Country-specific UIS education indicators and data gaps.
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Education in North Korea
DATAEducation profile
Education profile 路 Reference periods shown
For North Korea, recent internationally comparable education data are sparse. This page therefore uses clearly dated UNESCO indicators from 2015 and 2018 and does not present unavailable 2026 fields as zero. North Korea is treated as a sparse-data case: the page prioritises transparent source years over the appearance of freshness.
North Korea education snapshot
North Korea is treated as a sparse-data case: the page prioritises transparent source years over the appearance of freshness.
Primary gross enrolment
92.1%
Lower-secondary gross enrolment
94.7%
Upper-secondary gross enrolment
98.7%
Post-secondary vocational share
100%
* Reference years and benchmark labels are shown with the figures.
How the education pathway works
The system section mirrors the UIS levels attached to the available indicators and avoids unrelated commentary.
| Stage | When | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Primary education | Primary | Primary education is the first main school level in the UIS mapping. |
| Lower-secondary education | Lower secondary | Lower secondary follows primary schooling. |
| Upper-secondary education | Upper secondary | Upper secondary follows the lower-secondary stage. |
| Non-tertiary vocational education | Post-secondary | The available 2018 ISCED 4 indicator is fully vocational in programme orientation. |
Key evidence
The 2015 and 2018 ratios are historical by current standards and remain visibly dated in every card and FAQ.
| Indicator or rule | Value | Reference | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary gross enrolment | 92.1% | 2018 | ISCED 1 |
| Lower-secondary gross enrolment | 94.7% | 2015 | ISCED 2 |
| Upper-secondary gross enrolment | 98.7% | 2018 | ISCED 3 |
| Post-secondary vocational share | 100% | 2018 | ISCED 4 programme orientation |
* Reference years and benchmark labels are shown with the figures.
How to read the North Korea evidence
The 100% ISCED 4 value describes programme orientation within post-secondary non-tertiary education, not participation by the whole population.
Missing 2026 values in the UNESCO profile are omitted rather than converted into zero or filled with unsupported estimates.
Frequently asked questions
What primary gross enrolment ratio is available for North Korea?
UNESCO-UNEVOC reports 92.1% for 2018.
What lower-secondary gross enrolment ratio is available?
The profile reports 94.7% for 2015.
What upper-secondary gross enrolment ratio is available?
The profile reports 98.7% for 2018.
Why are newer headline values not shown?
The current UNESCO profile has gaps for several recent education indicators, so this page keeps the latest available dated values rather than treating missing fields as zero.
Sources and methodology
The sole source is the country-specific UNESCO-UNEVOC profile, which identifies UIS as the statistical source.
Methodology: North Korea's latest available education indicators are used only with their original years; missing data remain missing.