Pupil-teacher ratio, primary in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries): Pupil-teacher ratio, primary was 37.36 in 2018. ▲ Rising
Pupil-teacher ratio, primary in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), 1970–2018
Source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for pupil-teacher ratio, primary in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) is 37.36, measured in 2018.
The figure is down 14.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, pupil-teacher ratio, primary in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 44.3 in 2007 and was at its lowest, 35.4, in 1989.
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 4th of 41 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 49 years of available data.
Pupil-teacher ratio, primary in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 37.33 | — |
| 1971 | 37.22 | -0.3% |
| 1972 | 37.15 | -0.2% |
| 1973 | 37.16 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 37.04 | -0.3% |
| 1975 | 37.19 | +0.4% |
| 1976 | 37.43 | +0.7% |
| 1977 | 37.64 | +0.6% |
| 1978 | 36.46 | -3.1% |
| 1979 | 36.42 | -0.1% |
| 1980 | 37.27 | +2.3% |
| 1981 | 37.34 | +0.2% |
| 1982 | 37.36 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 36.99 | -1.0% |
| 1984 | 36.89 | -0.3% |
| 1985 | 36.97 | +0.2% |
| 1986 | 36.69 | -0.8% |
| 1987 | 37.09 | +1.1% |
| 1988 | 36.67 | -1.1% |
| 1989 | 35.4 | -3.5% |
| 1990 | 36.18 | +2.2% |
| 1991 | 36.14 | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 36.1 | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 36.62 | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 37.8 | +3.2% |
| 1995 | 38.18 | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 38.16 | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 40.67 | +6.6% |
| 1998 | 41.16 | +1.2% |
| 1999 | 41.08 | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 42.29 | +2.9% |
| 2001 | 42.45 | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 43.13 | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 42.43 | -1.6% |
| 2004 | 42.63 | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 42.76 | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 43.41 | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 44.3 | +2.0% |
| 2008 | 43.81 | -1.1% |
| 2009 | 43.17 | -1.5% |
| 2010 | 41.61 | -3.6% |
| 2011 | 40.82 | -1.9% |
| 2012 | 42.23 | +3.4% |
| 2013 | 38.8 | -8.1% |
| 2014 | 37.98 | -2.1% |
| 2015 | 37.51 | -1.3% |
| 2016 | 37.51 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 37.37 | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 37.36 | -0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 37.1 | 36.42 | 37.64 | 10 |
| 1980s | 36.87 | 35.4 | 37.36 | 10 |
| 1990s | 38.21 | 36.1 | 41.16 | 10 |
| 2000s | 43.04 | 42.29 | 44.3 | 10 |
| 2010s | 39.02 | 37.36 | 42.23 | 9 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
- 1 Central African Republic 83.41 compare
- 2 Rwanda 59.51 compare
- 3 Malawi 58.68 compare
- 4 Chad 56.89 compare
- 5 Mozambique 55.27 compare
- 6 Ethiopia 55.07 compare
- 7 Guinea-Bissau 51.93 compare
More education data for Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 5.14 million (2024)
- Population ages 15-64 56.4% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 40.4% (2025)
- School enrollment, primary 97.1% (2024)
- Primary education, teachers 5.14 million (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, per capita 0.004 units per person (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, female 96.0% (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, male 98.2% (2024)
- Labor force, female 46.9% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is pupil-teacher ratio, primary in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Pupil-teacher ratio, primary in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) was 37.36 in 2018, according to Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest pupil-teacher ratio, primary recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The highest recorded value was 44.3 in 2007.
- What is the lowest pupil-teacher ratio, primary recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The lowest recorded value was 35.4 in 1989.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for pupil-teacher ratio, primary?
- Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 4th out of 41 groups with data for 2018.
- Is pupil-teacher ratio, primary rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) data come from?
- The figures come from Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Pupil-teacher ratio, primary. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Primary school pupil-teacher ratio is the average number of pupils per teacher in primary school.