Saudi Arabia
Last updated August 26, 2026
Composite GEFRI Score
Access & Parity is strong, but Governance lags
Saudi Arabia shows advanced readiness to meet the challenges and opportunities of education in a rapidly changing world (79th percentile worldwide). Most dimensions perform above global norms, and the system has clear capacity to scale future-oriented initiatives.
- Global percentile
- 79th
- Global rank
- #39
- Regional rank
- #3
- Viewing data for
Country profile
Saudi Arabia ranks among the stronger performers in GEFRI, but still falls short of the target-readiness threshold. Its strongest results are in School Access and Gender Parity (96, 92nd percentile) and Human Capital (88, 94th percentile).
Uneven scores across dimensions show where readiness conditions are less aligned. High internet adoption enables broad participation in digital learning and innovation. Strong tertiary enrollment expands future talent pipelines and strengthens national innovation potential.
R&D investment remains modest, affecting long-term innovation potential. Gender parity leans toward boys in secondary pathways, signalling persistent barriers for girls.
Regionally, Saudi Arabia leads most clearly in School Access and Gender Parity, sitting well above the peer average.
Areas with room to grow: Governance (54, 67th percentile). These dimensions sit close to global norms and could accelerate quickly with targeted investment.
Key insights
Sits above the global median at the 79th percentile.
Places 39th worldwide.
Holds a regional position of 3rd within Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan.
Scores range from Access & Parity (96.1) to Governance (53.5), reflecting variation across dimensions.
Leads 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 |