Gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa
UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa: Gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes was 98.4% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
98.4%
Change on year
up 0.6%
Rank
127th
of 221 groups
All-time high
103.6%
in 2008
All-time low
54.6%
in 1971
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa stood at 98.4%.
The figure is up 0.6% on the previous year and down 2.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa peaked at 103.6% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 54.6%, in 1971.
That places UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa 127th 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 UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 58.2% | — |
| 1971 | 54.6% | -6.2% |
| 1972 | 55.4% | +1.5% |
| 1973 | 56.6% | +2.2% |
| 1974 | 60.5% | +6.9% |
| 1975 | 63.1% | +4.4% |
| 1976 | 64.8% | +2.6% |
| 1977 | 66.8% | +3.2% |
| 1978 | 67.9% | +1.6% |
| 1979 | 71.0% | +4.5% |
| 1980 | 74.3% | +4.7% |
| 1981 | 76.1% | +2.4% |
| 1982 | 76.5% | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 76.1% | -0.5% |
| 1984 | 75.0% | -1.4% |
| 1985 | 73.0% | -2.7% |
| 1986 | 72.6% | -0.5% |
| 1987 | 72.3% | -0.3% |
| 1988 | 71.7% | -0.9% |
| 1989 | 74.8% | +4.4% |
| 1990 | 73.7% | -1.6% |
| 1991 | 73.4% | -0.4% |
| 1992 | 72.0% | -1.8% |
| 1993 | 72.7% | +0.9% |
| 1994 | 72.9% | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 74.4% | +2.1% |
| 1996 | 74.8% | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 79.0% | +5.6% |
| 1998 | 80.0% | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 80.4% | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 82.0% | +2.0% |
| 2001 | 84.7% | +3.2% |
| 2002 | 87.0% | +2.7% |
| 2003 | 90.6% | +4.1% |
| 2004 | 92.3% | +2.0% |
| 2005 | 95.5% | +3.4% |
| 2006 | 97.6% | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 100.6% | +3.0% |
| 2008 | 103.6% | +3.0% |
| 2009 | 103.1% | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 102.3% | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 102.0% | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 101.6% | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 100.6% | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 100.4% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 99.3% | -1.1% |
| 2016 | 99.5% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 100.1% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 101.2% | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 101.9% | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 102.7% | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 100.5% | -2.1% |
| 2022 | 97.3% | -3.2% |
| 2023 | 97.8% | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 98.4% | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 61.9% | 54.6% | 71.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 74.2% | 71.7% | 76.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 75.3% | 72.0% | 80.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 93.7% | 82.0% | 103.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 100.9% | 99.3% | 102.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 99.3% | 97.3% | 102.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa
- 124 Luxembourg 99.2% compare
- 125 Kyrgyzstan 99.0% compare
- 126 Finland 98.9% compare
- 127 Jordan 98.6% compare
- 128 Norway 98.5% compare
- 129 Trinidad and Tobago 98.3% compare
- 130 Kenya 98.2% compare
More education data for UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 49.26 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 1.01 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.50 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 2.77 % change on previous year (2022)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 36.30 million (2022)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.22 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 50.69 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.32 % change on previous year (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 8.67 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 9.20 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
- Gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa was 98.4% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 103.6% in 2008.
- What is the lowest gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 54.6% in 1971.
- How does UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa rank for gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes?
- UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa ranks 127th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.0%. 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, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release