Gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa
SDG: Sub-saharan Africa: Gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, female was 72.5% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
72.5%
Change on year
up 0.5%
Rank
179th
of 221 groups
All-time high
72.5%
in 2024
All-time low
28.0%
in 1971
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
SDG: Sub-saharan Africa recorded 72.5% for gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, female in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 3.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 72.5% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 28.0%, in 1971.
That places SDG: 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, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 28.8% | — |
| 1971 | 28.0% | -2.8% |
| 1972 | 29.2% | +4.0% |
| 1973 | 30.1% | +3.3% |
| 1974 | 31.5% | +4.7% |
| 1975 | 32.5% | +3.2% |
| 1976 | 33.2% | +2.0% |
| 1977 | 35.3% | +6.6% |
| 1978 | 37.8% | +7.0% |
| 1979 | 40.4% | +6.8% |
| 1980 | 42.6% | +5.5% |
| 1981 | 44.7% | +4.8% |
| 1982 | 46.4% | +3.8% |
| 1983 | 46.4% | +0.1% |
| 1984 | 46.2% | -0.4% |
| 1985 | 45.7% | -1.1% |
| 1986 | 45.2% | -1.2% |
| 1987 | 45.0% | -0.4% |
| 1988 | 44.0% | -2.1% |
| 1989 | 45.0% | +2.1% |
| 1990 | 44.4% | -1.2% |
| 1991 | 45.3% | +1.9% |
| 1992 | 45.4% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 46.1% | +1.7% |
| 1994 | 46.3% | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 46.7% | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 45.8% | -1.9% |
| 1997 | 47.7% | +4.1% |
| 1998 | 48.6% | +1.9% |
| 1999 | 49.1% | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 50.5% | +2.8% |
| 2001 | 52.2% | +3.2% |
| 2002 | 53.4% | +2.5% |
| 2003 | 55.5% | +3.8% |
| 2004 | 57.2% | +3.2% |
| 2005 | 59.1% | +3.3% |
| 2006 | 60.8% | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 62.1% | +2.1% |
| 2008 | 63.8% | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 65.0% | +2.0% |
| 2010 | 66.1% | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 67.4% | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 68.9% | +2.3% |
| 2013 | 70.3% | +2.0% |
| 2014 | 69.8% | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 69.4% | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 69.3% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 69.9% | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 70.5% | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 71.5% | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 72.3% | +1.2% |
| 2021 | 72.3% | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 71.7% | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 72.1% | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 72.5% | +0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 32.7% | 28.0% | 40.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 45.1% | 42.6% | 46.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 46.5% | 44.4% | 49.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 58.0% | 50.5% | 65.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 69.3% | 66.1% | 71.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 72.2% | 71.7% | 72.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near SDG: Sub-saharan Africa
- 176 Lebanon 74.5% compare
- 177 British Virgin Islands 73.7% compare
- 178 Afghanistan 73.5% compare
- 179 Benin 72.8% compare
- 180 Senegal 72.3% compare
- 181 San Marino 71.9% compare
- 182 Iraq 70.7% compare
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, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa was 72.5% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, female recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 72.5% in 2024.
- What is the lowest gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, female recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 28.0% in 1971.
- How does SDG: Sub-saharan Africa rank for gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, female?
- SDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 179th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, female rising or falling in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.8%. 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, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release