Historical chart and dataset showing Sri Lanka literacy rate by year from 1981 to 2022.

Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) in Sri Lanka was reported at 92 % in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Sri Lanka - 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.

Sri Lanka LK: Literacy Rate: Adult Male: % of Males Aged 15 and Above data was reported at 92.578 % in 2010. This records an increase from the previous number of 92.244 % for 2008. Sri Lanka LK: Literacy Rate: Adult Male: % of Males Aged 15 and Above data is updated yearly, averaging 92.270 % from Dec 1981 (Median) to 2010, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 92.714 % in 2006 and a record low of 91.348 % in 1981. Sri Lanka LK: Literacy Rate: Adult Male: % of Males Aged 15 and Above data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Sri Lanka – Table LK.World Bank: 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).

Literacy rate, youth female (% of females ages 15-24) in Sri Lanka was reported at 99 % in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Sri Lanka - Literacy rate, youth female (% of females ages 15-24) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on May of 2025.

Sri Lanka LK: Literacy Rate: Adult: % of People Aged 15 and Above data was reported at 91.181 % in 2010. This records an increase from the previous number of 90.558 % for 2008. Sri Lanka LK: Literacy Rate: Adult: % of People Aged 15 and Above data is updated yearly, averaging 90.683 % from Dec 1981 (Median) to 2010, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 91.181 % in 2010 and a record low of 86.778 % in 1981. Sri Lanka LK: 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 Sri Lanka – Table LK.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).

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male (%) in Sri Lanka was reported at 85.1 % in 2018, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Sri Lanka - Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

Sri Lanka: Male literacy rate, ages 15-24: The latest value from 2022 is 98 percent, a decline from 99 percent in 2021. In comparison, the world average is 91.06 percent, based on data from 65 countries. Historically, the average for Sri Lanka from 1981 to 2022 is 97.5 percent. The minimum value, 92 percent, was reached in 1981 while the maximum of 99 percent was recorded in 2017.

Sri Lanka LK: Literacy Rate: Youth Male: % of Males Aged 15-24 data was reported at 97.687 % in 2010. This records an increase from the previous number of 97.333 % for 2008. Sri Lanka LK: Literacy Rate: Youth Male: % of Males Aged 15-24 data is updated yearly, averaging 97.027 % from Dec 1981 (Median) to 2010, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 97.687 % in 2010 and a record low of 91.880 % in 1981. Sri Lanka LK: Literacy Rate: Youth Male: % of Males Aged 15-24 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Sri Lanka – Table LK.World Bank.WDI: 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).

Literacy rate, adult male (% of males ages 15 and above) in Sri Lanka was reported at 93 % in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Sri Lanka - Literacy rate, adult male (% of males ages 15 and above) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Sri Lanka LK: Literacy Rate: Youth Female: % of Females Aged 15-24 data was reported at 98.589 % in 2010. This records an increase from the previous number of 98.586 % for 2008. Sri Lanka LK: Literacy Rate: Youth Female: % of Females Aged 15-24 data is updated yearly, averaging 97.939 % from Dec 1981 (Median) to 2010, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 98.589 % in 2010 and a record low of 90.192 % in 1981. Sri Lanka LK: Literacy Rate: Youth Female: % of Females Aged 15-24 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Sri Lanka – Table LK.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).

Literacy rate, youth male (% of males ages 15-24) in Sri Lanka was reported at 98 % in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Sri Lanka - Literacy rate, youth male (% of males ages 15-24) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

The average for 2021 based on 13 countries was 86.52 percent. The highest value was in Uzbekistan: 100 percent and the lowest value was in Afghanistan: 37 percent. The indicator is available from 1970 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Sri Lanka LK: Literacy Rate: Adult Female: % of Females Aged 15 and Above data was reported at 89.959 % in 2010. This records an increase from the previous number of 89.073 % for 2008. Sri Lanka LK: Literacy Rate: Adult Female: % of Females Aged 15 and Above data is updated yearly, averaging 89.091 % from Dec 1981 (Median) to 2010, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 89.959 % in 2010 and a record low of 82.022 % in 1981. Sri Lanka LK: 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 Sri Lanka – Table LK.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).

Sri Lanka LK: Gender Parity Index (GPI): Literacy Rate: Youth Aged 15-24 data was reported at 1.009 Ratio in 2010. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1.013 Ratio for 2008. Sri Lanka LK: Gender Parity Index (GPI): Literacy Rate: Youth Aged 15-24 data is updated yearly, averaging 1.009 Ratio from Dec 1981 (Median) to 2010, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.013 Ratio in 2008 and a record low of 0.982 Ratio in 1981. Sri Lanka LK: 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 Sri Lanka – Table LK.World Bank.WDI: 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).

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, female (%) in Sri Lanka was reported at 74.4 % in 2018, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Sri Lanka - Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, female - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes (%) in Sri Lanka was reported at 79.09 % in 2018, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Sri Lanka - Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Sri Lanka: Literacy rate: Pour cet indicateur, UNESCO fournit des données pour la Sri Lanka de 1981 à 2022. La valeur moyenne pour Sri Lanka pendant cette période était de 91.25 pour cent avec un minimum de 87 pour cent en 1981 et un maximum de 92 pour cent en 2016.

