Children out of school, primary in Cameroon
Cameroon: Children out of school, primary was 173,924 in 2024. ▼ Falling
Children out of school, primary in Cameroon, 1971–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Analysis
Cameroon recorded 173,924 for children out of school, primary in 2024.
The figure is up 4.1% on the previous year and down 6.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, children out of school, primary in Cameroon peaked at 538,421 in 1991 and was at its lowest, 165,693, in 2016.
That places Cameroon 42nd out of 197 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 26 years of available data.
Children out of school, primary in Cameroon, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 357,607 | — |
| 1972 | 373,970 | +4.6% |
| 1973 | 399,915 | +6.9% |
| 1974 | 434,572 | +8.7% |
| 1975 | 375,354 | -13.6% |
| 1976 | 377,641 | +0.6% |
| 1977 | 410,744 | +8.8% |
| 1978 | 411,845 | +0.3% |
| 1979 | 417,655 | +1.4% |
| 1980 | 432,491 | +3.6% |
| 1988 | 451,789 | +4.5% |
| 1990 | 490,692 | +8.6% |
| 1991 | 538,421 | +9.7% |
| 2008 | 376,363 | -30.1% |
| 2009 | 303,800 | -19.3% |
| 2011 | 278,416 | -8.4% |
| 2012 | 195,511 | -29.8% |
| 2014 | 185,722 | -5.0% |
| 2015 | 177,176 | -4.6% |
| 2016 | 165,693 | -6.5% |
| 2017 | 226,734 | +36.8% |
| 2019 | 307,267 | +35.5% |
| 2021 | 189,769 | -38.2% |
| 2022 | 172,874 | -8.9% |
| 2023 | 167,116 | -3.3% |
| 2024 | 173,924 | +4.1% |
Cameroon compared with similar countries
- Cameroon's 173,924 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 76,741, 2.3× the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Cameroon's 173,924 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 224,299, 78% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 395,478 | 357,607 | 434,572 | 9 |
| 1980s | 442,140 | 432,491 | 451,789 | 2 |
| 1990s | 514,556 | 490,692 | 538,421 | 2 |
| 2000s | 340,082 | 303,800 | 376,363 | 2 |
| 2010s | 219,503 | 165,693 | 307,267 | 7 |
| 2020s | 175,921 | 167,116 | 189,769 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Cameroon
More education data for Cameroon
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 118,092 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 611,326 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 321,494 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 322,873 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.01 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 5.29 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.6 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1816 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is children out of school, primary in Cameroon?
- Children out of school, primary in Cameroon was 173,924 in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest children out of school, primary recorded in Cameroon?
- The highest recorded value was 538,421 in 1991.
- What is the lowest children out of school, primary recorded in Cameroon?
- The lowest recorded value was 165,693 in 2016.
- How does Cameroon rank for children out of school, primary?
- Cameroon ranks 42nd out of 197 countries with data for 2024.
- Is children out of school, primary rising or falling in Cameroon?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Cameroon data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Children out of school, primary. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Children out of school are the number of primary-school-age children not enrolled in primary or secondary school.