Worldwide: 35th of 100.
The latest figure from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, for 2024, is 43.0%. That is the highest since at least 2005. It is 7th highest of 11 in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, where the median is 48.2%. World rank, highest first: 53rd of 90.
The latest figure from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, for 2020, is 3.2% of GDP. Its high point since 2005 was 2010, at 4.5% of GDP; its low point was 2019, at 2.8% of GDP. Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan median: 4.0% of GDP; Qatar is 9th highest of 13. Of 162 countries with 2020 data, 126th highest.
In 2018, the number of primary pupils per teacher in Qatar was 12, according to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics. The peak was 13 in 2008 and the low 10 in 2012. It is 10th highest of 13 in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, where the median is 19. World rank, highest first: 76th of 85.
The latest figure from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, for 2024, is 95.4%. Its high point since 2005 was 2020, at 103.1%; its low point was 2005, at 84.4%. Across Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan the middle value was 97.0%, and Qatar placed 7th highest of 11. World rank, highest first: 52nd of 104.
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