Gross enrolment ratio, lower secondary, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Gross enrolment ratio, lower secondary, both sexes was 51.5% in 2018. ▲ Rising
Gross enrolment ratio, lower secondary, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1997–2018
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for gross enrolment ratio, lower secondary, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa is 51.5%, measured in 2018.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 20.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross enrolment ratio, lower secondary, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 51.7% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 29.7%, in 1998.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 40th of 45 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.
Gross enrolment ratio, lower secondary, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 30.0% | — |
| 1998 | 29.7% | -0.9% |
| 1999 | 29.8% | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 30.6% | +2.6% |
| 2001 | 32.2% | +5.2% |
| 2002 | 33.9% | +5.1% |
| 2003 | 35.2% | +3.8% |
| 2004 | 37.0% | +5.1% |
| 2005 | 38.7% | +4.6% |
| 2006 | 40.2% | +3.9% |
| 2007 | 41.2% | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 42.9% | +4.2% |
| 2009 | 44.8% | +4.4% |
| 2010 | 47.1% | +5.0% |
| 2011 | 48.1% | +2.2% |
| 2012 | 49.2% | +2.2% |
| 2013 | 50.8% | +3.3% |
| 2014 | 51.7% | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 51.3% | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 51.0% | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 51.1% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 51.5% | +0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 29.9% | 29.7% | 30.0% | 3 |
| 2000s | 37.7% | 30.6% | 44.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 50.2% | 47.1% | 51.7% | 9 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
More education data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 5.14 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 81.43 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 196.80 million (2024)
- Population ages 0-14 40.4% (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)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 56.4% (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1526 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gross enrolment ratio, lower secondary, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Gross enrolment ratio, lower secondary, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa was 51.5% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest gross enrolment ratio, lower secondary, both sexes recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 51.7% in 2014.
- What is the lowest gross enrolment ratio, lower secondary, both sexes recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 29.7% in 1998.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for gross enrolment ratio, lower secondary, both sexes?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 40th out of 45 groups with data for 2018.
- Is gross enrolment ratio, lower secondary, both sexes rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Gross enrolment ratio, lower secondary, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total enrollment in lower secondary education, regardless of age, expressed as a percentage of the total population of official lower secondary education age. GER can exceed 100% due to the inclusion of over-aged and under-aged students because of early or late school entrance and grade repetition.