Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa
UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa: Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes was 8.67 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
8.67 million
Change on year
up 2.2%
Rank
44th
of 220 groups
All-time high
8.67 million
in 2024
All-time low
1.88 million
in 1972
Years of data
53
1972–2024
Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa, 1972–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa is 8.67 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 53 years on record.
The figure is up 2.2% on the previous year and up 14.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa peaked at 8.67 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 1.88 million, in 1972.
That places UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa 44th out of 220 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 53 years of available data.
Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 1.88 million | — |
| 1973 | 1.98 million | +5.0% |
| 1974 | 2.06 million | +4.1% |
| 1975 | 2.12 million | +3.3% |
| 1976 | 2.32 million | +9.0% |
| 1977 | 2.52 million | +8.7% |
| 1978 | 2.62 million | +3.9% |
| 1979 | 2.87 million | +9.8% |
| 1980 | 3.25 million | +13.0% |
| 1981 | 3.36 million | +3.5% |
| 1982 | 3.55 million | +5.6% |
| 1983 | 3.51 million | -1.1% |
| 1984 | 3.48 million | -0.7% |
| 1985 | 3.40 million | -2.2% |
| 1986 | 3.56 million | +4.6% |
| 1987 | 3.78 million | +6.3% |
| 1988 | 3.91 million | +3.4% |
| 1989 | 4.13 million | +5.5% |
| 1990 | 4.11 million | -0.4% |
| 1991 | 4.13 million | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 4.01 million | -2.8% |
| 1993 | 4.16 million | +3.8% |
| 1994 | 4.17 million | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 4.38 million | +4.9% |
| 1996 | 4.43 million | +1.2% |
| 1997 | 4.68 million | +5.6% |
| 1998 | 4.96 million | +6.1% |
| 1999 | 5.38 million | +8.3% |
| 2000 | 5.64 million | +4.9% |
| 2001 | 6.10 million | +8.3% |
| 2002 | 6.35 million | +4.0% |
| 2003 | 6.63 million | +4.5% |
| 2004 | 7.12 million | +7.3% |
| 2005 | 6.32 million | -11.1% |
| 2006 | 6.37 million | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 6.79 million | +6.6% |
| 2008 | 6.72 million | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 7.25 million | +7.9% |
| 2010 | 7.24 million | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 7.56 million | +4.3% |
| 2012 | 7.73 million | +2.2% |
| 2013 | 7.77 million | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 7.58 million | -2.4% |
| 2015 | 7.52 million | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 7.80 million | +3.7% |
| 2017 | 7.88 million | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 7.83 million | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 7.56 million | -3.3% |
| 2020 | 7.73 million | +2.2% |
| 2021 | 7.88 million | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 8.21 million | +4.2% |
| 2023 | 8.49 million | +3.4% |
| 2024 | 8.67 million | +2.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.29 million | 1.88 million | 2.87 million | 8 |
| 1980s | 3.59 million | 3.25 million | 4.13 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.44 million | 4.01 million | 5.38 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.53 million | 5.64 million | 7.25 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.65 million | 7.24 million | 7.88 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.19 million | 7.73 million | 8.67 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa
More education data for UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 49.26 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 1.01 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.50 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 2.77 % change on previous year (2022)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 36.30 million (2022)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.22 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 50.69 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.32 % change on previous year (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 8.67 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 9.20 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa was 8.67 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 8.67 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.88 million in 1972.
- How does UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa rank for repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes?
- UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa ranks 44th out of 220 groups with data for 2024.
- Is repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UNICEF: Eastern and Southern 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