School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa
MDG: Sub-saharan Africa: School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes was 96.41 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
96.41 million
Change on year
up 0.8%
Rank
42nd
of 221 groups
All-time high
96.41 million
in 2024
All-time low
23.15 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa stood at 96.41 million. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.8% on the previous year and up 32.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 96.41 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 23.15 million, in 1970.
That places MDG: Sub-saharan Africa 42nd 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, lower secondary education, both sexes in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 23.15 million | — |
| 1971 | 23.76 million | +2.6% |
| 1972 | 24.43 million | +2.8% |
| 1973 | 25.23 million | +3.2% |
| 1974 | 25.98 million | +3.0% |
| 1975 | 26.76 million | +3.0% |
| 1976 | 27.53 million | +2.9% |
| 1977 | 28.35 million | +3.0% |
| 1978 | 29.09 million | +2.6% |
| 1979 | 29.92 million | +2.9% |
| 1980 | 30.80 million | +2.9% |
| 1981 | 31.77 million | +3.1% |
| 1982 | 32.46 million | +2.2% |
| 1983 | 33.41 million | +2.9% |
| 1984 | 34.36 million | +2.8% |
| 1985 | 35.24 million | +2.6% |
| 1986 | 32.80 million | -6.9% |
| 1987 | 33.79 million | +3.0% |
| 1988 | 34.85 million | +3.2% |
| 1989 | 35.36 million | +1.5% |
| 1990 | 36.47 million | +3.1% |
| 1991 | 37.17 million | +1.9% |
| 1992 | 38.27 million | +3.0% |
| 1993 | 39.39 million | +2.9% |
| 1994 | 40.42 million | +2.6% |
| 1995 | 41.74 million | +3.3% |
| 1996 | 43.00 million | +3.0% |
| 1997 | 43.06 million | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 47.27 million | +9.8% |
| 1999 | 49.06 million | +3.8% |
| 2000 | 50.40 million | +2.7% |
| 2001 | 51.77 million | +2.7% |
| 2002 | 53.21 million | +2.8% |
| 2003 | 54.66 million | +2.7% |
| 2004 | 56.16 million | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 57.61 million | +2.6% |
| 2006 | 59.21 million | +2.8% |
| 2007 | 60.26 million | +1.8% |
| 2008 | 61.98 million | +2.9% |
| 2009 | 63.63 million | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 65.26 million | +2.6% |
| 2011 | 66.93 million | +2.6% |
| 2012 | 68.73 million | +2.7% |
| 2013 | 70.97 million | +3.3% |
| 2014 | 72.87 million | +2.7% |
| 2015 | 75.68 million | +3.9% |
| 2016 | 77.86 million | +2.9% |
| 2017 | 79.83 million | +2.5% |
| 2018 | 82.21 million | +3.0% |
| 2019 | 84.72 million | +3.1% |
| 2020 | 88.34 million | +4.3% |
| 2021 | 90.15 million | +2.0% |
| 2022 | 92.50 million | +2.6% |
| 2023 | 95.65 million | +3.4% |
| 2024 | 96.41 million | +0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 26.42 million | 23.15 million | 29.92 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 33.48 million | 30.80 million | 35.36 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 41.59 million | 36.47 million | 49.06 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 56.89 million | 50.40 million | 63.63 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 74.51 million | 65.26 million | 84.72 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 92.61 million | 88.34 million | 96.41 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near MDG: Sub-saharan Africa
More education data for MDG: Sub-saharan Africa
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 26.38 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.7869 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 39.14 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.62 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 42.42 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.27 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 3.88 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 4.63 million (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 2.54 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 5.14 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa was 96.41 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes recorded in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 96.41 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes recorded in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 23.15 million in 1970.
- How does MDG: Sub-saharan Africa rank for school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes?
- MDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 42nd out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes rising or falling in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 32.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this MDG: Sub-saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release