School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa
UIS: Sub-saharan Africa: School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes was 30.19 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
30.19 million
Change on year
up 0.6%
Rank
53rd
of 221 groups
All-time high
30.19 million
in 2024
All-time low
6.77 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
UIS: Sub-saharan Africa recorded 30.19 million for school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 27.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 30.19 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 6.77 million, in 1970.
That places UIS: Sub-saharan Africa 53rd out of 221 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 6.77 million | — |
| 1971 | 6.98 million | +3.2% |
| 1972 | 7.20 million | +3.2% |
| 1973 | 7.44 million | +3.3% |
| 1974 | 7.66 million | +3.0% |
| 1975 | 7.90 million | +3.1% |
| 1976 | 8.13 million | +2.9% |
| 1977 | 8.38 million | +3.0% |
| 1978 | 8.62 million | +2.9% |
| 1979 | 8.90 million | +3.2% |
| 1980 | 9.19 million | +3.3% |
| 1981 | 9.48 million | +3.1% |
| 1982 | 9.76 million | +3.0% |
| 1983 | 10.05 million | +3.0% |
| 1984 | 10.35 million | +3.0% |
| 1985 | 10.65 million | +2.8% |
| 1986 | 10.97 million | +3.1% |
| 1987 | 11.33 million | +3.2% |
| 1988 | 11.71 million | +3.4% |
| 1989 | 12.10 million | +3.3% |
| 1990 | 12.47 million | +3.1% |
| 1991 | 12.83 million | +2.9% |
| 1992 | 13.17 million | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 13.57 million | +3.0% |
| 1994 | 14.02 million | +3.3% |
| 1995 | 14.47 million | +3.2% |
| 1996 | 14.85 million | +2.6% |
| 1997 | 15.21 million | +2.5% |
| 1998 | 15.66 million | +2.9% |
| 1999 | 16.10 million | +2.8% |
| 2000 | 16.49 million | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 16.91 million | +2.5% |
| 2002 | 17.29 million | +2.2% |
| 2003 | 17.69 million | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 18.13 million | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 18.65 million | +2.9% |
| 2006 | 19.10 million | +2.4% |
| 2007 | 19.61 million | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 20.09 million | +2.5% |
| 2009 | 20.61 million | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 21.11 million | +2.5% |
| 2011 | 21.70 million | +2.8% |
| 2012 | 22.38 million | +3.1% |
| 2013 | 23.06 million | +3.0% |
| 2014 | 23.62 million | +2.5% |
| 2015 | 24.29 million | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 24.93 million | +2.7% |
| 2017 | 25.72 million | +3.2% |
| 2018 | 26.55 million | +3.2% |
| 2019 | 27.28 million | +2.8% |
| 2020 | 28.03 million | +2.7% |
| 2021 | 28.68 million | +2.3% |
| 2022 | 29.31 million | +2.2% |
| 2023 | 30.01 million | +2.4% |
| 2024 | 30.19 million | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 7.80 million | 6.77 million | 8.90 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 10.56 million | 9.19 million | 12.10 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 14.24 million | 12.47 million | 16.10 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.46 million | 16.49 million | 20.61 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.06 million | 21.11 million | 27.28 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 29.24 million | 28.03 million | 30.19 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near UIS: Sub-saharan Africa
- 50 Peru 554,340 compare
- 51 Saudi Arabia 548,525 compare
- 52 Chad 546,625 compare
- 53 Zambia 539,283 compare
- 54 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 536,888 compare
- 55 Italy 517,826 compare
- 56 Syrian Arab Republic 513,208 compare
More education data for UIS: Sub-saharan Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 9.73 million (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.7518 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 37.39 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.61 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 40.73 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.23 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 25.04 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.63 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 3.6 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 4.53 % change on previous year (2021)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
- School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa was 30.19 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes recorded in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 30.19 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes recorded in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.77 million in 1970.
- How does UIS: Sub-saharan Africa rank for school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes?
- UIS: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 53rd out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes rising or falling in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 27.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UIS: Sub-saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release