Country-specific UIS education-system mapping and recent education indicators.
馃嚤馃嚘
Education in Laos
DATAEducation profile
Education profile 路 Reference periods shown
Laos has recent UNESCO education indicators through 2025. The page keeps general and vocational measures separate so participation, enrolment and literacy figures are not mistaken for one another. Laos is best represented here with recent internationally comparable indicators rather than an unsupported nationwide student total.
Laos education snapshot
Laos is best represented here with recent internationally comparable indicators rather than an unsupported nationwide student total.
Secondary vocational share
1.8%
Upper-secondary gross enrolment
33.3%
Tertiary gross enrolment
14.9%
Youth literacy
90.4%
* Reference years and benchmark labels are shown with the figures.
How the education pathway works
The system map follows the country-specific UIS structure and distinguishes the vocational route from the general school sequence.
| Stage | When | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-primary education | Early years | Pre-primary education precedes the formal school pathway. |
| Primary education | School stage | Primary education forms the first main compulsory-school level. |
| Lower and upper secondary | Secondary | General secondary schooling is separated into lower and upper stages. |
| TVET and tertiary education | Skills and higher study | Vocational, post-secondary and tertiary routes continue after or alongside secondary education. |
Key evidence
The four headline values cover different education levels and populations, with 2025 used where UIS has newer school-level data.
| Indicator or rule | Value | Reference | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Secondary vocational share | 1.8% | 2025 | Students in vocational programmes across ISCED 2+3 |
| Upper-secondary gross enrolment | 33.3% | 2025 | ISCED 3 gross enrolment ratio |
| Tertiary gross enrolment | 14.9% | 2023 | ISCED 5 to 8 gross enrolment ratio |
| Youth literacy | 90.4% | 2023 | Population ages 15 to 24 |
* Reference years and benchmark labels are shown with the figures.
How to read the Laos evidence
The 1.8% vocational share is a composition measure, while the two gross enrolment ratios describe participation relative to official-age populations.
The literacy percentage applies to young people ages 15 to 24 and should not be read as a school-level enrolment measure.
Frequently asked questions
What secondary vocational share is reported for Laos?
UNESCO-UNEVOC reports 1.8% of secondary students in vocational programmes in 2025.
What upper-secondary gross enrolment ratio is shown?
The country profile reports 33.3% for 2025.
What tertiary gross enrolment ratio is reported?
The UIS value shown in the country profile is 14.9% for 2023.
What youth literacy rate is reported?
UNESCO-UNEVOC reports 90.4% for ages 15 to 24 in 2023.
Sources and methodology
The visible source is the country-specific UNESCO-UNEVOC profile for Laos, which in turn identifies UIS as the statistical source.
Methodology: Laos indicators retain the UNESCO/UIS measure name and reference year; no missing national total is estimated.