The rate of adult literacy as share of the country's population 15 years and above in Panama saw no significant changes in 2019 in comparison to the previous year 2018 and remained at around 96 percent. Still, the rate of adult literacy reached its highest value in the observed period in 2019. The adult literacy rate refers to the share of individuals aged 15 years and older who can read and write as well as understand simple expressions about their daily lives.

Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) in Panama was reported at 96 % in 2019, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Panama - Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Panama: Literacy rate: The latest value from 2019 is 96 percent, an increase from 95 percent in 2018. In comparison, the world average is 83.95 percent, based on data from 40 countries. Historically, the average for Panama from 1980 to 2019 is 92.33 percent. The minimum value, 88 percent, was reached in 1980 while the maximum of 96 percent was recorded in 2019.

Panama PA: Literacy Rate: Adult Female: % of Females Aged 15 and Above data was reported at 93.485 % in 2010. This records an increase from the previous number of 91.247 % for 2000. Panama PA: Literacy Rate: Adult Female: % of Females Aged 15 and Above data is updated yearly, averaging 89.731 % from Dec 1980 (Median) to 2010, with 4 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 93.485 % in 2010 and a record low of 88.047 % in 1980. Panama PA: Literacy Rate: Adult Female: % of Females Aged 15 and Above data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Panama – Table PA.World Bank.WDI: Education Statistics. Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; Weighted average; Each economy is classified based on the classification of World Bank Group's fiscal year 2018 (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018).

In 2022, the youth literacy rate (people aged 15-24) in Panama remained nearly unchanged at around 99.34 percent. Nevertheless, 2022 still represents a peak in the youth literacy rate in Panama with 99.34 percent. The youth literacy rate refers to the share of individuals between the ages of 15 and 24 and who can read and write as well as understand simple expressions about their daily lives.

Panama PA: Literacy Rate: Youth: % of People Age 15-24 data was reported at 97.639 % in 2010. This records an increase from the previous number of 96.080 % for 2000. Panama PA: Literacy Rate: Youth: % of People Age 15-24 data is updated yearly, averaging 96.093 % from Dec 1980 (Median) to 2010, with 4 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 97.639 % in 2010 and a record low of 95.087 % in 1990. Panama PA: Literacy Rate: Youth: % of People Age 15-24 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Panama – Table PA.World Bank: Education Statistics. Youth literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15-24 who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; Weighted average; Each economy is classified based on the classification of World Bank Group's fiscal year 2018 (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018).

Panama PA: Literacy Rate: Adult: % of People Aged 15 and Above data was reported at 94.094 % in 2010. This records an increase from the previous number of 91.900 % for 2000. Panama PA: Literacy Rate: Adult: % of People Aged 15 and Above data is updated yearly, averaging 90.340 % from Dec 1980 (Median) to 2010, with 4 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 94.094 % in 2010 and a record low of 88.072 % in 1980. Panama PA: Literacy Rate: Adult: % of People Aged 15 and Above data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Panama – Table PA.World Bank.WDI: Education Statistics. Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; Weighted average; Each economy is classified based on the classification of World Bank Group's fiscal year 2018 (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018).

The literacy rate of people ages 15 years and over in Panama was estimated at approximately 96 percent in 2019. In a steady upward trend, the rate rose by about eight percentage points from 1980.

Historical dataset showing Panama literacy rate by year from 1980 to 2019.

Literacy rate, youth female (% of females ages 15-24) in Panama was reported at 99.3 % in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Panama - Literacy rate, youth female (% of females ages 15-24) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male (%) in Panama was reported at 85.02 % in 2018, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Panama - Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

Panama PA: Gender Parity Index (GPI): Literacy Rate: Youth Aged 15-24 data was reported at 0.994 Ratio in 2010. This records an increase from the previous number of 0.991 Ratio for 2000. Panama PA: Gender Parity Index (GPI): Literacy Rate: Youth Aged 15-24 data is updated yearly, averaging 0.994 Ratio from Dec 1980 (Median) to 2010, with 4 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.004 Ratio in 1980 and a record low of 0.991 Ratio in 2000. Panama PA: Gender Parity Index (GPI): Literacy Rate: Youth Aged 15-24 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Panama – Table PA.World Bank: Education Statistics. Gender parity index for youth literacy rate is the ratio of females to males ages 15-24 who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; Weighted average; Each economy is classified based on the classification of World Bank Group's fiscal year 2018 (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018).

