Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)
ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126): Population of compulsory school age, both sexes was 249.28 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
249.28 million
Change on year
up 0.4%
Rank
51st
of 221 groups
All-time high
249.28 million
in 2024
All-time low
84.38 million
in 1997
Years of data
28
1997–2024
Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126), 1997–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) recorded 249.28 million for population of compulsory school age, both sexes in 2024. That is the highest value across all 28 years on record.
The figure is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 27.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population of compulsory school age, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) peaked at 249.28 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 84.38 million, in 1997.
ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) ranks 51st of 221 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 28 years of available data.
Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 84.38 million | — |
| 1998 | 84.38 million | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 86.46 million | +2.5% |
| 2000 | 88.63 million | +2.5% |
| 2001 | 90.71 million | +2.4% |
| 2002 | 92.74 million | +2.2% |
| 2003 | 95.39 million | +2.9% |
| 2004 | 132.17 million | +38.6% |
| 2005 | 140.62 million | +6.4% |
| 2006 | 145.01 million | +3.1% |
| 2007 | 151.09 million | +4.2% |
| 2008 | 161.39 million | +6.8% |
| 2009 | 165.50 million | +2.5% |
| 2010 | 172.70 million | +4.3% |
| 2011 | 177.23 million | +2.6% |
| 2012 | 181.95 million | +2.7% |
| 2013 | 191.26 million | +5.1% |
| 2014 | 196.34 million | +2.7% |
| 2015 | 201.85 million | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 210.29 million | +4.2% |
| 2017 | 215.81 million | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 221.24 million | +2.5% |
| 2019 | 226.37 million | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 231.21 million | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 239.61 million | +3.6% |
| 2022 | 244.09 million | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 248.31 million | +1.7% |
| 2024 | 249.28 million | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 85.07 million | 84.38 million | 86.46 million | 3 |
| 2000s | 126.32 million | 88.63 million | 165.50 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 199.50 million | 172.70 million | 226.37 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 242.50 million | 231.21 million | 249.28 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)
More education data for ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.59 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 38.99 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.61 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 42.27 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.26 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 26.34 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 2.53 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 4.35 % change on previous year (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.59 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.7473 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population of compulsory school age, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)?
- Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) was 249.28 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population of compulsory school age, both sexes recorded in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)?
- The highest recorded value was 249.28 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest population of compulsory school age, both sexes recorded in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)?
- The lowest recorded value was 84.38 million in 1997.
- How does ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) rank for population of compulsory school age, both sexes?
- ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) ranks 51st out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is population of compulsory school age, both sexes rising or falling in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 27.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Population of compulsory school age, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release