In this article, we take a look at the 20 most educated countries in Asia. If you would like to skip our detailed analysis of Asian education, you can directly go to the 5 Most Educated Countries in Asia.
The South Asian Education Crisis
Education disparity is an issue evident across Asia, especially in the divide between nations. According to the World Bank data on literacy rates, there are Asian countries such as Uzbekistan that possess a rate of 100%, but there is also Afghanistan on the other end of the spectrum, holding a literacy rate of merely 37%. The situation is especially worse in the South Asian region, as reported by UNICEF. More than 50% of the region’s children live in learning poverty, which refers to children who are unable to comprehend a simple text by the age of 10. Furthermore, 12.5 million children are out of school at the primary level, whereas the number increases to 16.5 million at the lower secondary level. Around 30% of South Asia’s youth population is not engaged in any kind of education, employment, or training, which is the highest ratio in the world.
According to UNICEF, the region’s educational crisis is perpetrated by issues such as teacher-centered classrooms, rote-based learning, corporal punishment, and gender discrimination. The COVID-19 pandemic further worsened the situation in Asia. Approximately 434 million learners have been affected by South Asian school closures since March 2020. On top of that, an additional 22 million children have missed out on early childhood or pre-school education as early education facilities closed down. Almost 22.8 million children are out of school in Pakistan alone, whereas 3.7 million are out of school in Afghanistan, approximately 60% of whom are girls. You can also take a look at 25 Countries with Education Problems.
The Situation in Asia-Pacific
The dire crisis continues in the Asia-Pacific region as well. According to reports by UNICEF, several of these countries struggled with education even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Almost 35 million children were out of school in the East Asia and Pacific region, whereas a total of 20% lived in learning poverty. However, the pandemic worsened the pre-existing issues, widening the disparities more than ever.
UNICEF estimates that the education of at least 325 million children and adolescents across East Asia and the Pacific was disrupted due to the effects of the COVID-19 lockdowns. At least 80 million of these children were unable to continue their education remotely, which set back their learning even further as other students progressed due to access to remote learning tools such as Zoom by Zoom Video Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:ZM) and Teams by Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT).
However, despite the critical situation in certain parts of the region, East Asia is also an exemplary case for good education. The World Bank considers East Asia to be home to seven of the world’s top ten education systems. One of the fundamental changes that the World Bank noted amongst the most educated East Asian countries was a shift towards shorter curriculums. 30% of the formal curriculum was cut down in Japan, whereas 33.33% was reduced in Singapore. Another similarity across these nations was the proposal for an alternative system of examination that emphasized critical thinking instead of rote learning, a policy that Japan and South Korea prioritized.
East Asian countries have also come on top in PISA and TIMSS, two internationally recognized cross-country assessments. PISA 2022 results were published by the OECD in December 2023. East Asian countries occupied the top five scores in mathematics and science, and four out of the five top scores in reading. The TIMSS 2019 results were published by the IEA in December 2020. The top five scores in grade 4 and grade 8 mathematics belonged to East Asian countries. The top five scores for grade 4 science and the top four for grade 8 science also belonged to East Asian states. This showcased that the countries have managed to perform well despite the broader education crisis currently ongoing in Asia.
Where Does Technology Come In?
One of the factors that helped the education system stay afloat despite the pandemic was technology. Companies like Zoom Video Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:ZM) and Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) had a considerable role in providing access to education even as schools closed down. On December 4, 2020, Vox reported that before the pandemic, Zoom had around 10 million daily meeting participants, a number which jumped to 350 million after the pandemic and made Zoom the most downloaded iPhone and iPad app of the year. However, soon, questions arose about whether the company would continue holding its ground even as vaccines rolled out and lockdown restrictions lifted.
