country profile

Kuwait

Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & PakistanHigh income4.90M population

Last updated May 3, 2026

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Composite GEFRI Score

Emerging readiness

Kuwait demonstrates early-stage readiness to meet the challenges and opportunities of education in a rapidly changing world (66th 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.

58.12Composite score
Global percentile
66th
Global rank
#62
Regional rank
#7
Viewing data for
Infrastructure
66.78
66th percentileGlobal avg. 54.77
Human Capital
56.90
71st percentileGlobal avg. 47.01
Innovation
39.38
42nd percentileGlobal avg. 45.21
Governance
49.92
57th percentileGlobal avg. 47.75
Access & Parity
77.60
68th percentileGlobal avg. 49.65

Country profile

Kuwait performs close to the global average across all GEFRI dimensions. Progress is evident, yet stronger ambition is needed to reach futures readiness among global peers.

Uneven scores across dimensions highlight areas that need targeted coordination. High internet adoption enables broad participation in digital learning and innovation.

Sparse R&D investment and a small research workforce slow experimentation and delay new ideas from reaching learners. Girls outperform boys in secondary pathways, adding pressure to address male dropout risks.

Innovation presents a near-term leapfrog opportunity: performance is just below the global average, backed by enough observed data to support forward planning. Regionally, Kuwait leads most clearly in School Access and Gender Parity, sitting well above the peer average.

Note: Most indicators rely on observed data, offering a dependable evidence base for decisions.

Key insights

  • Sits above the global median at the 66th percentile.
  • Places 62nd worldwide.
  • Holds a regional position of 7th within Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan.
  • Scores range from Access & Parity (77.6) to Innovation (39.4), reflecting variation across dimensions.
  • Leads regional peers most clearly in Access & Parity.

Regional peers: Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan

Composite GEFRI Score

Global rankRegional rankCountryScore
161Israel75.23
342United Arab Emirates69.71
393Malta64.21
404Saudi Arabia63.55
545Qatar60.46
616Bahrain58.25
627Kuwait58.12
658Jordan57.78
729Oman56.69
8110Morocco53.73
8711Tunisia51.97
9212Iran, Islamic Rep.50.99
9613Egypt, Arab Rep.49.51
10314West Bank and GazaFCS47.39
11415Algeria39.83
11616Djibouti38.35
12317LebanonFCS35.73
13018IraqFCS33.38
13219LibyaFCS33.17
14920Syrian Arab RepublicFCS27.30
15421Yemen, Rep.FCS25.51