Iraq
Last updated August 26, 2026
Fragile/Conflict-Affected Country: This country is classified as experiencing conflict.
In fragile and conflict-affected settings, severe data gaps, rapid disruption, and uneven reporting can distort index values. These scores should be read as a limited signal, not a complete picture of conditions in the country.
Composite GEFRI Score
Limited relative strength in Infrastructure, with deep gaps in Access & Parity
Iraq shows severely limited readiness to meet the challenges and opportunities of education in a rapidly changing world (32nd percentile worldwide). Key structural conditions limit capacity to plan, implement, and sustain forward-looking reforms.
- Global percentile
- 32nd
- Global rank
- #122
- Regional rank
- #17
- Viewing data for
Country profile
Iraq faces substantial readiness constraints across core dimensions. Its weakest results are in Governance (25, 14th percentile) and School Access and Gender Parity (25, 28th percentile). These gaps continue to weigh on overall readiness.
Uneven scores across dimensions show where readiness conditions are less aligned. Adult literacy gaps reduce the diffusion of knowledge needed for future-ready skills.
Sparse R&D investment and a small research workforce slow experimentation and delay new ideas from reaching learners. Policy execution and regulatory capacity remain weak, leaving reforms fragmented and hard to sustain. Gender parity across secondary pathways reflects sustained commitment to equitable participation.
Infrastructure and Innovation present a near-term leapfrog opportunity: performance is just below the global average, backed by enough observed data to support forward planning.
Many indicators are imputed, so the profile should be treated as a limited signal rather than a complete measurement.
Key insights
Falls below many peers at the 32nd percentile.
Places 122nd worldwide.
Holds a regional position of 17th within Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan.
Scores range from Infrastructure (68.7) to Access & Parity (25.1), reflecting variation across dimensions.
Trails regional peers most clearly in Access & Parity.
Regional peers: Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
Composite GEFRI Score
| Global rank | Regional rank | Country | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | 1 | Israel | 84.75 |
| 32 | 2 | United Arab Emirates | 80.68 |
| 39 | 3 | Saudi Arabia | 76.67 |
| 42 | 4 | Malta | 75.34 |
| 46 | 5 | Qatar | 72.99 |
| 53 | 6 | Bahrain | 71.18 |
| 62 | 7 | Oman | 69.09 |
| 72 | 8 | Kuwait | 68.04 |
| 76 | 9 | Morocco | 66.91 |
| 77 | 10 | Jordan | 66.65 |
| 82 | 11 | Tunisia | 64.69 |
| 90 | 12 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 60.85 |
| 106 | 13 | Iran, Islamic Rep.FCS | 56.11 |
| 108 | 14 | Algeria | 54.87 |
| 110 | 15 | West Bank and GazaFCS | 53.03 |
| 119 | 16 | Djibouti | 46.86 |
| 122 | 17 | IraqFCS | 44.97 |
| 126 | 18 | LebanonFCS | 43.40 |
| 131 | 19 | LibyaFCS | 42.27 |
| 148 | 20 | Syrian Arab RepublicFCS | 34.76 |
| 163 | 21 | Yemen, Rep.FCS | 28.79 |