Country profile

Maldives

South AsiaUpper middle income528K inhabitants

Last updated April 1, 2026

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Composite GEFRI Score

Emerging readiness

Maldives demonstrates early-stage readiness (46th 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.

49.51Composite score
Global percentile
46th
Global rank
#96
Regional rank
#4
Viewing data for
Infrastructure
72.13
68th percentileGlobal avg. 59.93
Human Capital
51.56
56th percentileGlobal avg. 47.03
Innovation
13.89
2nd percentileGlobal avg. 42.53
Governance
43.37
46th percentileGlobal avg. 47.71
Access & Parity
66.61
66th percentileGlobal avg. 43.89

Country profile

Maldives trails global peers in Innovation (14, 2nd percentile). A coordinated reform effort is needed to strengthen education futures readiness.

Wide gaps between dimensions reveal structural weaknesses that slow coordinated progress.

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 leans toward boys in secondary pathways, signalling persistent barriers for girls.

Governance presents a near-term leapfrog opportunity: performance is just below the global average, backed by enough observed data to support forward planning.

Note: Several indicators use imputed values. Policymakers and planners should validate results further before committing to major initiatives.

Key insights

  • Places 96th worldwide.
  • Holds a regional position of 4th within South Asia.
  • Scores range from Infrastructure (72.1) to Innovation (13.9), reflecting variation across dimensions.
  • Trails regional peers most clearly in Innovation.

Regional peers: South Asia

Composite GEFRI score

Global rankRegional rankCountryScore
821Nepal52.51
872Sri Lanka51.39
913India50.51
964Maldives49.51
1155Bhutan38.71
1216Bangladesh36.81