National and international tests have yielded low reading comprehension results for education in Panama, although there is limited information regarding literacy development and performance. There are wide gaps in social inequality, access to technology, and public versus private school achievement. Considering this, after a year off from regular face-to-face classes and a partial transition to online education due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the present study utilizes existing data to carry out a pre-post comparison of the reading performance of fourth (n = 167) and sixth (n = 164) grade students in the province of Panama employing a subsample stratified by educational system for comparability (Mann–Whitney U test, α = 0.05). The pre-post comparison was also carried out independently in both the public (n = 235) and private (n = 106) systems, as well as an additional comparison of the average weekly hours of online academic engagement in both systems during the pandemic in fourth (n = 117) and sixth grade (n = 109). The results support a significant decrease in reading performance. Based on the comparative analysis, findings indicate that public school students interacted online with their teachers significantly less than their private schools’ counterparts; and that, in the same sample, only the public-school students exhibited a significant decrease in reading speed by phonological and lexical route with a medium effect size compared to pre-pandemic standards, greater than those reported in other contexts. This highlights the need to develop effective strategies to narrow the existing educational gaps in the country, which seem to have widened due to the pandemic, with particular emphasis on reading performance in primary school.

Panama: Youth literacy rate, ages 15-24: Pour cet indicateur, UNESCO fournit des données pour la Panama de 1980 à 2022. La valeur moyenne pour Panama pendant cette période était de 97.97 pour cent avec un minimum de 95 pour cent en 1990 et un maximum de 99.34 pour cent en 2022.

Literacy rate, youth (ages 15-24), gender parity index (GPI) in Panama was reported at 0.9992 % in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Panama - Ratio of young literate females to males (% ages 15-24) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Panama: Male literacy rate, ages 15-24: Pour cet indicateur, UNESCO fournit des données pour la Panama de 1980 à 2022. La valeur moyenne pour Panama pendant cette période était de 98.17 pour cent avec un minimum de 95 pour cent en 1990 et un maximum de 99.38 pour cent en 2022.

This dataset tracks annual reading and language arts proficiency from 2011 to 2022 for Panama School District vs. Oklahoma

This dataset tracks annual reading and language arts proficiency from 2010 to 2019 for Panama City Marine Institute vs. Florida and Bay School District

This dataset tracks annual reading and language arts proficiency from 2011 to 2022 for Panama Central School District vs. New York

