Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Cameroon
Cameroon: Share of children in primary school age who are in school was 96.2% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Cameroon, 1820–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Cameroon recorded 96.2% for share of children in primary school age who are in school in 2024.
The figure is down 0.1% on the previous year and up 1.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children in primary school age who are in school in Cameroon peaked at 96.3% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1820.
Cameroon ranks 103rd of 209 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Cameroon, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 0.0% | — |
| 1825 | 0.0% | +33.3% |
| 1830 | 0.1% | +25.0% |
| 1835 | 0.1% | +40.0% |
| 1840 | 0.1% | +28.6% |
| 1845 | 0.1% | +33.3% |
| 1850 | 0.1% | +25.0% |
| 1855 | 0.2% | +33.3% |
| 1860 | 0.2% | +25.0% |
| 1865 | 0.3% | +32.0% |
| 1870 | 0.4% | +30.3% |
| 1875 | 0.6% | +30.2% |
| 1880 | 0.7% | +28.6% |
| 1885 | 2.5% | +240.3% |
| 1890 | 4.2% | +71.0% |
| 1895 | 2.6% | -38.7% |
| 1900 | 0.9% | -63.0% |
| 1905 | 2.0% | +106.3% |
| 1910 | 3.0% | +51.5% |
| 1915 | 3.0% | +1.7% |
| 1920 | 3.1% | +2.0% |
| 1925 | 4.0% | +28.2% |
| 1930 | 4.8% | +22.3% |
| 1935 | 11.0% | +126.9% |
| 1940 | 17.1% | +55.9% |
| 1945 | 25.7% | +50.3% |
| 1950 | 30.6% | +19.1% |
| 1955 | 45.2% | +47.9% |
| 1960 | 44.3% | -2.1% |
| 1965 | 64.0% | +44.6% |
| 1970 | 64.0% | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 64.2% | +0.4% |
| 1972 | 63.7% | -0.9% |
| 1973 | 62.3% | -2.1% |
| 1974 | 60.3% | -3.1% |
| 1975 | 66.9% | +10.9% |
| 1976 | 67.9% | +1.5% |
| 1977 | 66.5% | -2.2% |
| 1978 | 67.6% | +1.8% |
| 1979 | 68.4% | +1.1% |
| 1980 | 68.5% | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 74.9% | +9.4% |
| 1990 | 74.6% | -0.4% |
| 1991 | 73.0% | -2.2% |
| 2008 | 87.3% | +19.7% |
| 2009 | 90.1% | +3.1% |
| 2011 | 91.5% | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 94.2% | +3.0% |
| 2014 | 94.8% | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 95.2% | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 95.7% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 94.2% | -1.5% |
| 2019 | 92.5% | -1.8% |
| 2021 | 95.6% | +3.3% |
| 2022 | 96.1% | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 96.3% | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 96.2% | -0.1% |
Cameroon compared with similar countries
- Cameroon's 96.2% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 93.7%, 1.0× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Cameroon's 96.2% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 84.5%, 1.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Cameroon 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.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1885 | +240.3% | 0.7% | 2.5% |
| 1935 | +126.9% | 4.8% | 11.0% |
| 1905 | +106.3% | 0.9% | 2.0% |
| 1890 | +71.0% | 2.5% | 4.2% |
| 1900 | -63.0% | 2.6% | 0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1820s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1830s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 2 |
| 1840s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 2 |
| 1850s | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 2 |
| 1860s | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 2 |
| 1870s | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.6% | 2 |
| 1880s | 1.6% | 0.7% | 2.5% | 2 |
| 1890s | 3.4% | 2.6% | 4.2% | 2 |
| 1900s | 1.5% | 0.9% | 2.0% | 2 |
| 1910s | 3.0% | 3.0% | 3.0% | 2 |
| 1920s | 3.5% | 3.1% | 4.0% | 2 |
| 1930s | 7.9% | 4.8% | 11.0% | 2 |
| 1940s | 21.4% | 17.1% | 25.7% | 2 |
| 1950s | 37.9% | 30.6% | 45.2% | 2 |
| 1960s | 54.1% | 44.3% | 64.0% | 2 |
| 1970s | 65.2% | 60.3% | 68.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 71.7% | 68.5% | 74.9% | 2 |
| 1990s | 73.8% | 73.0% | 74.6% | 2 |
| 2000s | 88.7% | 87.3% | 90.1% | 2 |
| 2010s | 94.0% | 91.5% | 95.7% | 7 |
| 2020s | 96.0% | 95.6% | 96.3% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Cameroon
More education data for Cameroon
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 87.75 (2019)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 96.24 (2024)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 118,092 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 611,326 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 321,494 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 322,873 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.01 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 5.29 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.6 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of children in primary school age who are in school in Cameroon?
- Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Cameroon was 96.2% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of children in primary school age who are in school recorded in Cameroon?
- The highest recorded value was 96.3% in 2023.
- What is the lowest share of children in primary school age who are in school recorded in Cameroon?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1820.
- How does Cameroon rank for share of children in primary school age who are in school?
- Cameroon ranks 103rd out of 209 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children in primary school age who are in school rising or falling in Cameroon?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Cameroon data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of children in primary school age who are in school. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of children of primary school age (typically 6–11 years) who are enrolled in primary education.