Proportion of primary schools with access to basic drinking water (%) in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Proportion of primary schools with access to basic drinking water (%) was 50.1% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
50.1%
Change on year
up 0.5%
World rank
110th
of 117 countries
All-time high
69.3%
in 2021
All-time low
31.8%
in 2019
Years of data
7
2017–2024
Proportion of primary schools with access to basic drinking water in Sierra Leone, 2017–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, proportion of primary schools with access to basic drinking water in Sierra Leone stood at 50.1%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.5% on the previous year and down 2.8% over ten years.
Sierra Leone ranks 110th of 117 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Proportion of primary schools with access to basic drinking water (%) in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 51.5% | — |
| 2018 | 51.6% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 31.8% | -38.3% |
| 2020 | 53.5% | +68.1% |
| 2021 | 69.3% | +29.6% |
| 2023 | 49.8% | -28.1% |
| 2024 | 50.1% | +0.5% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 50.1% is below the median for low income countries, which is 74.5%, 67% of the median. (9 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 50.1% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 74.5%, 67% of the median. (19 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 45.0% | 31.8% | 51.6% | 3 |
| 2020s | 55.7% | 49.8% | 69.3% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
- 107 Benin 53.0% compare
- 108 Pakistan 50.9% compare
- 109 Solomon Islands 50.1% compare
- 111 Philippines 46.6% compare
- 112 Mauritania 45.1%
- 113 Cameroon 44.8% compare
More education data for Sierra Leone
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 38,043 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 73,295 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 85,708 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 92,723 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.16 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.07 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.52 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.2393 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of primary schools with access to basic drinking water in Sierra Leone?
- Proportion of primary schools with access to basic drinking water in Sierra Leone was 50.1% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest proportion of primary schools with access to basic drinking water recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 69.3% in 2021.
- What is the lowest proportion of primary schools with access to basic drinking water recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 31.8% in 2019.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for proportion of primary schools with access to basic drinking water?
- Sierra Leone ranks 110th out of 117 countries with data for 2024.
- Is proportion of primary schools with access to basic drinking water rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Proportion of primary schools with access to basic drinking water (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release