Gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa

UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa: Gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes was 82.2% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
82.2%
Change on year
down 0.3%
Rank
196th
of 221 groups
All-time high
86.0%
in 2020
All-time low
63.0%
in 1995
Years of data
28
1995–2023

Gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa, 1995–2023

0204060801995200920231995: 63 %1997: 66.4 %1998: 65.7 %1999: 65.6 %2000: 66.8 %2001: 69 %2002: 71 %2003: 73.7 %2004: 75.4 %2005: 78.1 %2006: 80.1 %2007: 83 %2008: 85.5 %2009: 85.5 %2010: 85.6 %2011: 85.5 %2012: 85.6 %2013: 84.9 %2014: 85.2 %2015: 84 %2016: 84.2 %2017: 84.6 %2018: 85.3 %2019: 85.8 %2020: 86 %2021: 84.5 %2022: 82.5 %2023: 82.2 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2023, gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa stood at 82.2%.

The figure is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 3.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa peaked at 86.0% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 63.0%, in 1995.

UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa ranks 196th of 221 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 28 years of available data.

Gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa, year by year

Annual values for Gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes (%) in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa, 1995 to 2023.
Year % Change
1995 63.0%
1997 66.4% +5.4%
1998 65.7% -1.0%
1999 65.6% -0.1%
2000 66.8% +1.8%
2001 69.0% +3.2%
2002 71.0% +2.9%
2003 73.7% +3.8%
2004 75.4% +2.3%
2005 78.1% +3.6%
2006 80.1% +2.6%
2007 83.0% +3.7%
2008 85.5% +3.0%
2009 85.5% -0.0%
2010 85.6% +0.1%
2011 85.5% -0.1%
2012 85.6% +0.1%
2013 84.9% -0.8%
2014 85.2% +0.3%
2015 84.0% -1.4%
2016 84.2% +0.3%
2017 84.6% +0.5%
2018 85.3% +0.8%
2019 85.8% +0.5%
2020 86.0% +0.2%
2021 84.5% -1.7%
2022 82.5% -2.4%
2023 82.2% -0.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 65.2% 63.0% 66.4% 4
2000s 76.8% 66.8% 85.5% 10
2010s 85.1% 84.0% 85.8% 10
2020s 83.8% 82.2% 86.0% 4

Countries ranked near UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa

  1. 193 Chad 66.2% compare
  2. 194 Mali 64.2% compare
  3. 195 Burkina Faso 62.6% compare
  4. 196 Liberia 60.9% compare
  5. 197 Tokelau 59.8% compare
  6. 198 Niger 50.4% compare
  7. 199 Equatorial Guinea 40.4% compare

See the full ranking of 420 places →

More education data for UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa

All data for UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
Gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa was 82.2% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
The highest recorded value was 86.0% in 2020.
What is the lowest gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 63.0% in 1995.
How does UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa rank for gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes?
UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa ranks 196th out of 221 groups with data for 2023.
Is gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 3.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 15 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/gross-enrolment-ratio-primary-and-lower-secondary-both-sexes-percent-2/unicef-eastern-and-southern-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
420 places, 10,391 data points, 1981–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release