School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa
SDG: Northern Africa: School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes was 17.23 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
17.23 million
Change on year
up 2.1%
Rank
158th
of 221 groups
All-time high
17.23 million
in 2024
All-time low
6.83 million
in 1971
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa is 17.23 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
The figure is up 2.1% on the previous year and up 35.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa peaked at 17.23 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 6.83 million, in 1971.
That places SDG: Northern Africa 158th out of 221 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 6.99 million | — |
| 1971 | 6.83 million | -2.4% |
| 1972 | 7.32 million | +7.2% |
| 1973 | 7.49 million | +2.4% |
| 1974 | 7.70 million | +2.8% |
| 1975 | 7.92 million | +2.8% |
| 1976 | 8.07 million | +2.0% |
| 1977 | 8.22 million | +1.8% |
| 1978 | 8.40 million | +2.2% |
| 1979 | 8.59 million | +2.2% |
| 1980 | 8.76 million | +2.1% |
| 1981 | 8.95 million | +2.1% |
| 1982 | 9.13 million | +2.0% |
| 1983 | 9.32 million | +2.0% |
| 1984 | 9.52 million | +2.2% |
| 1985 | 9.75 million | +2.4% |
| 1986 | 9.98 million | +2.4% |
| 1987 | 10.21 million | +2.3% |
| 1988 | 10.45 million | +2.4% |
| 1989 | 10.11 million | -3.3% |
| 1990 | 10.46 million | +3.5% |
| 1991 | 10.07 million | -3.7% |
| 1992 | 10.30 million | +2.3% |
| 1993 | 10.58 million | +2.7% |
| 1994 | 10.86 million | +2.6% |
| 1995 | 11.14 million | +2.6% |
| 1996 | 11.39 million | +2.2% |
| 1997 | 11.60 million | +1.8% |
| 1998 | 11.75 million | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 11.90 million | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 12.02 million | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 12.09 million | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 12.12 million | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 12.10 million | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 12.08 million | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 12.07 million | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 12.00 million | -0.6% |
| 2007 | 12.64 million | +5.3% |
| 2008 | 12.54 million | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 12.40 million | -1.1% |
| 2010 | 12.36 million | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 12.39 million | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 12.46 million | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 12.54 million | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 12.69 million | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 12.86 million | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 13.06 million | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 13.30 million | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 13.62 million | +2.4% |
| 2019 | 13.98 million | +2.6% |
| 2020 | 15.49 million | +10.8% |
| 2021 | 15.93 million | +2.9% |
| 2022 | 16.40 million | +2.9% |
| 2023 | 16.87 million | +2.8% |
| 2024 | 17.23 million | +2.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 7.75 million | 6.83 million | 8.59 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 9.62 million | 8.76 million | 10.45 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 11.00 million | 10.07 million | 11.90 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.21 million | 12.00 million | 12.64 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.93 million | 12.36 million | 13.98 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.38 million | 15.49 million | 17.23 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near SDG: Northern Africa
More education data for SDG: Northern Africa
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 3.99 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 13.26 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 4.36 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 12.91 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 4.66 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1.30 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 17.02 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 1.18 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 16.15 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 3.62 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa?
- School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa was 17.23 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes recorded in SDG: Northern Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 17.23 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes recorded in SDG: Northern Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.83 million in 1971.
- How does SDG: Northern Africa rank for school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes?
- SDG: Northern Africa ranks 158th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes rising or falling in SDG: Northern Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 35.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this SDG: Northern 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