Gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa
UIS: 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 0.3%
Rank
179th
of 221 groups
All-time high
74.3%
in 2020
All-time low
34.4%
in 1971
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa stood at 73.8%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 1.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 74.3% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 34.4%, in 1971.
That places UIS: Sub-saharan Africa 179th 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 UIS: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 35.4% | — |
| 1971 | 34.4% | -2.8% |
| 1972 | 35.5% | +3.1% |
| 1973 | 36.3% | +2.5% |
| 1974 | 37.7% | +3.8% |
| 1975 | 38.8% | +3.0% |
| 1976 | 39.6% | +2.0% |
| 1977 | 41.8% | +5.5% |
| 1978 | 44.3% | +6.1% |
| 1979 | 47.3% | +6.7% |
| 1980 | 49.6% | +4.9% |
| 1981 | 51.6% | +4.0% |
| 1982 | 53.5% | +3.7% |
| 1983 | 54.0% | +0.9% |
| 1984 | 53.8% | -0.3% |
| 1985 | 52.7% | -2.2% |
| 1986 | 51.2% | -2.7% |
| 1987 | 50.5% | -1.5% |
| 1988 | 49.9% | -1.1% |
| 1989 | 50.1% | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 49.7% | -0.8% |
| 1991 | 50.4% | +1.3% |
| 1992 | 50.2% | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 51.0% | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 51.1% | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 51.5% | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 50.4% | -2.2% |
| 1997 | 52.5% | +4.1% |
| 1998 | 53.5% | +1.9% |
| 1999 | 53.8% | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 55.4% | +2.8% |
| 2001 | 57.0% | +3.0% |
| 2002 | 58.7% | +2.9% |
| 2003 | 60.6% | +3.2% |
| 2004 | 62.3% | +2.9% |
| 2005 | 64.1% | +2.8% |
| 2006 | 65.4% | +2.2% |
| 2007 | 66.6% | +1.8% |
| 2008 | 68.1% | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 69.1% | +1.5% |
| 2010 | 69.9% | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 71.3% | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 72.3% | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 73.4% | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 72.7% | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 72.0% | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 71.9% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 72.4% | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 72.8% | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 73.6% | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 74.3% | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 74.0% | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 73.3% | -1.0% |
| 2023 | 73.6% | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 73.8% | +0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 39.1% | 34.4% | 47.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 51.7% | 49.6% | 54.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 51.4% | 49.7% | 53.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 62.7% | 55.4% | 69.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 72.2% | 69.9% | 73.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 73.8% | 73.3% | 74.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near UIS: Sub-saharan Africa
More education data for UIS: Sub-saharan Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 9.73 million (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.7518 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 37.39 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.61 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 40.73 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.23 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 25.04 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.63 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 3.6 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 4.53 % change on previous year (2021)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes in UIS: 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 UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 74.3% in 2020.
- What is the lowest gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes recorded in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 34.4% in 1971.
- How does UIS: Sub-saharan Africa rank for gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes?
- UIS: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 179th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes rising or falling in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UIS: 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