Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Sudan
Sudan: Share of children in primary school age who are in school was 56.2% in 2019. ◆ Volatile
Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Sudan, 1820–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of children in primary school age who are in school in Sudan is 56.2%, measured in 2019.
The figure is down 8.3% on the previous year and up 2.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children in primary school age who are in school in Sudan peaked at 61.2% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1820.
Sudan ranks 204th of 209 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
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 Sudan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 0.0% | — |
| 1825 | 0.0% | +100.0% |
| 1830 | 0.0% | +0.0% |
| 1835 | 0.0% | +50.0% |
| 1840 | 0.0% | +33.3% |
| 1845 | 0.1% | +25.0% |
| 1850 | 0.1% | +40.0% |
| 1855 | 0.1% | +28.6% |
| 1860 | 0.1% | +22.2% |
| 1865 | 0.1% | +27.3% |
| 1870 | 0.2% | +28.6% |
| 1875 | 0.2% | +33.3% |
| 1880 | 0.3% | +29.2% |
| 1885 | 0.4% | +29.0% |
| 1890 | 0.5% | +27.5% |
| 1895 | 0.7% | +29.4% |
| 1900 | 0.8% | +28.8% |
| 1905 | 1.1% | +29.4% |
| 1910 | 1.4% | +28.2% |
| 1915 | 2.1% | +50.4% |
| 1920 | 2.8% | +33.0% |
| 1925 | 3.6% | +26.2% |
| 1930 | 4.3% | +20.8% |
| 1935 | 4.0% | -5.8% |
| 1940 | 4.5% | +10.1% |
| 1945 | 5.3% | +18.2% |
| 1950 | 14.1% | +167.7% |
| 1955 | 14.0% | -0.5% |
| 1960 | 24.5% | +74.5% |
| 1965 | 28.4% | +16.0% |
| 1970 | 37.2% | +31.0% |
| 1975 | 46.5% | +24.9% |
| 1980 | 50.0% | +7.5% |
| 2011 | 54.9% | +9.9% |
| 2012 | 51.4% | -6.4% |
| 2013 | 52.1% | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 52.3% | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 52.7% | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 54.5% | +3.3% |
| 2017 | 56.5% | +3.8% |
| 2018 | 61.2% | +8.4% |
| 2019 | 56.2% | -8.3% |
Sudan compared with similar countries
- Sudan's 56.2% is below the median for low income countries, which is 69.5%, 81% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Sudan's 56.2% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 84.5%, 67% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Sudan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | +167.7% | 5.3% | 14.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1820s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1830s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1840s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 2 |
| 1850s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 2 |
| 1860s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 2 |
| 1870s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 2 |
| 1880s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 2 |
| 1890s | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.7% | 2 |
| 1900s | 1.0% | 0.8% | 1.1% | 2 |
| 1910s | 1.8% | 1.4% | 2.1% | 2 |
| 1920s | 3.2% | 2.8% | 3.6% | 2 |
| 1930s | 4.2% | 4.0% | 4.3% | 2 |
| 1940s | 4.9% | 4.5% | 5.3% | 2 |
| 1950s | 14.1% | 14.0% | 14.1% | 2 |
| 1960s | 26.5% | 24.5% | 28.4% | 2 |
| 1970s | 41.9% | 37.2% | 46.5% | 2 |
| 1980s | 50.0% | 50.0% | 50.0% | 1 |
| 2010s | 54.6% | 51.4% | 61.2% | 9 |
Countries ranked near Sudan
- 201 Eritrea 59.6% compare
- 202 Niger 59.6% compare
- 203 Cape Verde 58.2% compare
- 205 Tokelau 36.3%
- 206 Democratic Republic of Congo 34.7% compare
- 207 Equatorial Guinea 34.4% compare
More education data for Sudan
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 105,251 (2019)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 581,716 (2019)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 563,787 (2019)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.31 million (2019)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 5.23 million (2019)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.27 % change on previous year (2019)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2019)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1149 units per person (2019)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of children in primary school age who are in school in Sudan?
- Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Sudan was 56.2% in 2019, 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 Sudan?
- The highest recorded value was 61.2% in 2018.
- What is the lowest share of children in primary school age who are in school recorded in Sudan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1820.
- How does Sudan rank for share of children in primary school age who are in school?
- Sudan ranks 204th out of 209 countries with data for 2019.
- Is share of children in primary school age who are in school rising or falling in Sudan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sudan 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.