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 65.0% in 2024. ▬ Flat

Latest (2024)
65.0%
Change on year
up 65.5%
Rank
16th
of 214 groups
All-time high
65.0%
in 2024
All-time low
39.3%
in 2023
Years of data
26
1999–2024

Percentage of pupils enrolled in lower secondary general education in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, 1999–2024

02040601999201120241999: 57.2 %2000: 47.2 %2001: 44.9 %2002: 46.8 %2003: 43.7 %2004: 47.5 %2005: 48.1 %2006: 49.3 %2007: 48.8 %2008: 48.6 %2009: 48.1 %2010: 43.5 %2011: 47.8 %2012: 43.3 %2013: 46.9 %2014: 44.7 %2015: 43.5 %2016: 44.6 %2017: 47.1 %2018: 46.5 %2019: 50.5 %2020: 50.7 %2021: 51.4 %2022: 42.2 %2023: 39.3 %2024: 65 %

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 65.0%. That is the highest value across all 26 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 65.5% on the previous year and up 45.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, percentage of pupils enrolled in lower secondary general education in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 65.0% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 39.3%, in 2023.

That places SDG: Sub-saharan Africa 16th out of 214 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.

Percentage of pupils enrolled in lower secondary general education in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year

Annual values for Percentage of pupils enrolled in lower secondary general education who are at least 2 years over-age for their current grade, male (%) in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, 1999 to 2024.
Year % Change
1999 57.2%
2000 47.2% -17.6%
2001 44.9% -4.7%
2002 46.8% +4.2%
2003 43.7% -6.8%
2004 47.5% +8.7%
2005 48.1% +1.4%
2006 49.3% +2.5%
2007 48.8% -1.0%
2008 48.6% -0.5%
2009 48.1% -1.0%
2010 43.5% -9.5%
2011 47.8% +9.7%
2012 43.3% -9.4%
2013 46.9% +8.2%
2014 44.7% -4.7%
2015 43.5% -2.5%
2016 44.6% +2.4%
2017 47.1% +5.6%
2018 46.5% -1.2%
2019 50.5% +8.6%
2020 50.7% +0.2%
2021 51.4% +1.5%
2022 42.2% -17.9%
2023 39.3% -6.9%
2024 65.0% +65.5%

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Percentage of pupils enrolled in lower secondary general education in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
2024 +65.5% 39.3% 65.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 57.2% 57.2% 57.2% 1
2000s 47.3% 43.7% 49.3% 10
2010s 45.8% 43.3% 50.5% 10
2020s 49.7% 39.3% 65.0% 5

Countries ranked near SDG: Sub-saharan Africa

  1. 13 Nicaragua 51.5% compare
  2. 14 Burkina Faso 51.0% compare
  3. 15 Equatorial Guinea 50.9% compare
  4. 16 Eswatini 49.6% compare
  5. 17 Sao Tome and Principe 47.4% compare
  6. 18 Papua New Guinea 47.3% compare
  7. 19 Malawi 44.1% compare

See the full ranking of 398 places →

More education data for SDG: Sub-saharan Africa

All data for SDG: Sub-saharan Africa →

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 65.0% 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 65.0% in 2024.
What is the lowest percentage of pupils enrolled in lower secondary general education recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 39.3% in 2023.
How does SDG: Sub-saharan Africa rank for percentage of pupils enrolled in lower secondary general education?
SDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 16th 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 up 45.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
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, male (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Percentage of pupils enrolled in lower secondary general education in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 14 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/percentage-of-pupils-enrolled-in-lower-secondary-general-education-who-are-at-least-2-7/sdg-sub-saharan-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Percentage of pupils enrolled in lower secondary general education who are at least 2 years over-age for their current grade, male (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
398 places, 6,552 data points, 1997–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release