Burundi’s primary school enrolment was 92.8% net in 2018.

Higher is better. A higher ratio means more of the children who should be in primary school are in a classroom, which is why a rising line is the good direction. The latest figure, for 2018, is 92.8% net, down from 94.9% net in 2017, a fall of 2.1 percentage points. Since 2003 the series has ranged from a low of 52.8% net in 2003 to a high of 95.4% net in 2010. The 2018 reading sits near the top of that range and just under the 2010 peak.

Why it matters. At this level, primary school is the normal experience for children of that age in Burundi, and the gap to universal enrolment is small. The 2018 slip means a few more children of primary age were outside school than a year earlier. For the state, the task is to keep classrooms and teachers growing in step with the child population so the ratio returns towards its 2010 peak. For households, the ratio reflects how likely it is that a young child starts school at the official age.