Literacy Rate: Peru

Analysis# Peru Literacy Rate Peru's literacy rate reached 93.66% in 2024, reflecting substantial progress over four decades. The country peaked at 94.5% in 2020, just 0.84 percentage points above current levels. Since 1981, when literacy stood at only 81.92%, Peru has gained 14.3 percentage points—a remarkable transformation driven by expanded educational access and policy investment. The sharpest gains occurred between 1981 and 2007, with Peru climbing from 81.92% to 89.59%. Since 2012, the rate has stabilized near 94%, fluctuating within a narrow band between 93.66% and 94.5%. The slight decline from the 2020 peak suggests Peru may have reached a plateau as it approaches near-universal literacy. Further improvements will likely depend on targeted efforts to reach remaining unschooled populations in rural and remote regions.