However, as several educational institutes and businesses continue with a hybrid model, Zoom Video Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:ZM) is managing to stay relevant. On February 26, 2024, the company announced its Q4 2023 results. The company’s quarterly revenue was $1.15 billion, beating estimates by $15.48 million. The company also showcased a 3.5% year-over-year increase in its enterprise customers and a 9.8% year-over-year increase in customers who had contributed more than $100,000 over the past year. Here’s what Eric Yuan, the company’s CEO, had to say about its progress during the Q4 earnings call:
“As Zoom becomes a full workplace solution, we are seeing customers migrate from other chat products onto Zoom Team Chat, very excited. Over the past year, Zoom Team Chat usage has increased 130% across our paid accounts. And our migration tool, designed to simplify the transition, has seen a 4x increase in downloads in the last six months. Customers across industries are moving to Zoom Team Chat, including a global supply chain leader, who has migrated over 1,200 users, a major law firm, who has migrated 1,500 users, and a financial payments leader, who has moved over 2,000 users. Customers appreciate the improved user experiences and enhanced collaboration driven by our Zoom Team Chat product as well as the cost efficiencies realized by consolidating their communications and collaboration solutions onto Zoom.”
Teams by Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is another video conferencing and messaging app that has aided the education system over the past few years. In February 2024, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) announced that it would be improving the copilot feature in Teams, which would offer personalized information to users regarding their meetings, colleagues, or files. Furthermore, users can now explore a library of prompts through the copilot app and also look through their copilot chat history.
To curate this list of the most educated countries in Asia, we consulted the World Bank datasets for literacy rates and enrollments at the tertiary level. Countries that ranked within the top 30 on both metrics were shortlisted and sorted according to the average of their two ranks. The final countries are listed in descending order of their average ranks, with the most educated country ranking first. In order to tiebreak, we utilized the mean years of schooling from the 2023 Human Development Report by the UNDP. Our hypothesis is that highly educated populations would have high literacy rates, high tertiary enrollment, and a high value of average years of schooling. We have also added information from UNICEF and the TIMSS and PISA results for further context.
The literacy rate includes the percentage of the literate population above the age of fifteen. The tertiary enrollment metric refers to the percentage of secondary-educated individuals who are enrolled in a tertiary education program. Some countries may have a value above 100% in this metric, which could be due to the inclusion of factors such as international students, part-time students, or non-standard-age students. Lastly, the metric for mean years of schooling is calculated for people aged 25 or above.
Please note that our list is not exhaustive and depends on datasets by the World Bank and the UN, which may have missing values. This might lead to the exclusion of some countries with a highly educated population.
We have not considered Russia for the purpose of this list as the majority of the country’s population resides in Europe, making it a primarily European nation. Based on this methodology, here are the 20 most educated countries in Asia:
20 Most Educated Countries in Asia
20. Maldives
Literacy Rate (2021): 98%
Tertiary Enrollment (2019): 36%
Mean Years of Schooling (2022): 7.8
Average Rank: 22
With a literacy rate of 98% and a tertiary enrollment rate of 36%, Maldives is one of the most educated Asian countries. The UNICEF reports that only 1.6% of the children are out of school at the lower secondary level, and more than 90% of all adolescents are literate in English.
19. Oman
Literacy Rate (2022): 97%
Tertiary Enrollment (2021): 44%
Mean Years of Schooling (2022): 11.9
Average Rank: 22
In 2022, UNICEF reported that Oman had already achieved universal primary education and had increased its secondary enrollment to 99.6%, making it one of the most educated countries in Asia.
18. Lebanon
Literacy Rate (2019): 95%
Tertiary Enrollment (2022): 62%
Mean Years of Schooling (2022): 8.6
Average Rank: 21.5
Lebanon has a literacy rate of 95%, meaning 95% of its population above the age of 15 can read and write adequately. On the other hand, 62% of its population that completes secondary school also goes on to enroll in a tertiary program.
17. Jordan
Literacy Rate (2021): 98%
Tertiary Enrollment (2022): 36%
Mean Years of Schooling (2022): 10.4
Average Rank: 21.5
During the pandemic, Jordan launched a blended learning program called ‘Learning Bridges’ that provided education access to almost 500,000 children during a difficult period. According to a UNICEF report on the program’s impact, it improved teacher skills and the use of technology for education.
16. West Bank and Gaza
Literacy Rate (2019): 97%
Tertiary Enrollment (2022): 45%
Mean Years of Schooling (2022): 9.9
Average Rank: 21
Despite facing educational disruptions due to an ongoing conflict in the region, the Palestinian territory continues to be one of the most educated regions in Asia, with a literacy rate of 97% and a tertiary enrollment rate of 45%.
