Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Ghana
Ghana: Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education was 95.9% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
95.9%
Change on year
up 17.3%
World rank
80th
of 190 countries
All-time high
95.9%
in 2024
All-time low
0.0%
in 1820
Years of data
52
1820–2024
Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Ghana, 1820–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Ghana is 95.9%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 52 years on record.
The figure is up 17.3% on the previous year and up 6.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Ghana peaked at 95.9% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1820.
That places Ghana 80th out of 190 countries 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.
Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Ghana, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 0.0% | — |
| 1825 | 0.0% | +0.0% |
| 1830 | 0.0% | +100.0% |
| 1835 | 0.0% | +0.0% |
| 1840 | 0.0% | +50.0% |
| 1845 | 0.0% | +33.3% |
| 1850 | 0.1% | +25.0% |
| 1855 | 0.1% | +20.0% |
| 1860 | 0.1% | +33.3% |
| 1865 | 0.1% | +37.5% |
| 1870 | 0.1% | +36.4% |
| 1875 | 0.2% | +33.3% |
| 1880 | 0.3% | +30.0% |
| 1885 | 0.3% | +34.6% |
| 1890 | 0.5% | +31.4% |
| 1895 | 0.6% | +32.6% |
| 1900 | 0.8% | +31.1% |
| 1905 | 1.1% | +32.5% |
| 1910 | 1.4% | +32.1% |
| 1915 | 1.9% | +32.1% |
| 1920 | 2.4% | +31.9% |
| 1925 | 3.2% | +32.0% |
| 1930 | 4.2% | +31.1% |
| 1935 | 5.5% | +31.0% |
| 1940 | 7.2% | +30.4% |
| 1945 | 9.3% | +29.5% |
| 1950 | 12.0% | +28.8% |
| 1955 | 27.0% | +124.7% |
| 1960 | 25.0% | -7.5% |
| 1965 | 56.2% | +125.0% |
| 1970 | 37.5% | -33.3% |
| 1975 | 42.4% | +13.0% |
| 1980 | 44.4% | +4.9% |
| 1999 | 55.8% | +25.6% |
| 2000 | 63.9% | +14.5% |
| 2001 | 59.3% | -7.1% |
| 2002 | 63.6% | +7.2% |
| 2003 | 64.0% | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 69.5% | +8.7% |
| 2006 | 72.9% | +4.8% |
| 2007 | 77.8% | +6.8% |
| 2008 | 83.0% | +6.6% |
| 2009 | 82.5% | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 88.2% | +6.8% |
| 2012 | 84.8% | -3.8% |
| 2014 | 89.8% | +5.9% |
| 2017 | 92.7% | +3.2% |
| 2018 | 91.2% | -1.6% |
| 2019 | 93.9% | +3.0% |
| 2020 | 89.4% | -4.8% |
| 2021 | 81.8% | -8.5% |
| 2024 | 95.9% | +17.3% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 95.9% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 90.6%, 1.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 95.9% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 86.4%, 1.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1820s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1830s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1840s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1850s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 2 |
| 1860s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 2 |
| 1870s | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 2 |
| 1880s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 2 |
| 1890s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.6% | 2 |
| 1900s | 0.9% | 0.8% | 1.1% | 2 |
| 1910s | 1.6% | 1.4% | 1.9% | 2 |
| 1920s | 2.8% | 2.4% | 3.2% | 2 |
| 1930s | 4.9% | 4.2% | 5.5% | 2 |
| 1940s | 8.3% | 7.2% | 9.3% | 2 |
| 1950s | 19.5% | 12.0% | 27.0% | 2 |
| 1960s | 40.6% | 25.0% | 56.2% | 2 |
| 1970s | 39.9% | 37.5% | 42.4% | 2 |
| 1980s | 44.4% | 44.4% | 44.4% | 1 |
| 1990s | 55.8% | 55.8% | 55.8% | 1 |
| 2000s | 70.7% | 59.3% | 83.0% | 9 |
| 2010s | 90.1% | 84.8% | 93.9% | 6 |
| 2020s | 89.0% | 81.8% | 95.9% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
- 77 Papua New Guinea 96.0% compare
- 78 Bahrain 95.9% compare
- 79 Cayman Islands 95.9% compare
- 81 Madagascar 95.8% compare
- 82 Russia 95.8% compare
- 83 Cuba 95.7% compare
More education data for Ghana
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 174,414 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 39,902 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 949,095 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 913,117 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.33 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.98 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.6567 % change on previous year (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1448 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Ghana?
- Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Ghana was 95.9% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 95.9% in 2024.
- What is the lowest gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1820.
- How does Ghana rank for gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education?
- Ghana ranks 80th out of 190 countries with data for 2024.
- Is gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ghana data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of girls of primary school age (typically 6–11 years) who are enrolled in primary education.