Lower secondary completion rate, total in Africa Western and Central
Africa Western and Central: Lower secondary completion rate, total was 42.6% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Lower secondary completion rate, total in Africa Western and Central, 1970–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of relevant age group.
Analysis
Africa Western and Central recorded 42.6% for lower secondary completion rate, total in 2024.
That represents a change of down 1.1% on the previous year and up 8.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, lower secondary completion rate, total in Africa Western and Central peaked at 43.0% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 16.9%, in 1970.
That places Africa Western and Central 41st out of 43 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.
Lower secondary completion rate, total in Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | % of relevant age group | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 16.9% | — |
| 1971 | 16.9% | +0.2% |
| 1972 | 17.3% | +2.2% |
| 1973 | 17.6% | +1.6% |
| 1974 | 17.8% | +1.3% |
| 1975 | 18.0% | +1.1% |
| 1976 | 18.2% | +0.7% |
| 1977 | 18.7% | +3.0% |
| 1978 | 18.9% | +1.0% |
| 1979 | 19.1% | +0.9% |
| 1980 | 19.2% | +0.8% |
| 1981 | 19.4% | +0.8% |
| 1982 | 19.5% | +0.6% |
| 1983 | 19.5% | -0.1% |
| 1984 | 19.5% | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 19.5% | -0.0% |
| 1986 | 19.6% | +0.6% |
| 1987 | 19.3% | -1.5% |
| 1988 | 19.3% | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 19.5% | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 20.4% | +4.4% |
| 1991 | 21.1% | +3.6% |
| 1992 | 21.4% | +1.7% |
| 1993 | 21.6% | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 21.6% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 21.5% | -0.7% |
| 1996 | 21.4% | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 21.8% | +1.7% |
| 1998 | 21.9% | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 21.9% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 22.1% | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 23.1% | +4.2% |
| 2002 | 25.8% | +12.0% |
| 2003 | 28.5% | +10.2% |
| 2004 | 29.6% | +4.1% |
| 2005 | 30.8% | +3.9% |
| 2006 | 31.9% | +3.7% |
| 2007 | 33.3% | +4.3% |
| 2008 | 35.1% | +5.5% |
| 2009 | 36.5% | +3.9% |
| 2010 | 37.7% | +3.3% |
| 2011 | 38.5% | +2.2% |
| 2012 | 39.2% | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 39.6% | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 39.4% | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 40.6% | +2.9% |
| 2016 | 41.1% | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 41.4% | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 42.0% | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 41.9% | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 42.1% | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 42.1% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 41.8% | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 43.0% | +2.9% |
| 2024 | 42.6% | -1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 17.9% | 16.9% | 19.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 19.4% | 19.2% | 19.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 21.4% | 20.4% | 21.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 29.7% | 22.1% | 36.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 40.1% | 37.7% | 42.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 42.3% | 41.8% | 43.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Africa Western and Central
More education data for Africa Western and Central
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 2.08 million (2024)
- Population ages 15-64 56.1% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 40.9% (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1455 units per person (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.9058 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 75.77 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- School enrollment, primary 91.1% (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, per capita 0.004 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is lower secondary completion rate, total in Africa Western and Central?
- Lower secondary completion rate, total in Africa Western and Central was 42.6% in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest lower secondary completion rate, total recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 43.0% in 2023.
- What is the lowest lower secondary completion rate, total recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.9% in 1970.
- How does Africa Western and Central rank for lower secondary completion rate, total?
- Africa Western and Central ranks 41st out of 43 groups with data for 2024.
- Is lower secondary completion rate, total rising or falling in Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Africa Western and Central data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Lower secondary completion rate, total (% of relevant age group). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Lower secondary education completion rate is measured as the gross intake ratio to the last grade of lower secondary education (general and pre-vocational). It is calculated as the number of new entrants in the last grade of lower secondary education, regardless of age, divided by the population at the entrance age for the last grade of lower secondary education.