Average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe: Average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling was 5.99 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in Sao Tome and Principe, 1990–2023
Source: UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
The most recent figure for average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in Sao Tome and Principe is 5.99 years, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
That represents a change of up 10.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in Sao Tome and Principe peaked at 5.99 years in 2021 and was at its lowest, 4.1 years, in 1990.
That places Sao Tome and Principe 156th out of 192 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 4.33 years | 4.1 years | 4.58 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.9 years | 4.63 years | 5.18 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.54 years | 5.24 years | 5.85 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.97 years | 5.92 years | 5.99 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sao Tome and Principe
More education data for Sao Tome and Principe
- Population ages 0-14 37.5% (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 58.6% (2025)
- Primary school starting age 6 years (2025)
- Lower secondary school starting age 12 years (2025)
- Duration of pre-primary education 3 years (2025)
- Official entrance age to pre-primary education 3 years (2025)
- School enrollment, primary 110.4% (2017)
- Primary education, teachers 1,193 (2017)
- Fertility rate vs. average years of schooling 3.6 live births per woman (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, female 107.6% (2017)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in Sao Tome and Principe was 5.99 years in 2023, according to UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The highest recorded value was 5.99 years in 2021.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.1 years in 1990.
- How does Sao Tome and Principe rank for average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling?
- Sao Tome and Principe ranks 156th out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling rising or falling in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sao Tome and Principe data come from?
- The figures come from UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Average number of years (excluding years spent repeating individual grades) adults over 25 years participated in formal education.