Gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes in WB: Africa Western and Central
WB: Africa Western and Central: Gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes was 91.1% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
91.1%
Change on year
up 0.2%
Rank
211th
of 221 groups
All-time high
91.1%
in 2024
All-time low
43.1%
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes in WB: Africa Western and Central, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
WB: Africa Western and Central recorded 91.1% for gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 2.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes in WB: Africa Western and Central peaked at 91.1% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 43.1%, in 1970.
That places WB: Africa Western and Central 211th 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, both sexes in WB: Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 43.1% | — |
| 1971 | 44.7% | +3.7% |
| 1972 | 46.6% | +4.4% |
| 1973 | 48.1% | +3.1% |
| 1974 | 48.2% | +0.2% |
| 1975 | 48.7% | +0.9% |
| 1976 | 49.2% | +1.0% |
| 1977 | 54.8% | +11.6% |
| 1978 | 62.8% | +14.4% |
| 1979 | 69.7% | +11.0% |
| 1980 | 72.7% | +4.4% |
| 1981 | 76.7% | +5.4% |
| 1982 | 81.5% | +6.2% |
| 1983 | 81.7% | +0.2% |
| 1984 | 80.8% | -1.1% |
| 1985 | 78.3% | -3.1% |
| 1986 | 72.1% | -7.9% |
| 1987 | 70.6% | -2.1% |
| 1988 | 69.0% | -2.4% |
| 1989 | 68.2% | -1.1% |
| 1990 | 69.5% | +1.9% |
| 1991 | 69.7% | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 71.5% | +2.6% |
| 1993 | 73.7% | +3.1% |
| 1994 | 74.1% | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 72.8% | -1.8% |
| 1996 | 68.1% | -6.3% |
| 1997 | 71.8% | +5.3% |
| 1998 | 74.6% | +4.0% |
| 1999 | 77.4% | +3.8% |
| 2000 | 80.6% | +4.1% |
| 2001 | 81.1% | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 82.8% | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 83.6% | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 85.5% | +2.3% |
| 2005 | 86.4% | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 87.1% | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 84.4% | -3.1% |
| 2008 | 82.0% | -2.8% |
| 2009 | 83.7% | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 84.5% | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 87.8% | +4.0% |
| 2012 | 89.4% | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 90.6% | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 89.1% | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 87.1% | -2.3% |
| 2016 | 86.7% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 86.8% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 86.7% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 87.6% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 88.2% | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 88.1% | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 89.5% | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 90.9% | +1.5% |
| 2024 | 91.1% | +0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 51.6% | 43.1% | 69.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 75.2% | 68.2% | 81.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 72.3% | 68.1% | 77.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 83.7% | 80.6% | 87.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 87.6% | 84.5% | 90.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 89.5% | 88.1% | 91.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near WB: Africa Western and Central
More education data for WB: Africa Western and Central
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 4.61 million (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 7.4 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.89 million (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.08 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.08 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.7294 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.00 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 6.08 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.09 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 18.05 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes in WB: Africa Western and Central?
- Gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes in WB: Africa Western and Central was 91.1% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes recorded in WB: Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 91.1% in 2024.
- What is the lowest gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes recorded in WB: Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 43.1% in 1970.
- How does WB: Africa Western and Central rank for gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes?
- WB: Africa Western and Central ranks 211th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes rising or falling in WB: Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this WB: Africa Western and Central 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