Percentage of pupils enrolled in lower secondary general education in UNICEF: West and Central Africa
UNICEF: West and Central Africa: Percentage of pupils enrolled in lower secondary general education was 27.6% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Percentage of pupils enrolled in lower secondary general education in UNICEF: West and Central Africa, 2002–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for percentage of pupils enrolled in lower secondary general education in UNICEF: West and Central Africa is 27.6%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 22 years on record.
That represents a change of down 3.0% on the previous year and down 16.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, percentage of pupils enrolled in lower secondary general education in UNICEF: West and Central Africa peaked at 38.3% in 2002 and was at its lowest, 27.6%, in 2024.
That places UNICEF: West and Central Africa 41st out of 215 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 22 years of available data.
Percentage of pupils enrolled in lower secondary general education in UNICEF: West and Central Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 38.3% | — |
| 2003 | 38.0% | -0.7% |
| 2004 | 37.9% | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 37.4% | -1.2% |
| 2007 | 37.9% | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 37.5% | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 37.2% | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 36.9% | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 36.2% | -1.9% |
| 2012 | 34.5% | -4.6% |
| 2013 | 33.8% | -2.0% |
| 2014 | 33.2% | -1.9% |
| 2015 | 33.2% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 32.8% | -1.0% |
| 2017 | 32.9% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 32.8% | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 32.2% | -1.7% |
| 2020 | 31.3% | -2.9% |
| 2021 | 30.3% | -3.2% |
| 2022 | 29.6% | -2.2% |
| 2023 | 28.5% | -3.7% |
| 2024 | 27.6% | -3.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 37.7% | 37.2% | 38.3% | 7 |
| 2010s | 33.9% | 32.2% | 36.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 29.4% | 27.6% | 31.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: West and Central Africa
More education data for UNICEF: West and Central Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 4.92 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 20.41 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.9224 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 22.91 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.5411 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 8.34 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 0.9535 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 5.20 million (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.46 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 5.73 % change on previous year (2021)
Frequently asked questions
- What is percentage of pupils enrolled in lower secondary general education in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- Percentage of pupils enrolled in lower secondary general education in UNICEF: West and Central Africa was 27.6% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest percentage of pupils enrolled in lower secondary general education recorded in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 38.3% in 2002.
- What is the lowest percentage of pupils enrolled in lower secondary general education recorded in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 27.6% in 2024.
- How does UNICEF: West and Central Africa rank for percentage of pupils enrolled in lower secondary general education?
- UNICEF: West and Central Africa ranks 41st out of 215 groups with data for 2024.
- Is percentage of pupils enrolled in lower secondary general education rising or falling in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this UNICEF: West and Central 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