School age population, early childhood education, female in UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa

UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa: School age population, early childhood education, female was 60.60 million in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
60.60 million
Change on year
up 0.8%
Rank
20th
of 194 groups
All-time high
60.60 million
in 2024
All-time low
37.05 million
in 1997
Years of data
18
1997–2024

School age population, early childhood education, female in UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa, 1997–2024

020.0M40.0M60.0M1997201020241997: 37.0M1998: 39.4M1999: 38.2M2000: 39.1M2001: 39.9M2002: 40.3M2003: 41.2M2004: 41.8M2015: 54.2M2016: 55.6M2017: 57.0M2018: 57.8M2019: 58.4M2020: 58.4M2021: 59.1M2022: 59.3M2023: 60.1M2024: 60.6M

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

The most recent figure for school age population, early childhood education, female in UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa is 60.60 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 18 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 11.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, school age population, early childhood education, female in UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 60.60 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 37.05 million, in 1997.

That places UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa 20th out of 194 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 18 years of available data.

School age population, early childhood education, female in UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year

Annual values for School age population, early childhood education, female (number) in UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa, 1997 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1997 37.05 million
1998 39.37 million +6.3%
1999 38.24 million -2.9%
2000 39.10 million +2.3%
2001 39.86 million +1.9%
2002 40.27 million +1.0%
2003 41.24 million +2.4%
2004 41.80 million +1.4%
2015 54.16 million +29.6%
2016 55.57 million +2.6%
2017 57.05 million +2.7%
2018 57.75 million +1.2%
2019 58.41 million +1.1%
2020 58.40 million -0.0%
2021 59.10 million +1.2%
2022 59.32 million +0.4%
2023 60.12 million +1.4%
2024 60.60 million +0.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 38.22 million 37.05 million 39.37 million 3
2000s 40.45 million 39.10 million 41.80 million 5
2010s 56.59 million 54.16 million 58.41 million 5
2020s 59.51 million 58.40 million 60.60 million 5

Countries ranked near UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa

  1. 17 Egypt 2.30 million compare
  2. 18 Germany 2.24 million compare
  3. 19 Colombia 2.20 million compare
  4. 20 Myanmar 2.13 million compare
  5. 21 Ghana 2.08 million compare
  6. 22 Kenya 2.07 million compare
  7. 23 Angola 1.82 million compare

See the full ranking of 401 places →

More education data for UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa

All data for UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is school age population, early childhood education, female in UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa?
School age population, early childhood education, female in UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa was 60.60 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest school age population, early childhood education, female recorded in UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa?
The highest recorded value was 60.60 million in 2024.
What is the lowest school age population, early childhood education, female recorded in UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 37.05 million in 1997.
How does UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa rank for school age population, early childhood education, female?
UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 20th out of 194 groups with data for 2024.
Is school age population, early childhood education, female rising or falling in UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 11.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School age population, early childhood education, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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School age population, early childhood education, female in UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 11 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/school-age-population-early-childhood-education-female-number-2/unicef-sub-saharan-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
School age population, early childhood education, female (number)
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
401 places, 9,806 data points, 1971–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release