Enrolment in primary education, both sexes in ALECSO: Member Countries
ALECSO: Member Countries: Enrolment in primary education, both sexes was 55.62 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
55.62 million
Change on year
up 0.8%
Rank
127th
of 221 groups
All-time high
55.62 million
in 2024
All-time low
17.79 million
in 1971
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Enrolment in primary education, both sexes in ALECSO: Member Countries, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, enrolment in primary education, both sexes in ALECSO: Member Countries stood at 55.62 million. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.8% on the previous year and up 25.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in primary education, both sexes in ALECSO: Member Countries peaked at 55.62 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 17.79 million, in 1971.
ALECSO: Member Countries ranks 127th of 221 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
Enrolment in primary education, both sexes in ALECSO: Member Countries, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 18.41 million | — |
| 1971 | 17.79 million | -3.4% |
| 1972 | 18.49 million | +4.0% |
| 1973 | 19.16 million | +3.6% |
| 1974 | 19.62 million | +2.4% |
| 1975 | 20.34 million | +3.7% |
| 1976 | 21.16 million | +4.0% |
| 1977 | 21.83 million | +3.2% |
| 1978 | 22.38 million | +2.5% |
| 1979 | 20.79 million | -7.1% |
| 1980 | 24.09 million | +15.9% |
| 1981 | 24.56 million | +1.9% |
| 1982 | 25.24 million | +2.8% |
| 1983 | 25.95 million | +2.8% |
| 1984 | 26.74 million | +3.0% |
| 1985 | 27.27 million | +2.0% |
| 1986 | 28.10 million | +3.0% |
| 1987 | 29.08 million | +3.5% |
| 1988 | 29.95 million | +3.0% |
| 1989 | 30.53 million | +1.9% |
| 1990 | 30.38 million | -0.5% |
| 1991 | 31.59 million | +4.0% |
| 1992 | 31.18 million | -1.3% |
| 1993 | 31.91 million | +2.3% |
| 1994 | 33.42 million | +4.7% |
| 1995 | 33.34 million | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 34.53 million | +3.6% |
| 1997 | 35.14 million | +1.8% |
| 1998 | 35.54 million | +1.1% |
| 1999 | 36.20 million | +1.9% |
| 2000 | 36.66 million | +1.3% |
| 2001 | 37.25 million | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 37.91 million | +1.8% |
| 2003 | 37.67 million | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 38.02 million | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 39.78 million | +4.6% |
| 2006 | 40.65 million | +2.2% |
| 2007 | 40.70 million | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 41.18 million | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 41.16 million | -0.0% |
| 2010 | 41.94 million | +1.9% |
| 2011 | 42.18 million | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 43.54 million | +3.2% |
| 2013 | 42.86 million | -1.6% |
| 2014 | 44.48 million | +3.8% |
| 2015 | 45.58 million | +2.5% |
| 2016 | 46.86 million | +2.8% |
| 2017 | 48.36 million | +3.2% |
| 2018 | 49.72 million | +2.8% |
| 2019 | 51.11 million | +2.8% |
| 2020 | 52.56 million | +2.8% |
| 2021 | 53.49 million | +1.8% |
| 2022 | 53.57 million | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 55.19 million | +3.0% |
| 2024 | 55.62 million | +0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 20.00 million | 17.79 million | 22.38 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 27.15 million | 24.09 million | 30.53 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 33.32 million | 30.38 million | 36.20 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 39.10 million | 36.66 million | 41.18 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 45.66 million | 41.94 million | 51.11 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 54.08 million | 52.56 million | 55.62 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near ALECSO: Member Countries
More education data for ALECSO: Member Countries
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.74 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 2.17 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 21.05 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 6.33 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 0.6536 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 14.56 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 7 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 6.95 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 7.04 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 7.14 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in primary education, both sexes in ALECSO: Member Countries?
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes in ALECSO: Member Countries was 55.62 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in primary education, both sexes recorded in ALECSO: Member Countries?
- The highest recorded value was 55.62 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest enrolment in primary education, both sexes recorded in ALECSO: Member Countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.79 million in 1971.
- How does ALECSO: Member Countries rank for enrolment in primary education, both sexes?
- ALECSO: Member Countries ranks 127th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is enrolment in primary education, both sexes rising or falling in ALECSO: Member Countries?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this ALECSO: Member Countries data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release