Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in Ghana
Ghana: Population of compulsory school age, both sexes was 8.96 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
8.96 million
Change on year
up 0.9%
World rank
33rd
of 197 countries
All-time high
8.96 million
in 2025
All-time low
4.52 million
in 1998
Years of data
28
1998–2025
Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in Ghana, 1998–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
Ghana recorded 8.96 million for population of compulsory school age, both sexes in 2025. That is the highest value across all 28 years on record.
The figure is up 0.9% on the previous year and up 17.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population of compulsory school age, both sexes in Ghana peaked at 8.96 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 4.52 million, in 1998.
Ghana ranks 33rd of 197 countries 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 Ghana, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 4.52 million | — |
| 1999 | 4.59 million | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 4.67 million | +1.7% |
| 2001 | 4.74 million | +1.4% |
| 2002 | 4.80 million | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 4.85 million | +1.1% |
| 2004 | 4.91 million | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 4.98 million | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 5.05 million | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 6.46 million | +28.0% |
| 2008 | 6.59 million | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 6.71 million | +1.9% |
| 2010 | 6.86 million | +2.2% |
| 2011 | 7.01 million | +2.2% |
| 2012 | 7.17 million | +2.2% |
| 2013 | 7.33 million | +2.2% |
| 2014 | 7.49 million | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 7.65 million | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 7.81 million | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 7.97 million | +2.1% |
| 2018 | 8.14 million | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 8.29 million | +1.9% |
| 2020 | 8.45 million | +1.9% |
| 2021 | 8.58 million | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 8.68 million | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 8.78 million | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 8.88 million | +1.1% |
| 2025 | 8.96 million | +0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 4.56 million | 4.52 million | 4.59 million | 2 |
| 2000s | 5.38 million | 4.67 million | 6.71 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.57 million | 6.86 million | 8.29 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.72 million | 8.45 million | 8.96 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
- 30 Yemen 9.20 million compare
- 31 Japan 9.17 million compare
- 32 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 8.99 million compare
- 34 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 8.04 million compare
- 35 Peru 7.73 million compare
- 36 Côte d'Ivoire 7.31 million compare
More education data for Ghana
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 3.33 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 3.99 % change on previous year (2022)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 122,558 (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate -6.95 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.67 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 4.98 % change on previous year (2022)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.67 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 3.03 % change on previous year (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1.86 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 7.78 % change on previous year (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population of compulsory school age, both sexes in Ghana?
- Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in Ghana was 8.96 million in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population of compulsory school age, both sexes recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 8.96 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest population of compulsory school age, both sexes recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.52 million in 1998.
- How does Ghana rank for population of compulsory school age, both sexes?
- Ghana ranks 33rd out of 197 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population of compulsory school age, both sexes rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ghana 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 28 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release