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 25.8% 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
SDG: Sub-saharan Africa recorded 25.8% for percentage of pupils enrolled in lower secondary general education in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 26 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 8.5% on the previous year and down 14.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, percentage of pupils enrolled in lower secondary general education in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 36.6% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 25.8%, in 2024.
That places SDG: Sub-saharan Africa 33rd out of 214 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 | 32.3% | — |
| 2000 | 36.6% | +13.3% |
| 2001 | 35.4% | -3.4% |
| 2002 | 33.6% | -5.1% |
| 2003 | 35.8% | +6.8% |
| 2004 | 34.2% | -4.5% |
| 2005 | 34.3% | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 35.1% | +2.2% |
| 2007 | 35.4% | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 34.8% | -1.9% |
| 2009 | 34.1% | -1.9% |
| 2010 | 36.1% | +5.8% |
| 2011 | 32.9% | -8.8% |
| 2012 | 31.9% | -3.1% |
| 2013 | 31.1% | -2.7% |
| 2014 | 30.3% | -2.3% |
| 2015 | 31.0% | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 30.2% | -2.6% |
| 2017 | 29.8% | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 28.8% | -3.4% |
| 2019 | 27.7% | -3.6% |
| 2020 | 27.4% | -1.1% |
| 2021 | 27.7% | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 27.9% | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 28.2% | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 25.8% | -8.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 32.3% | 32.3% | 32.3% | 1 |
| 2000s | 34.9% | 33.6% | 36.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 31.0% | 27.7% | 36.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 27.4% | 25.8% | 28.2% | 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 25.8% 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 36.6% 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 25.8% in 2024.
- How does SDG: Sub-saharan Africa rank for percentage of pupils enrolled in lower secondary general education?
- SDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 33rd out of 214 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 14.9%. 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, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release