School age population, early childhood educational development in WB: Africa Western and Central
WB: Africa Western and Central: School age population, early childhood educational development was 30.10 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
School age population, early childhood educational development in WB: Africa Western and Central, 1998–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, school age population, early childhood educational development in WB: Africa Western and Central stood at 30.10 million. That is the highest value across all 27 years on record.
The figure is up 1.6% on the previous year and up 6.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, early childhood educational development in WB: Africa Western and Central peaked at 30.10 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 19.93 million, in 1999.
WB: Africa Western and Central ranks 52nd of 187 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 27 years of available data.
School age population, early childhood educational development in WB: Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 19.97 million | — |
| 1999 | 19.93 million | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 20.42 million | +2.5% |
| 2001 | 20.70 million | +1.4% |
| 2002 | 21.33 million | +3.1% |
| 2003 | 22.01 million | +3.2% |
| 2004 | 21.68 million | -1.5% |
| 2005 | 22.37 million | +3.2% |
| 2006 | 23.02 million | +2.9% |
| 2007 | 23.66 million | +2.8% |
| 2008 | 24.32 million | +2.8% |
| 2009 | 24.96 million | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 25.63 million | +2.7% |
| 2011 | 26.28 million | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 27.03 million | +2.9% |
| 2013 | 27.67 million | +2.3% |
| 2014 | 28.23 million | +2.0% |
| 2015 | 28.73 million | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 29.16 million | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 29.48 million | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 29.67 million | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 29.74 million | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 29.69 million | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 29.61 million | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 29.54 million | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 29.62 million | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 30.10 million | +1.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 19.95 million | 19.93 million | 19.97 million | 2 |
| 2000s | 22.45 million | 20.42 million | 24.96 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 28.16 million | 25.63 million | 29.74 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 29.71 million | 29.54 million | 30.10 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near WB: Africa Western and Central
More education data for WB: Africa Western and Central
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 4.61 million (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 7.4 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.89 million (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.08 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.08 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.7294 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.00 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 6.08 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.09 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 18.05 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, early childhood educational development in WB: Africa Western and Central?
- School age population, early childhood educational development in WB: Africa Western and Central was 30.10 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, early childhood educational development recorded in WB: Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 30.10 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, early childhood educational development recorded in WB: Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.93 million in 1999.
- How does WB: Africa Western and Central rank for school age population, early childhood educational development?
- WB: Africa Western and Central ranks 52nd out of 187 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, early childhood educational development rising or falling in WB: Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this WB: Africa Western and Central data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School age population, early childhood educational development programmes, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 27 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release