School age population, early childhood educational development in UNICEF: Africa

UNICEF: Africa: School age population, early childhood educational development was 17.77 million in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
17.77 million
Change on year
up 1.1%
Rank
17th
of 187 groups
All-time high
18.02 million
in 2021
All-time low
12.58 million
in 1998
Years of data
11
1998–2024

School age population, early childhood educational development in UNICEF: Africa, 1998–2024

05.0M10.0M15.0M20.0M1998201120241998: 12.6M2015: 17.1M2016: 17.8M2017: 17.9M2018: 18.0M2019: 18.0M2020: 18.0M2021: 18.0M2022: 17.6M2023: 17.6M2024: 17.8M

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

The most recent figure for school age population, early childhood educational development in UNICEF: Africa is 17.77 million, measured in 2024.

The figure is up 1.1% on the previous year and up 4.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, school age population, early childhood educational development in UNICEF: Africa peaked at 18.02 million in 2021 and was at its lowest, 12.58 million, in 1998.

That places UNICEF: Africa 17th out of 187 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 11 years of available data.

School age population, early childhood educational development in UNICEF: Africa, year by year

Annual values for School age population, early childhood educational development programmes, female (number) in UNICEF: Africa, 1998 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1998 12.58 million
2015 17.09 million +35.8%
2016 17.77 million +4.0%
2017 17.91 million +0.8%
2018 17.96 million +0.3%
2019 17.99 million +0.2%
2020 18.01 million +0.1%
2021 18.02 million +0.1%
2022 17.55 million -2.6%
2023 17.57 million +0.1%
2024 17.77 million +1.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 12.58 million 12.58 million 12.58 million 1
2010s 17.74 million 17.09 million 17.99 million 5
2020s 17.79 million 17.55 million 18.02 million 5

Countries ranked near UNICEF: Africa

  1. 14 Colombia 1.08 million compare
  2. 15 Japan 1.04 million compare
  3. 16 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 1.02 million compare
  4. 17 Morocco 916,906 compare
  5. 18 Peru 787,245 compare
  6. 19 Argentina 728,623 compare
  7. 20 Guatemala 726,909 compare

See the full ranking of 291 places →

More education data for UNICEF: Africa

All data for UNICEF: Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is school age population, early childhood educational development in UNICEF: Africa?
School age population, early childhood educational development in UNICEF: Africa was 17.77 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest school age population, early childhood educational development recorded in UNICEF: Africa?
The highest recorded value was 18.02 million in 2021.
What is the lowest school age population, early childhood educational development recorded in UNICEF: Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 12.58 million in 1998.
How does UNICEF: Africa rank for school age population, early childhood educational development?
UNICEF: Africa ranks 17th out of 187 groups with data for 2024.
Is school age population, early childhood educational development rising or falling in UNICEF: Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 4.0%. 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 educational development programmes, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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School age population, early childhood educational development in UNICEF: Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 25 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/school-age-population-early-childhood-educational-development-programmes-female-number-2/unicef-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
School age population, early childhood educational development programmes, female (number)
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
291 places, 5,922 data points, 1972–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release