Gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes was 59.4% in 2018. ▲ Rising
Gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1998–2018
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
Sub-Saharan Africa recorded 59.4% for gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes in 2018.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 8.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 59.6% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 43.0%, in 1998.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 40th of 45 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 21 years of available data.
Gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 43.0% | — |
| 1999 | 43.3% | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 44.5% | +2.8% |
| 2001 | 45.8% | +3.0% |
| 2002 | 47.2% | +3.0% |
| 2003 | 48.7% | +3.3% |
| 2004 | 50.2% | +3.0% |
| 2005 | 51.6% | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 52.7% | +2.2% |
| 2007 | 53.7% | +1.8% |
| 2008 | 55.0% | +2.4% |
| 2009 | 55.8% | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 56.5% | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 57.6% | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 58.5% | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 59.6% | +2.0% |
| 2014 | 59.1% | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 59.0% | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 58.8% | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 59.1% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 59.4% | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 43.1% | 43.0% | 43.3% | 2 |
| 2000s | 50.5% | 44.5% | 55.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 58.6% | 56.5% | 59.6% | 9 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
More education data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 5.14 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 81.43 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 196.80 million (2024)
- Population ages 0-14 40.4% (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.9738 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 56.4% (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1526 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa was 59.4% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 59.6% in 2013.
- What is the lowest gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 43.0% in 1998.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 40th out of 45 groups with data for 2018.
- Is gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total enrollment in primary, secondary and tertiary education, regardless of age, expressed as a percentage of the total population of primary school age, secondary school age, and the five-year age group following on from secondary school leaving. GER can exceed 100% due to the inclusion of over-aged and under-aged students because of early or late school entrance and grade repetition.