Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in UNICEF: Africa
UNICEF: Africa: Population of compulsory school age, both sexes was 297.58 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in UNICEF: Africa, 1997–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, population of compulsory school age, both sexes in UNICEF: Africa stood at 297.58 million. That is the highest value across all 28 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.3% on the previous year and up 29.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population of compulsory school age, both sexes in UNICEF: Africa peaked at 297.58 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 114.56 million, in 1997.
That places UNICEF: Africa 30th out of 221 groups with data for 2024, putting it 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 UNICEF: Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 114.56 million | — |
| 1998 | 114.56 million | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 116.73 million | +1.9% |
| 2000 | 120.84 million | +3.5% |
| 2001 | 123.51 million | +2.2% |
| 2002 | 125.45 million | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 127.93 million | +2.0% |
| 2004 | 164.54 million | +28.6% |
| 2005 | 172.78 million | +5.0% |
| 2006 | 177.01 million | +2.4% |
| 2007 | 182.95 million | +3.4% |
| 2008 | 193.21 million | +5.6% |
| 2009 | 197.34 million | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 204.66 million | +3.7% |
| 2011 | 209.42 million | +2.3% |
| 2012 | 214.46 million | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 224.20 million | +4.5% |
| 2014 | 229.83 million | +2.5% |
| 2015 | 241.60 million | +5.1% |
| 2016 | 250.92 million | +3.9% |
| 2017 | 257.39 million | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 263.84 million | +2.5% |
| 2019 | 270.13 million | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 276.18 million | +2.2% |
| 2021 | 285.76 million | +3.5% |
| 2022 | 291.40 million | +2.0% |
| 2023 | 296.62 million | +1.8% |
| 2024 | 297.58 million | +0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 115.28 million | 114.56 million | 116.73 million | 3 |
| 2000s | 158.56 million | 120.84 million | 197.34 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 236.64 million | 204.66 million | 270.13 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 289.51 million | 276.18 million | 297.58 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: Africa
More education data for UNICEF: Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 1.42 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 50.51 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 2.35 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 54.20 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.87 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 29.65 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 2.01 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 19.22 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.94 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 1.99 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population of compulsory school age, both sexes in UNICEF: Africa?
- Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in UNICEF: Africa was 297.58 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population of compulsory school age, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 297.58 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest population of compulsory school age, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 114.56 million in 1997.
- How does UNICEF: Africa rank for population of compulsory school age, both sexes?
- UNICEF: Africa ranks 30th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is population of compulsory school age, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 29.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UNICEF: Africa 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