Nicaragua
Last updated December 1, 2025
Composite GEFRI Score
Critically unprepared
Nicaragua is critically unprepared for education futures (21st percentile worldwide). Core capabilities are weak across most dimensions, and essential systems face significant constraints. Higher scores indicate a system that is better prepared to anticipate and shape the future of learning.
- Global percentile
- 21st
- Global rank
- #141
- Regional rank
- #26
- Viewing data for
Country profile
Nicaragua trails global peers in Innovation (32, 27th percentile), Governance (24, 14th percentile), and School Access and Gender Parity (0, 7th percentile). A coordinated reform effort is needed to strengthen education futures readiness.
Uneven scores across dimensions highlight areas that need targeted coordination. Low internet adoption slows digital participation and constrains system-wide modernization. Limited tertiary enrollment narrows future talent pipelines and innovation capacity.
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 Human Capital present 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
- Falls below many peers at the 21st percentile.
- Places 141st worldwide.
- Holds a regional position of 26th within Latin America & Caribbean .
- Scores range from Infrastructure (49.8) to Access & Parity (0.1), reflecting variation across dimensions.
- Trails regional peers most clearly in Access & Parity.
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 |