Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa
UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa: Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes was 18.05 million in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
18.05 million
Change on year
up 1.9%
Rank
92nd
of 221 groups
All-time high
18.05 million
in 2024
All-time low
2.65 million
in 1979
Years of data
46
1979–2024
Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa, 1979–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa stood at 18.05 million. That is the highest value across all 46 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.9% on the previous year and up 48.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa peaked at 18.05 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 2.65 million, in 1979.
That places UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa 92nd out of 221 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 2.65 million | — |
| 1980 | 2.74 million | +3.5% |
| 1981 | 2.83 million | +3.4% |
| 1982 | 2.87 million | +1.3% |
| 1983 | 2.89 million | +0.8% |
| 1984 | 2.95 million | +1.8% |
| 1985 | 2.98 million | +1.2% |
| 1986 | 3.12 million | +4.7% |
| 1987 | 3.32 million | +6.3% |
| 1988 | 3.45 million | +4.1% |
| 1989 | 3.59 million | +3.9% |
| 1990 | 3.67 million | +2.2% |
| 1991 | 3.76 million | +2.5% |
| 1992 | 3.87 million | +2.8% |
| 1993 | 3.91 million | +1.1% |
| 1994 | 3.98 million | +1.9% |
| 1995 | 4.07 million | +2.1% |
| 1996 | 4.28 million | +5.1% |
| 1997 | 3.89 million | -9.1% |
| 1998 | 4.57 million | +17.5% |
| 1999 | 4.78 million | +4.6% |
| 2000 | 5.26 million | +10.1% |
| 2001 | 5.65 million | +7.4% |
| 2002 | 6.26 million | +10.7% |
| 2003 | 6.97 million | +11.4% |
| 2004 | 7.48 million | +7.3% |
| 2005 | 8.10 million | +8.3% |
| 2006 | 8.72 million | +7.6% |
| 2007 | 7.40 million | -15.1% |
| 2008 | 7.63 million | +3.1% |
| 2009 | 8.19 million | +7.4% |
| 2010 | 8.42 million | +2.7% |
| 2011 | 8.81 million | +4.7% |
| 2012 | 10.24 million | +16.3% |
| 2013 | 11.24 million | +9.8% |
| 2014 | 12.15 million | +8.1% |
| 2015 | 13.15 million | +8.2% |
| 2016 | 14.27 million | +8.5% |
| 2017 | 16.17 million | +13.3% |
| 2018 | 16.01 million | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 16.05 million | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 15.93 million | -0.8% |
| 2021 | 15.46 million | -3.0% |
| 2022 | 17.00 million | +10.0% |
| 2023 | 17.71 million | +4.2% |
| 2024 | 18.05 million | +1.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.65 million | 2.65 million | 2.65 million | 1 |
| 1980s | 3.07 million | 2.74 million | 3.59 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.08 million | 3.67 million | 4.78 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.16 million | 5.26 million | 8.72 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.65 million | 8.42 million | 16.17 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.83 million | 15.46 million | 18.05 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa
More education data for UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 49.26 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 1.01 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.50 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 2.77 % change on previous year (2022)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 36.30 million (2022)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.22 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 50.69 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.32 % change on previous year (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 8.67 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 9.20 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa was 18.05 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 18.05 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.65 million in 1979.
- How does UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa rank for enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes?
- UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa ranks 92nd out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 48.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 46 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release