Gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa
SDG: Sub-saharan Africa: Gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes was 73.8% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
73.8%
Change on year
up 0.4%
Rank
181st
of 221 groups
All-time high
74.2%
in 2020
All-time low
34.3%
in 1971
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa stood at 73.8%.
That represents a change of up 0.4% on the previous year and up 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 74.2% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 34.3%, in 1971.
That places SDG: Sub-saharan Africa 181st out of 221 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
Gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 35.3% | — |
| 1971 | 34.3% | -2.9% |
| 1972 | 35.3% | +3.1% |
| 1973 | 36.2% | +2.5% |
| 1974 | 37.6% | +3.8% |
| 1975 | 38.7% | +3.0% |
| 1976 | 39.5% | +2.0% |
| 1977 | 41.7% | +5.5% |
| 1978 | 44.2% | +6.1% |
| 1979 | 47.2% | +6.7% |
| 1980 | 49.5% | +4.9% |
| 1981 | 51.5% | +4.0% |
| 1982 | 53.4% | +3.7% |
| 1983 | 53.8% | +0.9% |
| 1984 | 53.7% | -0.2% |
| 1985 | 52.5% | -2.2% |
| 1986 | 51.1% | -2.7% |
| 1987 | 50.4% | -1.5% |
| 1988 | 49.8% | -1.1% |
| 1989 | 50.0% | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 49.6% | -0.9% |
| 1991 | 50.3% | +1.3% |
| 1992 | 50.1% | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 50.9% | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 51.1% | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 51.5% | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 50.4% | -2.1% |
| 1997 | 52.5% | +4.1% |
| 1998 | 53.5% | +2.0% |
| 1999 | 53.8% | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 55.3% | +2.8% |
| 2001 | 57.0% | +3.0% |
| 2002 | 58.6% | +2.9% |
| 2003 | 60.5% | +3.3% |
| 2004 | 62.3% | +2.9% |
| 2005 | 64.0% | +2.8% |
| 2006 | 65.4% | +2.2% |
| 2007 | 66.5% | +1.8% |
| 2008 | 68.0% | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 69.0% | +1.5% |
| 2010 | 69.8% | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 71.2% | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 72.2% | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 73.3% | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 72.6% | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 71.9% | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 71.9% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 72.3% | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 72.8% | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 73.6% | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 74.2% | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 74.0% | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 73.2% | -1.0% |
| 2023 | 73.5% | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 73.8% | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 39.0% | 34.3% | 47.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 51.6% | 49.5% | 53.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 51.4% | 49.6% | 53.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 62.7% | 55.3% | 69.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 72.2% | 69.8% | 73.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 73.8% | 73.2% | 74.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near SDG: Sub-saharan Africa
More education data for SDG: Sub-saharan Africa
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 191.30 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.31 % change on previous year (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 14.32 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.68 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 37.60 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 12.63 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 12.47 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.8202 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 4.94 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 97.68 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa was 73.8% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 74.2% in 2020.
- What is the lowest gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 34.3% in 1971.
- How does SDG: Sub-saharan Africa rank for gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes?
- SDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 181st out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes rising or falling in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this SDG: Sub-saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release