School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in WB: Sub-saharan Africa
WB: Sub-saharan Africa: School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes was 31.56 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
31.56 million
Change on year
up 0.6%
Rank
44th
of 221 groups
All-time high
31.56 million
in 2024
All-time low
7.49 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in WB: Sub-saharan Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in WB: Sub-saharan Africa is 31.56 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
The figure is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 27.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in WB: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 31.56 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 7.49 million, in 1970.
That places WB: Sub-saharan Africa 44th 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 WB: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 7.49 million | — |
| 1971 | 7.70 million | +2.9% |
| 1972 | 7.92 million | +2.9% |
| 1973 | 8.16 million | +3.0% |
| 1974 | 8.39 million | +2.8% |
| 1975 | 8.63 million | +2.8% |
| 1976 | 8.86 million | +2.7% |
| 1977 | 9.11 million | +2.8% |
| 1978 | 9.36 million | +2.7% |
| 1979 | 9.64 million | +3.0% |
| 1980 | 9.93 million | +3.0% |
| 1981 | 10.21 million | +2.9% |
| 1982 | 10.50 million | +2.8% |
| 1983 | 10.79 million | +2.8% |
| 1984 | 11.09 million | +2.8% |
| 1985 | 11.39 million | +2.7% |
| 1986 | 11.72 million | +2.9% |
| 1987 | 12.07 million | +3.0% |
| 1988 | 12.46 million | +3.2% |
| 1989 | 12.84 million | +3.1% |
| 1990 | 13.22 million | +2.9% |
| 1991 | 13.58 million | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 13.93 million | +2.6% |
| 1993 | 14.32 million | +2.9% |
| 1994 | 14.77 million | +3.1% |
| 1995 | 15.22 million | +3.1% |
| 1996 | 15.61 million | +2.5% |
| 1997 | 15.97 million | +2.3% |
| 1998 | 16.42 million | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 16.88 million | +2.8% |
| 2000 | 17.28 million | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 17.72 million | +2.5% |
| 2002 | 18.12 million | +2.2% |
| 2003 | 18.54 million | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 19.01 million | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 19.56 million | +2.9% |
| 2006 | 20.03 million | +2.4% |
| 2007 | 20.55 million | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 21.06 million | +2.4% |
| 2009 | 21.59 million | +2.5% |
| 2010 | 22.12 million | +2.5% |
| 2011 | 22.73 million | +2.8% |
| 2012 | 23.44 million | +3.1% |
| 2013 | 24.15 million | +3.0% |
| 2014 | 24.75 million | +2.5% |
| 2015 | 25.44 million | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 26.11 million | +2.6% |
| 2017 | 26.93 million | +3.1% |
| 2018 | 27.78 million | +3.2% |
| 2019 | 28.54 million | +2.7% |
| 2020 | 29.31 million | +2.7% |
| 2021 | 29.99 million | +2.3% |
| 2022 | 30.66 million | +2.2% |
| 2023 | 31.37 million | +2.3% |
| 2024 | 31.56 million | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 8.53 million | 7.49 million | 9.64 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 11.30 million | 9.93 million | 12.84 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 14.99 million | 13.22 million | 16.88 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 19.35 million | 17.28 million | 21.59 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 25.20 million | 22.12 million | 28.54 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 30.58 million | 29.31 million | 31.56 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near WB: Sub-saharan Africa
More education data for WB: Sub-saharan Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 5.90 million (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 39.08 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.55 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 42.35 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.19 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 26.37 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.55 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 3.52 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 3.88 % change on previous year (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.60 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in WB: Sub-saharan Africa?
- School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in WB: Sub-saharan Africa was 31.56 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 WB: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 31.56 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes recorded in WB: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.49 million in 1970.
- How does WB: Sub-saharan Africa rank for school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes?
- WB: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 44th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes rising or falling in WB: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 27.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this WB: 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