School age population, early childhood education, both sexes in UNICEF: Africa
UNICEF: Africa: School age population, early childhood education, both sexes was 132.35 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
School age population, early childhood education, both sexes in UNICEF: Africa, 1997–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, early childhood education, both sexes in UNICEF: Africa is 132.35 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 12 years on record.
The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 11.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, early childhood education, both sexes in UNICEF: Africa peaked at 132.35 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 83.96 million, in 1997.
UNICEF: Africa ranks 16th of 194 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 12 years of available data.
School age population, early childhood education, both sexes in UNICEF: Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 83.96 million | — |
| 1998 | 88.51 million | +5.4% |
| 2015 | 119.25 million | +34.7% |
| 2016 | 122.28 million | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 125.44 million | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 127.10 million | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 128.58 million | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 128.66 million | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 130.00 million | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 130.32 million | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 131.72 million | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 132.35 million | +0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 86.23 million | 83.96 million | 88.51 million | 2 |
| 2010s | 124.53 million | 119.25 million | 128.58 million | 5 |
| 2020s | 130.61 million | 128.66 million | 132.35 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: Africa
More education data for UNICEF: Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 1.42 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 50.51 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 2.35 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 54.20 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.87 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 29.65 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 2.01 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 19.22 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.94 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 1.99 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, early childhood education, both sexes in UNICEF: Africa?
- School age population, early childhood education, both sexes in UNICEF: Africa was 132.35 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, early childhood education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 132.35 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, early childhood education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 83.96 million in 1997.
- How does UNICEF: Africa rank for school age population, early childhood education, both sexes?
- UNICEF: Africa ranks 16th out of 194 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, early childhood education, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UNICEF: Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School age population, early childhood education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 12 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release