Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes in WB: Sub-saharan Africa
WB: Sub-saharan Africa: Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes was 14.43 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
14.43 million
Change on year
up 1.6%
Rank
20th
of 220 groups
All-time high
14.43 million
in 2024
All-time low
3.48 million
in 1971
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes in WB: Sub-saharan Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes in WB: Sub-saharan Africa is 14.43 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
The figure is up 1.6% on the previous year and up 12.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes in WB: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 14.43 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 3.48 million, in 1971.
WB: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 20th of 220 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes in WB: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 3.68 million | — |
| 1971 | 3.48 million | -5.6% |
| 1972 | 3.60 million | +3.6% |
| 1973 | 3.76 million | +4.5% |
| 1974 | 3.93 million | +4.3% |
| 1975 | 4.00 million | +2.0% |
| 1976 | 4.23 million | +5.6% |
| 1977 | 4.49 million | +6.2% |
| 1978 | 4.56 million | +1.6% |
| 1979 | 5.02 million | +10.0% |
| 1980 | 5.54 million | +10.5% |
| 1981 | 5.78 million | +4.3% |
| 1982 | 6.12 million | +5.8% |
| 1983 | 6.21 million | +1.5% |
| 1984 | 6.28 million | +1.1% |
| 1985 | 6.30 million | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 6.58 million | +4.3% |
| 1987 | 6.80 million | +3.4% |
| 1988 | 7.02 million | +3.3% |
| 1989 | 7.23 million | +3.0% |
| 1990 | 7.13 million | -1.5% |
| 1991 | 7.35 million | +3.1% |
| 1992 | 7.06 million | -3.9% |
| 1993 | 7.21 million | +2.2% |
| 1994 | 7.91 million | +9.7% |
| 1995 | 8.24 million | +4.1% |
| 1996 | 8.12 million | -1.5% |
| 1997 | 8.48 million | +4.4% |
| 1998 | 8.82 million | +4.1% |
| 1999 | 9.09 million | +3.0% |
| 2000 | 9.49 million | +4.4% |
| 2001 | 10.23 million | +7.9% |
| 2002 | 10.77 million | +5.3% |
| 2003 | 11.08 million | +2.8% |
| 2004 | 11.66 million | +5.3% |
| 2005 | 11.01 million | -5.6% |
| 2006 | 11.23 million | +2.0% |
| 2007 | 11.69 million | +4.1% |
| 2008 | 11.83 million | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 12.31 million | +4.1% |
| 2010 | 12.23 million | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 12.34 million | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 12.90 million | +4.6% |
| 2013 | 13.06 million | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 12.79 million | -2.1% |
| 2015 | 12.59 million | -1.6% |
| 2016 | 12.64 million | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 12.84 million | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 12.89 million | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 12.74 million | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 13.09 million | +2.7% |
| 2021 | 13.56 million | +3.6% |
| 2022 | 14.18 million | +4.6% |
| 2023 | 14.20 million | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 14.43 million | +1.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4.07 million | 3.48 million | 5.02 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.39 million | 5.54 million | 7.23 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.94 million | 7.06 million | 9.09 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 11.13 million | 9.49 million | 12.31 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.70 million | 12.23 million | 13.06 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.89 million | 13.09 million | 14.43 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near WB: Sub-saharan Africa
- 17 Bangladesh 387,056 compare
- 18 Chad 383,767 compare
- 19 Afghanistan 343,942 compare
- 20 South Africa 339,638 compare
- 21 Tanzania, United Republic of 331,605 compare
- 22 Mozambique 278,480 compare
- 23 Morocco 266,273 compare
More education data for WB: Sub-saharan Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 5.90 million (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.55 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 42.35 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.19 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 26.37 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.55 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 3.52 % change on previous year (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 2.54 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 10.53 million (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.60 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes in WB: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes in WB: Sub-saharan Africa was 14.43 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes recorded in WB: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 14.43 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes recorded in WB: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.48 million in 1971.
- How does WB: Sub-saharan Africa rank for repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes?
- WB: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 20th out of 220 groups with data for 2024.
- Is repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes rising or falling in WB: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this WB: 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