School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa
UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa: School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes was 48.89 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
48.89 million
Change on year
up 0.6%
Rank
86th
of 221 groups
All-time high
48.89 million
in 2024
All-time low
10.95 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa stood at 48.89 million. 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 31.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa peaked at 48.89 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 10.95 million, in 1970.
UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa ranks 86th of 221 groups on this measure, 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 UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 10.95 million | — |
| 1971 | 11.21 million | +2.4% |
| 1972 | 11.53 million | +2.8% |
| 1973 | 11.94 million | +3.6% |
| 1974 | 12.27 million | +2.7% |
| 1975 | 12.61 million | +2.8% |
| 1976 | 12.94 million | +2.6% |
| 1977 | 13.31 million | +2.8% |
| 1978 | 13.63 million | +2.5% |
| 1979 | 14.01 million | +2.8% |
| 1980 | 14.41 million | +2.9% |
| 1981 | 14.87 million | +3.2% |
| 1982 | 15.03 million | +1.1% |
| 1983 | 15.42 million | +2.6% |
| 1984 | 15.86 million | +2.8% |
| 1985 | 16.13 million | +1.7% |
| 1986 | 16.60 million | +2.9% |
| 1987 | 17.02 million | +2.5% |
| 1988 | 17.46 million | +2.6% |
| 1989 | 17.34 million | -0.7% |
| 1990 | 17.80 million | +2.7% |
| 1991 | 18.25 million | +2.5% |
| 1992 | 18.69 million | +2.4% |
| 1993 | 19.19 million | +2.7% |
| 1994 | 19.68 million | +2.6% |
| 1995 | 20.40 million | +3.6% |
| 1996 | 21.01 million | +3.0% |
| 1997 | 20.46 million | -2.6% |
| 1998 | 24.08 million | +17.7% |
| 1999 | 25.31 million | +5.1% |
| 2000 | 26.07 million | +3.0% |
| 2001 | 26.83 million | +2.9% |
| 2002 | 27.62 million | +2.9% |
| 2003 | 28.39 million | +2.8% |
| 2004 | 29.17 million | +2.8% |
| 2005 | 29.92 million | +2.6% |
| 2006 | 30.77 million | +2.8% |
| 2007 | 31.04 million | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 31.83 million | +2.5% |
| 2009 | 32.67 million | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 33.55 million | +2.7% |
| 2011 | 34.49 million | +2.8% |
| 2012 | 35.38 million | +2.6% |
| 2013 | 36.54 million | +3.3% |
| 2014 | 37.31 million | +2.1% |
| 2015 | 38.93 million | +4.4% |
| 2016 | 39.97 million | +2.7% |
| 2017 | 40.77 million | +2.0% |
| 2018 | 41.90 million | +2.8% |
| 2019 | 43.06 million | +2.8% |
| 2020 | 45.33 million | +5.3% |
| 2021 | 45.76 million | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 46.77 million | +2.2% |
| 2023 | 48.58 million | +3.9% |
| 2024 | 48.89 million | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 12.44 million | 10.95 million | 14.01 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 16.01 million | 14.41 million | 17.46 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 20.49 million | 17.80 million | 25.31 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 29.43 million | 26.07 million | 32.67 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 38.19 million | 33.55 million | 43.06 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 47.07 million | 45.33 million | 48.89 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa
- 83 Haiti 728,858 compare
- 84 South Sudan 683,297 compare
- 85 Palestine, State of 665,620 compare
- 86 Congo 643,210 compare
- 87 Honduras 641,507 compare
- 88 Central African Republic 621,024 compare
- 89 Sierra Leone 618,066 compare
More education data for UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 49.26 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 1.01 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.50 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 2.77 % change on previous year (2022)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 36.30 million (2022)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.22 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 50.69 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.32 % change on previous year (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 8.67 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 9.20 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
- School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa was 48.89 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 48.89 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.95 million in 1970.
- How does UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa rank for school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes?
- UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa ranks 86th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 31.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UNICEF: Eastern and Southern 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.
Download this data
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release