Bolivia - Education

Projected adult illiteracy rates for the year 2000 stand at 14.4% (males, 7.9%; females, 20.6%). Primary education, which lasts for eight years, is compulsory and free of charge. Secondary education lasts for another four years. In 1995, public expenditure on education was estimated at 5.7% of GDP. In 1990, there were 1,278,775 students enrolled at the primary level with 51,763 teachers; there were also 219,232 secondary students with 12,434 teachers. In 1990, approximately 91% of school age children enrolled in primary schools, while 29% attended secondary school. The pupil-teacher ratio at the primary level was 25 to 1 in 1999.

Bolivia has 10 state-funded and 23 private universities. The University of San Andrés (founded in 1930) in La Paz is Bolivia's largest university; the University of San Francisco Xavier in Sucre, dating from 1624, is one of the oldest universities in Latin America.