Gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa
UIS: Sub-saharan Africa: Gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes was 98.1% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
98.1%
Change on year
up 0.3%
Rank
132nd
of 221 groups
All-time high
98.9%
in 2020
All-time low
53.5%
in 1971
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
UIS: Sub-saharan Africa recorded 98.1% for gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes in 2024.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 0.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 98.9% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 53.5%, in 1971.
That places UIS: Sub-saharan Africa 132nd out of 221 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
Gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 55.1% | — |
| 1971 | 53.5% | -2.9% |
| 1972 | 54.8% | +2.4% |
| 1973 | 56.2% | +2.5% |
| 1974 | 58.6% | +4.2% |
| 1975 | 60.3% | +2.9% |
| 1976 | 61.4% | +2.0% |
| 1977 | 64.9% | +5.7% |
| 1978 | 68.9% | +6.0% |
| 1979 | 73.5% | +6.8% |
| 1980 | 76.7% | +4.3% |
| 1981 | 79.4% | +3.5% |
| 1982 | 81.6% | +2.8% |
| 1983 | 81.5% | -0.2% |
| 1984 | 80.5% | -1.2% |
| 1985 | 77.8% | -3.3% |
| 1986 | 75.0% | -3.7% |
| 1987 | 73.3% | -2.2% |
| 1988 | 72.2% | -1.4% |
| 1989 | 73.0% | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 72.1% | -1.2% |
| 1991 | 73.1% | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 73.0% | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 74.3% | +1.8% |
| 1994 | 74.4% | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 74.9% | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 72.8% | -2.8% |
| 1997 | 76.3% | +4.8% |
| 1998 | 77.6% | +1.7% |
| 1999 | 78.1% | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 80.5% | +3.1% |
| 2001 | 82.5% | +2.4% |
| 2002 | 84.7% | +2.7% |
| 2003 | 87.3% | +3.0% |
| 2004 | 89.3% | +2.3% |
| 2005 | 91.7% | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 93.3% | +1.8% |
| 2007 | 94.2% | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 95.3% | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 95.7% | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 95.6% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 97.0% | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 97.8% | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 97.8% | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 97.4% | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 95.7% | -1.7% |
| 2016 | 95.9% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 96.4% | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 97.2% | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 98.1% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 98.9% | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 98.1% | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 96.9% | -1.2% |
| 2023 | 97.7% | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 98.1% | +0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 60.7% | 53.5% | 73.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 77.1% | 72.2% | 81.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 74.7% | 72.1% | 78.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 89.4% | 80.5% | 95.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 96.9% | 95.6% | 98.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 98.0% | 96.9% | 98.9% | 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, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa was 98.1% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes recorded in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 98.9% in 2020.
- What is the lowest gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes recorded in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 53.5% in 1971.
- How does UIS: Sub-saharan Africa rank for gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes?
- UIS: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 132nd out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes rising or falling in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.7%. 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, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release