School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa
UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa: School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes was 30.25 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
30.25 million
Change on year
up 1.5%
Rank
134th
of 221 groups
All-time high
30.25 million
in 2024
All-time low
12.14 million
in 1971
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa is 30.25 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.5% on the previous year and up 31.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa peaked at 30.25 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 12.14 million, in 1971.
That places UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa 134th 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 UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 12.23 million | — |
| 1971 | 12.14 million | -0.8% |
| 1972 | 12.85 million | +5.8% |
| 1973 | 13.18 million | +2.6% |
| 1974 | 13.55 million | +2.8% |
| 1975 | 13.96 million | +3.0% |
| 1976 | 14.32 million | +2.6% |
| 1977 | 14.66 million | +2.4% |
| 1978 | 15.02 million | +2.4% |
| 1979 | 15.38 million | +2.5% |
| 1980 | 15.76 million | +2.4% |
| 1981 | 16.14 million | +2.4% |
| 1982 | 16.52 million | +2.4% |
| 1983 | 16.88 million | +2.1% |
| 1984 | 17.23 million | +2.1% |
| 1985 | 17.62 million | +2.3% |
| 1986 | 18.02 million | +2.3% |
| 1987 | 18.50 million | +2.7% |
| 1988 | 19.06 million | +3.0% |
| 1989 | 19.06 million | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 19.82 million | +3.9% |
| 1991 | 19.69 million | -0.6% |
| 1992 | 20.40 million | +3.6% |
| 1993 | 21.09 million | +3.4% |
| 1994 | 21.79 million | +3.3% |
| 1995 | 22.46 million | +3.1% |
| 1996 | 23.11 million | +2.9% |
| 1997 | 23.61 million | +2.2% |
| 1998 | 23.99 million | +1.6% |
| 1999 | 24.26 million | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 24.45 million | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 24.49 million | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 24.56 million | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 25.50 million | +3.8% |
| 2004 | 25.35 million | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 25.13 million | -0.9% |
| 2006 | 24.83 million | -1.2% |
| 2007 | 25.25 million | +1.7% |
| 2008 | 24.99 million | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 24.75 million | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 24.64 million | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 24.68 million | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 24.82 million | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 23.84 million | -4.0% |
| 2014 | 23.05 million | -3.3% |
| 2015 | 23.30 million | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 24.79 million | +6.4% |
| 2017 | 25.27 million | +1.9% |
| 2018 | 25.87 million | +2.4% |
| 2019 | 26.55 million | +2.6% |
| 2020 | 27.42 million | +3.3% |
| 2021 | 28.25 million | +3.0% |
| 2022 | 29.06 million | +2.9% |
| 2023 | 29.80 million | +2.6% |
| 2024 | 30.25 million | +1.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 13.73 million | 12.14 million | 15.38 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 17.48 million | 15.76 million | 19.06 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 22.02 million | 19.69 million | 24.26 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 24.93 million | 24.45 million | 25.50 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.68 million | 23.05 million | 26.55 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 28.95 million | 27.42 million | 30.25 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa
- 131 Bulgaria 188,652 compare
- 132 Namibia 184,861 compare
- 133 Hong Kong, China 184,800 compare
- 134 Lithuania 178,467 compare
- 135 Georgia 161,959 compare
- 136 Equatorial Guinea 160,939 compare
- 137 Guinea-Bissau 160,452 compare
More education data for UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 6.15 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 21.65 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 2.17 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 23.21 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.71 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 6.49 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual -0.5257 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 17.53 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 8.61 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 6.11 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa?
- School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa was 30.25 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 30.25 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.14 million in 1971.
- How does UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa rank for school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes?
- UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa ranks 134th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 31.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UNICEF: Middle East and North 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