Goal 4Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for allTarget 4.1: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomesIndicator 4.1.1: Proportion of children and young people (a) in grades 2/3; (b) at the end of primary; and (c) at the end of lower secondary achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in (i) reading and (ii) mathematics, by sexSE_TOT_PRFL: Proportion of children and young people achieving a minimum proficiency level in reading and mathematics (%)Indicator 4.1.2: Completion rate (primary education, lower secondary education, upper secondary education)SE_TOT_CPLR: Completion rate, by sex, location, wealth quintile and education level (%)Target 4.2: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary educationIndicator 4.2.1: Proportion of children aged 24-59 months who are developmentally on track in health, learning and psychosocial well-being, by sexiSE_DEV_ONTRK: Proportion of children aged 36−59 months who are developmentally on track in at least three of the following domains: literacy-numeracy, physical development, social-emotional development, and learning (% of children aged 36-59 months)Indicator 4.2.2: Participation rate in organized learning (one year before the official primary entry age), by sexSE_PRE_PARTN: Participation rate in organized learning (one year before the official primary entry age), by sex (%)Target 4.3: By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including universityIndicator 4.3.1: Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training in the previous 12 months, by sexSE_ADT_EDUCTRN: Participation rate in formal and non-formal education and training, by sex (%)Target 4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurshipIndicator 4.4.1: Proportion of youth and adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills, by type of skillSE_ADT_ACTS: Proportion of youth and adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills, by sex and type of skill (%)Target 4.5: By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situationsIndicator 4.5.1: Parity indices (female/male, rural/urban, bottom/top wealth quintile and others such as disability status, indigenous peoples and conflict-affected, as data become available) for all education indicators on this list that can be disaggregatedSE_GPI_PTNPRE: Gender parity index for participation rate in organized learning (one year before the official primary entry age), (ratio)SE_GPI_TCAQ: Gender parity index of trained teachers, by education level (ratio)SE_GPI_PART: Gender parity index for participation rate in formal and non-formal education and training (ratio)SE_GPI_ICTS: Gender parity index for youth/adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills, by type of skill (ratio)SE_IMP_FPOF: Immigration status parity index for achieving at least a fixed level of proficiency in functional skills, by numeracy/literacy skills (ratio)SE_NAP_ACHI: Native parity index for achievement (ratio)SE_LGP_ACHI: Language test parity index for achievement (ratio)SE_TOT_GPI: Gender parity index for achievement (ratio)SE_TOT_SESPI: Low to high socio-economic parity status index for achievement (ratio)SE_TOT_RUPI: Rural to urban parity index for achievement (ratio)SE_ALP_CPLR: Adjusted location parity index for completion rate, by sex, location, wealth quintile and education levelSE_AWP_CPRA: Adjusted wealth parity index for completion rate, by sex, location, wealth quintile and education levelSE_AGP_CPRA: Adjusted gender parity index for completion rate, by sex, location, wealth quintile and education levelTarget 4.6: By 2030, ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracyIndicator 4.6.1: Proportion of population in a given age group achieving at least a fixed level of proficiency in functional (a) literacy and (b) numeracy skills, by sexSE_ADT_FUNS: Proportion of population achieving at least a fixed level of proficiency in functional skills, by sex, age and type of skill (%)Target 4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable developmentIndicator 4.7.1: Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development are mainstreamed in (a) national education policies; (b) curricula; (c) teacher education; and (d) student assessmentTarget 4.a: Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for allIndicator 4.a.1: Proportion of schools offering basic services, by type of serviceSE_ACS_CMPTR: Schools with access to computers for pedagogical purposes, by education level (%)SE_ACS_H2O: Schools with access to basic drinking water, by education level (%)SE_ACS_ELECT: Schools with access to electricity, by education level (%)SE_ACC_HNDWSH: Schools with basic handwashing facilities, by education level (%)SE_ACS_INTNT: Schools with access to the internet for pedagogical purposes, by education level (%)SE_ACS_SANIT: Schools with access to access to single-sex basic sanitation, by education level (%)SE_INF_DSBL: Proportion of schools with access to adapted infrastructure and materials for students with disabilities, by education level (%)Target 4.b: By 2020, substantially expand globally the number of scholarships available to developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing States and African countries, for enrolment in higher education, including vocational training and information and communications technology, technical, engineering and scientific programmes, in developed countries and other developing countriesIndicator 4.b.1: Volume of official development assistance flows for scholarships by sector and type of studyDC_TOF_SCHIPSL: Total official flows for scholarships, by recipient countries (millions of constant 2018 United States dollars)Target 4.c: By 2030, substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers, including through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries, especially least developed countries and small island developing StatesIndicator 4.c.1: Proportion of teachers with the minimum required qualifications, by education leveliSE_TRA_GRDL: Proportion of teachers who have received at least the minimum organized teacher training (e.g. pedagogical training) pre-service or in-service required for teaching at the relevant level in a given country, by sex and education level (%)