Bhutan
Last updated May 3, 2026
Composite GEFRI Score
Severely underprepared
Bhutan shows severely limited readiness to meet the challenges and opportunities of education in a rapidly changing world (36th percentile worldwide). Key structural conditions limit capacity to plan, implement, and sustain forward-looking reforms. Higher scores indicate a system that is better prepared to anticipate and shape the future of learning.
- Global percentile
- 36th
- Global rank
- #115
- Regional rank
- #5
- Viewing data for
Country profile
Bhutan trails global peers in Human Capital (38, 27th percentile) and Innovation (21, 4th percentile). A coordinated reform effort is needed to strengthen education futures readiness.
All or most indicators are based on observed data, giving planners a dependable evidence base for decisions. Wide gaps between dimensions reveal structural weaknesses that slow coordinated progress. High internet adoption enables broad participation in digital learning and innovation. Literacy or tertiary enrollment gaps thin the talent pipeline and limit the country’s capacity to develop future-ready skills.
Sparse R&D investment and a small research workforce slow experimentation and delay new ideas from reaching learners. Regulatory quality falls short of global standards, signalling structural hurdles in policy execution. Girls outperform boys in secondary pathways, adding pressure to address male dropout risks.
Regionally, School Access and Gender Parity lags peers the most, signalling where investment could have the highest impact.
Key insights
- Falls below many peers at the 36th percentile.
- Places 115th worldwide.
- Holds a regional position of 5th within South Asia.
- Scores range from Infrastructure (63.6) to Access & Parity (10.0), reflecting variation across dimensions.
- Trails regional peers most clearly in Access & Parity.
Regional peers: South Asia
Composite GEFRI Score
| Global rank | Regional rank | Country | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 86 | 1 | Nepal | 52.00 |
| 88 | 2 | India | 51.60 |
| 95 | 3 | Sri Lanka | 49.65 |
| 97 | 4 | Maldives | 49.34 |
| 115 | 5 | Bhutan | 38.74 |
| 118 | 6 | Bangladesh | 37.68 |
| 137 | 7 | Pakistan | 31.60 |
| 173 | 8 | AfghanistanFCS | 17.88 |