Barbados
Last updated December 1, 2025
Composite GEFRI Score
Emerging readiness
Barbados demonstrates early-stage readiness (53rd percentile worldwide). Investments are generating initial gains, yet substantial gaps persist in several dimensions. Higher scores indicate a system that is better prepared to anticipate and shape the future of learning.
- Global percentile
- 53rd
- Global rank
- Not ranked (microstate)
- Regional rank
- Not ranked (microstate)
- Viewing data for
Country profile
Barbados trails global peers in Innovation (27, 18th percentile). A coordinated reform effort is needed to strengthen education futures readiness.
Uneven scores across dimensions highlight areas that need targeted coordination.
Sparse R&D investment and a small research workforce slow experimentation and delay new ideas from reaching learners. Gender parity across secondary pathways reflects sustained commitment to equitable participation.
School Access and Gender Parity presents a near-term leapfrog opportunity: performance is just below the global average, backed by enough observed data to support forward planning. Regionally, Barbados leads most clearly in Governance, sitting well above the peer average.
Note: Several indicators use imputed values. Policymakers and planners should validate results further before committing to major initiatives.
Key insights
- Scores range from Governance (70.3) to Innovation (27.5), reflecting variation across dimensions.
- Leads regional peers most clearly in Governance.
Regional peers: Latin America & Caribbean
Composite GEFRI score
| Global rank | Regional rank | Country | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 34 | 1 | Chile | 69.86 |
| 41 | 2 | Argentina | 63.78 |
| 46 | 3 | Uruguay | 62.23 |
| — | — | Cayman IslandsMicrostate | 60.65 |
| — | — | Antigua and BarbudaMicrostate | 57.78 |
| 67 | 4 | Peru | 56.70 |
| — | — | GrenadaMicrostate | 56.16 |
| — | — | St. Kitts and NevisMicrostate | 55.76 |
| 74 | 5 | Colombia | 54.99 |
| — | — | Turks and Caicos IslandsMicrostate | 54.87 |
| — | — | CuracaoMicrostate | 54.63 |
| 75 | 6 | Mexico | 54.62 |
| 80 | 7 | Cuba | 52.99 |
| 81 | 8 | Brazil | 52.92 |
| — | — | BarbadosMicrostate | 52.49 |
| 84 | 9 | Puerto Rico (US) | 52.36 |
| — | — | DominicaMicrostate | 52.30 |
| 88 | 10 | Ecuador | 50.82 |
| — | — | St. LuciaMicrostate | 50.58 |
| 92 | 11 | Dominican Republic | 50.53 |
| 94 | 12 | Bolivia | 49.89 |
| 96 | 13 | Costa Rica | 49.46 |
| — | — | St. Vincent and the GrenadinesMicrostate | 48.23 |
| 101 | 14 | Jamaica | 47.64 |
| — | — | Virgin Islands (U.S.)Microstate | 47.33 |
| 102 | 15 | Bahamas, The | 47.10 |
| 103 | 16 | Panama | 46.77 |
| — | — | ArubaMicrostate | 46.66 |
| — | — | St. Martin (French part)Microstate | 46.21 |
| 105 | 17 | Belize | 46.05 |
| — | — | British Virgin IslandsMicrostate | 45.79 |
| — | — | Sint Maarten (Dutch part)Microstate | 45.13 |
| 106 | 18 | Paraguay | 44.54 |
| 109 | 19 | Trinidad and Tobago | 43.11 |
| 115 | 20 | Venezuela, RBFCS | 39.24 |
| 121 | 21 | Guyana | 36.76 |
| 123 | 22 | El Salvador | 36.18 |
| 125 | 23 | Suriname | 35.67 |
| 132 | 24 | Honduras | 32.89 |
| 136 | 25 | Guatemala | 31.74 |
| 141 | 26 | Nicaragua | 29.41 |
| 162 | 27 | HaitiFCS | 23.21 |