Enrolment in primary education, female in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Enrolment in primary education, female was 86.54 million number in 2019. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2019)
86.54 million number
Change on year
up 2.7%
Rank
10th
of 43 groups
All-time high
86.54 million number
in 2019
All-time low
11.23 million number
in 1970
Years of data
50
1970–2019
Enrolment in primary education, female in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1970–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
Sub-Saharan Africa recorded 86.54 million number for enrolment in primary education, female in 2019. That is the highest value across all 50 years on record.
The figure is up 2.7% on the previous year and up 33.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in primary education, female in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 86.54 million number in 2019 and was at its lowest, 11.23 million number, in 1970.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 10th out of 43 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Enrolment in primary education, female in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 11.23 million number | — |
| 1971 | 11.72 million number | +4.3% |
| 1972 | 12.41 million number | +5.9% |
| 1973 | 13.10 million number | +5.5% |
| 1974 | 14.10 million number | +7.6% |
| 1975 | 14.83 million number | +5.2% |
| 1976 | 15.53 million number | +4.7% |
| 1977 | 16.95 million number | +9.2% |
| 1978 | 18.56 million number | +9.5% |
| 1979 | 20.39 million number | +9.9% |
| 1980 | 22.00 million number | +7.9% |
| 1981 | 23.54 million number | +7.0% |
| 1982 | 24.86 million number | +5.6% |
| 1983 | 25.52 million number | +2.6% |
| 1984 | 26.05 million number | +2.1% |
| 1985 | 26.06 million number | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 26.00 million number | -0.2% |
| 1987 | 26.53 million number | +2.0% |
| 1988 | 26.61 million number | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 28.12 million number | +5.7% |
| 1990 | 28.38 million number | +0.9% |
| 1991 | 29.69 million number | +4.6% |
| 1992 | 30.49 million number | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 31.68 million number | +3.9% |
| 1994 | 32.61 million number | +2.9% |
| 1995 | 33.61 million number | +3.1% |
| 1996 | 33.60 million number | -0.0% |
| 1997 | 36.29 million number | +8.0% |
| 1998 | 37.85 million number | +4.3% |
| 1999 | 39.15 million number | +3.4% |
| 2000 | 41.37 million number | +5.7% |
| 2001 | 43.55 million number | +5.3% |
| 2002 | 45.76 million number | +5.1% |
| 2003 | 48.55 million number | +6.1% |
| 2004 | 51.20 million number | +5.5% |
| 2005 | 54.16 million number | +5.8% |
| 2006 | 57.00 million number | +5.3% |
| 2007 | 59.86 million number | +5.0% |
| 2008 | 62.53 million number | +4.5% |
| 2009 | 64.74 million number | +3.5% |
| 2010 | 66.59 million number | +2.9% |
| 2011 | 69.28 million number | +4.0% |
| 2012 | 72.33 million number | +4.4% |
| 2013 | 74.84 million number | +3.5% |
| 2014 | 76.82 million number | +2.6% |
| 2015 | 78.02 million number | +1.6% |
| 2016 | 80.04 million number | +2.6% |
| 2017 | 82.15 million number | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 84.31 million number | +2.6% |
| 2019 | 86.54 million number | +2.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 14.88 million number | 11.23 million number | 20.39 million number | 10 |
| 1980s | 25.53 million number | 22.00 million number | 28.12 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 33.34 million number | 28.38 million number | 39.15 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 52.87 million number | 41.37 million number | 64.74 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 77.09 million number | 66.59 million number | 86.54 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 7 Bangladesh 8.80 million number compare
- 8 Democratic Republic of Congo 8.07 million number compare
- 9 Brazil 7.67 million number compare
- 10 Ethiopia 7.63 million number compare
- 11 Mexico 6.90 million number compare
- 12 Egypt 6.46 million number compare
- 13 Philippines 6.43 million number compare
More education data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 196.80 million (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 5.14 million (2024)
- Population ages 0-14 40.4% (2025)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1526 units per person (2024)
- Population ages 15-64 56.4% (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.9738 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- School enrollment, primary 97.1% (2024)
- Primary education, teachers 5.14 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in primary education, female in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Enrolment in primary education, female in Sub-Saharan Africa was 86.54 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in primary education, female recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 86.54 million number in 2019.
- What is the lowest enrolment in primary education, female recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.23 million number in 1970.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for enrolment in primary education, female?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 10th out of 43 groups with data for 2019.
- Is enrolment in primary education, female rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 33.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Enrolment in primary education, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total number of female students enrolled in public and private primary education institutions regardless of age.