15. Kuwait
Literacy Rate (2020): 96%
Tertiary Enrollment (2021): 62%
Mean Years of Schooling (2022): 7.4
Average Rank: 20
Kuwait is one of the most educated countries in Asia and has also played a role in helping other states in this regard. In 2023, the state donated $2.761 million to UNICEF to address children’s humanitarian needs in Pakistan, Sudan, Somalia, and Afghanistan. Education was one of the domains in which UNICEF planned to utilize this money for crisis-affected children.
14. United Arab Emirates
Literacy Rate (2022): 98%
Tertiary Enrollment (2020): 53%
Mean Years of Schooling (2022): 12.8
Average Rank: 17
On October 12, 2023, the Arab News reported that the Emirati Education Ministry had joined hands with UNICEF to release a climate education initiative for children. Under this program, the partnership rolled out three projects: Educators Training, Net Zero Heroes, and Children’s Art Competition.
13. Azerbaijan
Literacy Rate (2019): 100%
Tertiary Enrollment (2022): 42%
Mean Years of Schooling (2022): 10.6
Average Rank: 15.5
In 2019, the European Union and UNICEF launched a three-year joint program to aid vulnerable children in Azerbaijan. Under this program, the organizations partnered with non-governmental organizations to open eight early learning centers for children who belonged to underprivileged communities.
12. China
Literacy Rate (2020): 97%
Tertiary Enrollment (2022): 72%
Mean Years of Schooling (2022): 8.1
Average Rank: 15
In 2020, UNICEF reported that China had achieved universal access to its nine-year compulsory education program. By 2019, the country had increased gross annulment in its senior secondary education level to 89.5%. Achievements like these make China one of the most educated countries in Asia.
11. Saudi Arabia
Literacy Rate (2020): 98%
Tertiary Enrollment (2017): 70%
Mean Years of Schooling (2022): 11.3
Average Rank: 14
In March 2022, UNICEF announced that Saudia Arabia had donated $7 million to the organization in order to fund UNICEF's educational programs in Yemen. Saudi Arabia is also one of the most educated Asian countries.
10. Singapore
Literacy Rate (2020): 97%
Tertiary Enrollment (2021): 97%
Mean Years of Schooling (2022): 11.9
Average Rank: 13.5
In PISA 2022, Singapore scored the highest average in all three dimensions, scoring 575 in mathematics, 543 in reading, and 561 in science. The country also scored number one in TIMSS 2019 for mathematics and science for both grade 4 and grade 8. Approximately 54% of its students, the highest in the world, reached the ‘advanced benchmark’ in TIMSS, which was set at 625.
9. Kyrgyz Republic
Literacy Rate (2019): 100%
Tertiary Enrollment (2022): 56%
Mean Years of Schooling (2022): 12.0
Average Rank: 13
Kyrgyzstan is one of the most educated countries in Asia, with 100% of its population above the age of 15 knowing how to read and write. Despite facing certain challenges, the tertiary education sector has still managed to enroll more than 56% of the country’s secondary-educated population.
8. Macao SAR, China
Literacy Rate (2021): 97%
Tertiary Enrollment (2022): 115%
Mean Years of Schooling: N/A
Average Rank: 12.5
In PISA 2022, Macao ranked second in the mathematics category, with an average country score of 552, seventh in the reading category, with a score of 510, and third in the science category, with a score of 543. It is one of Asia’s most educated regions.
7. Türkiye
Literacy Rate (2019): 97%
Tertiary Enrollment (2021): 126%
Mean Years of Schooling (2022): 8.8
Average Rank: 12.5
Türkiye has the highest tertiary enrollment rate in Asia and the second-highest worldwide. With a 97% literacy, the country ranks 7th on our list of most educated countries in Asia.
6. Mongolia
Literacy Rate (2020): 99%
Tertiary Enrollment (2022): 64%
Mean Years of Schooling (2022): 9.4
Average Rank: 11.5
Mongolia ranks sixth on our list of most educated countries in Asia, with 99% of its population aged 15 and above being able to read and write adequately. The country has a mean schooling rate of 9.4, which means its population aged 25 and above has completed 9.4 years of school on average.
