Out-of-school children of primary school age, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa
SDG: Sub-saharan Africa: Out-of-school children of primary school age, both sexes was 39.16 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Out-of-school children of primary school age, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, 2000–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for out-of-school children of primary school age, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa is 39.16 million, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 0.2% on the previous year and up 6.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, out-of-school children of primary school age, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 40.90 million in 2000 and was at its lowest, 34.11 million, in 2011.
That places SDG: Sub-saharan Africa 6th out of 39 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.
Out-of-school children of primary school age, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 40.90 million | — |
| 2001 | 39.59 million | -3.2% |
| 2002 | 38.43 million | -2.9% |
| 2003 | 37.40 million | -2.7% |
| 2004 | 36.67 million | -2.0% |
| 2005 | 36.01 million | -1.8% |
| 2006 | 35.50 million | -1.4% |
| 2007 | 35.17 million | -0.9% |
| 2008 | 34.63 million | -1.5% |
| 2009 | 34.29 million | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 34.13 million | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 34.11 million | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 34.37 million | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 34.96 million | +1.7% |
| 2014 | 35.73 million | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 36.62 million | +2.5% |
| 2016 | 37.61 million | +2.7% |
| 2017 | 38.52 million | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 39.14 million | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 39.60 million | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 39.83 million | +0.6% |
| 2021 | 39.72 million | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 39.45 million | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 39.34 million | -0.3% |
| 2024 | 39.24 million | -0.3% |
| 2025 | 39.16 million | -0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 36.86 million | 34.29 million | 40.90 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 36.48 million | 34.11 million | 39.60 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 39.46 million | 39.16 million | 39.83 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near SDG: Sub-saharan Africa
More education data for SDG: Sub-saharan Africa
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 191.30 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.31 % change on previous year (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 14.32 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.68 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 37.60 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 12.63 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 12.47 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.8202 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 4.94 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 97.68 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is out-of-school children of primary school age, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Out-of-school children of primary school age, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa was 39.16 million in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest out-of-school children of primary school age, both sexes recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 40.90 million in 2000.
- What is the lowest out-of-school children of primary school age, both sexes recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 34.11 million in 2011.
- How does SDG: Sub-saharan Africa rank for out-of-school children of primary school age, both sexes?
- SDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 6th out of 39 groups with data for 2025.
- Is out-of-school children of primary school age, both sexes rising or falling in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this SDG: Sub-saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Out-of-school children of primary school age, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 26 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release