Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa
SDG: Sub-saharan Africa: Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes was 14.32 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
14.32 million
Change on year
up 1.6%
Rank
24th
of 220 groups
All-time high
14.32 million
in 2024
All-time low
3.37 million
in 1971
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa stood at 14.32 million. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.6% on the previous year and up 13.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 14.32 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 3.37 million, in 1971.
SDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 24th of 220 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 3.58 million | — |
| 1971 | 3.37 million | -5.8% |
| 1972 | 3.50 million | +3.7% |
| 1973 | 3.66 million | +4.6% |
| 1974 | 3.82 million | +4.5% |
| 1975 | 3.90 million | +2.0% |
| 1976 | 4.12 million | +5.8% |
| 1977 | 4.39 million | +6.4% |
| 1978 | 4.46 million | +1.6% |
| 1979 | 4.92 million | +10.3% |
| 1980 | 5.44 million | +10.7% |
| 1981 | 5.68 million | +4.4% |
| 1982 | 6.01 million | +5.9% |
| 1983 | 6.11 million | +1.6% |
| 1984 | 6.18 million | +1.1% |
| 1985 | 6.20 million | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 6.47 million | +4.4% |
| 1987 | 6.70 million | +3.5% |
| 1988 | 6.92 million | +3.3% |
| 1989 | 7.13 million | +3.0% |
| 1990 | 7.03 million | -1.5% |
| 1991 | 7.25 million | +3.1% |
| 1992 | 6.96 million | -4.0% |
| 1993 | 7.11 million | +2.2% |
| 1994 | 7.81 million | +9.8% |
| 1995 | 8.14 million | +4.2% |
| 1996 | 8.02 million | -1.5% |
| 1997 | 8.38 million | +4.5% |
| 1998 | 8.72 million | +4.1% |
| 1999 | 8.99 million | +3.0% |
| 2000 | 9.38 million | +4.4% |
| 2001 | 10.12 million | +7.9% |
| 2002 | 10.66 million | +5.3% |
| 2003 | 10.96 million | +2.8% |
| 2004 | 11.54 million | +5.3% |
| 2005 | 10.88 million | -5.7% |
| 2006 | 11.09 million | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 11.54 million | +4.1% |
| 2008 | 11.67 million | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 12.15 million | +4.1% |
| 2010 | 12.07 million | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 12.19 million | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 12.76 million | +4.7% |
| 2013 | 12.93 million | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 12.64 million | -2.2% |
| 2015 | 12.44 million | -1.6% |
| 2016 | 12.47 million | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 12.72 million | +2.0% |
| 2018 | 12.78 million | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 12.64 million | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 12.98 million | +2.7% |
| 2021 | 13.45 million | +3.6% |
| 2022 | 14.07 million | +4.6% |
| 2023 | 14.09 million | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 14.32 million | +1.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3.97 million | 3.37 million | 4.92 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.28 million | 5.44 million | 7.13 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.84 million | 6.96 million | 8.99 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 11.00 million | 9.38 million | 12.15 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.56 million | 12.07 million | 12.93 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.78 million | 12.98 million | 14.32 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near SDG: Sub-saharan Africa
More education data for SDG: Sub-saharan Africa
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 78.55 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.68 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 37.60 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.8202 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 4.94 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 1.49 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.17 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 191.30 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 1.02 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 40.94 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa was 14.32 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 14.32 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.37 million in 1971.
- How does SDG: Sub-saharan Africa rank for repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes?
- SDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 24th out of 220 groups with data for 2024.
- Is repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes rising or falling in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this SDG: Sub-saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release