Abstract

Computers offer exciting approaches to teaching that were not even dreamed of twenty years ago, but the extent to which the educational potential of computer technology will be realized, remains to be seen. Use of computers can revolutionize teaching and learning and could bring advances that would improve education dramatically. Ordinary students would make massive gains and bright students could meet greater challenges. Wherever illiteracy is a problem, it would be eliminated and handicapped students would have vast new vistas opened to them.

Teacher attitudes toward computer technology may be a significant factor in the use of computers in education. Computer literate individuals will reap greater benefits than their counterparts who lack that knowledge. To promote computer literacy of both teachers and students, the government is investing considerably. To evaluate the impact of these investments and thereby help ensure that the intended results are achieved, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) literacy of students and teachers should be measured periodically. The Department of Census and Statistics and the Ministry of Education conducted a census on Computer Literacy of Academic Staff of Government Schools, Approved Private Schools and Pirivenas to find out the computer literacy levels of teachers and ICT related facilities and hardware available in schools. This census was conducted on 2nd November 2006.

Geographic coverage

National Coverage - Government Schools

Analysis unit

School Teacher

Universe

All Government Schools All Approved Private Schools All Pirivenas

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

Two census Schedules were used to collect data in this study. The first - Census Schedule 1 - was a structured questionnaire to get the information on the teacher's own perceptions on their competencies in ICT. The ICT literacy of teachers was not measured by actually testing it by administering a test by the teachers' own perceptions of their competencies. A brief description of the information collected by using Census Schedule 1 is given below.

Part A : School Information
Part B : Demographic Characteristics
Part C : Knowledge on Computers
Part D : Use of Application Software
Part E : Use of Computers
Part F : Use of Internet
Part G : Use E-Mail
Part H : Knowledge on Hardware
Part  I : Use of Computers for Teaching

The second schedule was used to get the information on the ICT related facilities available in schools and summary of three questions of the first schedule. These questions are number of teachers in the school who are aware about the computers and those who are computer literate and those who can read and understand documents written in English language.

Cleaning operations

Data editing and coding done by the Census and Statistic Department staff.

Verification of the data is done by the Education Ministry Staff.

Literacy rate, youth (ages 15-24), gender parity index (GPI) in Sri Lanka was reported at 1 % in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Sri Lanka - 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.

Abstract

Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) designed a Labour Force Survey(LFS) on a quarterly basis to measure the levels and trends of employment, unemployment and labourforce in Sri Lanka on a continuous basis. This surveycommenced from the first quarter 1990 with USAID technical assistance and is being continuedby the DCS. Mainly, following information can be obtained by the survey. 1.The economically active / inactive from population. 2.Employment by major industry group and employment status. 3.Unemployment rates by level of education and by age group 4.The informal sector employment. 5.The underemployment rates by sector and by major industries 6.Total Jobs in Sri Lanka with Secondary Employment 7.Informal Employment in Sri Lanka 8.Literacy 9.Computer Literacy

Geographic coverage

National Coverage

Analysis unit

Individuals from the population aged 15 years or more

Universe

Working age population (15 years and above) living in the non-institutional households in Sri Lanka.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

Sampling plan and the sampling frame Two stage stratified sampling procedure is adopted to select a sample of 25,750 housing units to be enumerated at the survey. The sampling frame prepared for 2012 Census of Population and Housing is used as the sampling frame for the sample selection of LFS in 2019.

Sample size At the beginning in 1990, the sample size was 2,000 housing units per quarter in areas other than North and East, and the sample size was increased to 4,000 housing units per quarter in 1996 and continued thereafter. In 1992, 1997 and in 2004 an annual sample of 20,000 housing units was selected to give reliable estimates by district level. However, in order to provide district level estimates precisely, it was decided to use 20,000 -25,000 housing units as the annual sample from2006 to 2010. In 2019 25,750 Housing units were selected for the sample.

Sample Allocation In 2019, 2575 Primary Sampling Units (PSUs) were allocated to each district and to each sector(Urban, Rural and Estate) by using the Neymann allocation method which considers the variance of unemployment rate as usually. The allocated sample for each district then equally distributed for 12 months.

Selection of Primary Sampling Units(PSU) Primary sampling units are the census blocks prepared at the Census of Population and Housing - 2012.

Selection of Secondary Sampling Units (SSU) Secondary Sampling Units are the housing units in the selected 2575 primary sampling units (census blocks). From each selected primary sampling unit, 10 housing units (SSU) are selected for the survey using systematic random sampling method.

Mode of data collection

Computer Assisted Personal Interview [capi]

Research instrument

Survey Schedule and CAPI Programme Current survey concepts and methods are very Similar to those introduced at the beginning. However, some changes have been made over the years in 2006, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017 & 2018 to improve the accuracy and usefulness of the data. The questionnaire is attached as an external resource.

Cleaning operations

Data was processed by following 2 steps, 1. Feeding data to the CAPI system by enumerator. 2. Sending data to the head office through each district offices.

Computer edit check programs are used to capture unusual observations in the data files.

Sampling error estimates

The estimation procedure is given in the section 2.6 in the Annual Report.The Annual Report is attched in the External Resources Section.

Data appraisal

The adjustments for non-response is given in the section 2.7 in the Annual Report.The Annual Report is attched in the External Resources Section.