Percentage of pupils enrolled in lower secondary general education in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa
SDG: Sub-saharan Africa: Percentage of pupils enrolled in lower secondary general education was 30.5% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Percentage of pupils enrolled in lower secondary general education in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, 1999–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, percentage of pupils enrolled in lower secondary general education in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa stood at 30.5%. That is the lowest value across all 26 years on record.
The figure is down 1.2% on the previous year and down 14.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, percentage of pupils enrolled in lower secondary general education in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 41.8% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 30.5%, in 2024.
That places SDG: Sub-saharan Africa 26th out of 215 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 26 years of available data.
Percentage of pupils enrolled in lower secondary general education in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 40.2% | — |
| 2000 | 41.8% | +4.1% |
| 2001 | 40.1% | -4.1% |
| 2002 | 39.5% | -1.5% |
| 2003 | 39.7% | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 39.8% | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 40.2% | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 41.2% | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 41.2% | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 40.8% | -0.9% |
| 2009 | 40.4% | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 39.3% | -2.8% |
| 2011 | 38.7% | -1.5% |
| 2012 | 37.1% | -4.2% |
| 2013 | 36.2% | -2.3% |
| 2014 | 35.6% | -1.5% |
| 2015 | 35.6% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 35.1% | -1.5% |
| 2017 | 34.7% | -1.0% |
| 2018 | 33.8% | -2.8% |
| 2019 | 33.1% | -2.1% |
| 2020 | 32.6% | -1.4% |
| 2021 | 32.7% | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 31.2% | -4.8% |
| 2023 | 30.9% | -1.0% |
| 2024 | 30.5% | -1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 40.2% | 40.2% | 40.2% | 1 |
| 2000s | 40.5% | 39.5% | 41.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 35.9% | 33.1% | 39.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 31.6% | 30.5% | 32.7% | 5 |
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 percentage of pupils enrolled in lower secondary general education in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Percentage of pupils enrolled in lower secondary general education in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa was 30.5% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest percentage of pupils enrolled in lower secondary general education recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 41.8% in 2000.
- What is the lowest percentage of pupils enrolled in lower secondary general education recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 30.5% in 2024.
- How does SDG: Sub-saharan Africa rank for percentage of pupils enrolled in lower secondary general education?
- SDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 26th out of 215 groups with data for 2024.
- Is percentage of pupils enrolled in lower secondary general education rising or falling in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this SDG: Sub-saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Percentage of pupils enrolled in lower secondary general education who are at least 2 years over-age for their current grade, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release