Percentage of teachers in primary education who are female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa
SDG: Sub-saharan Africa: Percentage of teachers in primary education who are female was 48.5% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
48.5%
Change on year
up 0.3%
Rank
199th
of 221 groups
All-time high
48.5%
in 2024
All-time low
32.8%
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Percentage of teachers in primary education who are female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for percentage of teachers in primary education who are female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa is 48.5%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 6.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, percentage of teachers in primary education who are female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 48.5% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 32.8%, in 1970.
SDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 199th of 221 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
Percentage of teachers in primary education who are female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 32.8% | — |
| 1971 | 32.8% | +0.1% |
| 1972 | 33.6% | +2.3% |
| 1973 | 33.8% | +0.6% |
| 1974 | 34.2% | +1.2% |
| 1975 | 34.5% | +0.8% |
| 1976 | 34.3% | -0.5% |
| 1977 | 34.2% | -0.1% |
| 1978 | 34.2% | -0.0% |
| 1979 | 34.9% | +2.0% |
| 1980 | 35.4% | +1.5% |
| 1981 | 36.0% | +1.5% |
| 1982 | 35.7% | -0.7% |
| 1983 | 36.4% | +1.9% |
| 1984 | 37.1% | +1.8% |
| 1985 | 37.9% | +2.1% |
| 1986 | 38.1% | +0.7% |
| 1987 | 37.6% | -1.4% |
| 1988 | 38.3% | +1.9% |
| 1989 | 40.0% | +4.3% |
| 1990 | 39.8% | -0.3% |
| 1991 | 39.7% | -0.4% |
| 1992 | 40.1% | +1.0% |
| 1993 | 40.1% | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 40.8% | +1.8% |
| 1995 | 42.5% | +4.1% |
| 1996 | 42.4% | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 41.9% | -1.3% |
| 1998 | 42.1% | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 42.5% | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 42.5% | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 42.2% | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 43.1% | +2.2% |
| 2003 | 42.4% | -1.7% |
| 2004 | 43.8% | +3.4% |
| 2005 | 43.8% | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 43.8% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 43.0% | -1.8% |
| 2008 | 43.1% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 42.8% | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 43.4% | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 43.8% | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 43.8% | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 45.2% | +3.3% |
| 2014 | 45.4% | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 46.1% | +1.6% |
| 2016 | 46.0% | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 46.0% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 45.8% | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 46.8% | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 47.7% | +1.8% |
| 2021 | 47.4% | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 48.2% | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 48.4% | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 48.5% | +0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 33.9% | 32.8% | 34.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 37.3% | 35.4% | 40.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 41.2% | 39.7% | 42.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 43.0% | 42.2% | 43.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 45.2% | 43.4% | 46.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 48.1% | 47.4% | 48.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near SDG: Sub-saharan Africa
- 196 Mauritania 41.3% compare
- 197 Guinea 40.9% compare
- 198 Côte d'Ivoire 37.9% compare
- 199 Djibouti 37.4% compare
- 200 Senegal 34.5% compare
- 201 Sierra Leone 33.8% compare
- 202 Falkland Islands, Malvinas 33.3% compare
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 teachers in primary education who are female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Percentage of teachers in primary education who are female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa was 48.5% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest percentage of teachers in primary education who are female recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 48.5% in 2024.
- What is the lowest percentage of teachers in primary education who are female recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 32.8% in 1970.
- How does SDG: Sub-saharan Africa rank for percentage of teachers in primary education who are female?
- SDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 199th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is percentage of teachers in primary education who are female 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 Percentage of teachers in primary education who are female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release