School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in WB: Africa Eastern and Southern
WB: Africa Eastern and Southern: School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes was 53.96 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
53.96 million
Change on year
up 0.6%
Rank
79th
of 221 groups
All-time high
53.96 million
in 2024
All-time low
11.83 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in WB: Africa Eastern and Southern, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in WB: Africa Eastern and Southern stood at 53.96 million. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.6% on the previous year and up 31.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in WB: Africa Eastern and Southern peaked at 53.96 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 11.83 million, in 1970.
That places WB: Africa Eastern and Southern 79th 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 WB: Africa Eastern and Southern, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 11.83 million | — |
| 1971 | 12.12 million | +2.4% |
| 1972 | 12.46 million | +2.8% |
| 1973 | 12.91 million | +3.6% |
| 1974 | 13.26 million | +2.8% |
| 1975 | 13.64 million | +2.9% |
| 1976 | 14.00 million | +2.7% |
| 1977 | 14.40 million | +2.9% |
| 1978 | 14.77 million | +2.6% |
| 1979 | 15.19 million | +2.8% |
| 1980 | 15.63 million | +2.9% |
| 1981 | 16.13 million | +3.2% |
| 1982 | 16.33 million | +1.3% |
| 1983 | 16.76 million | +2.6% |
| 1984 | 17.23 million | +2.8% |
| 1985 | 17.55 million | +1.8% |
| 1986 | 18.05 million | +2.9% |
| 1987 | 18.50 million | +2.5% |
| 1988 | 18.99 million | +2.6% |
| 1989 | 18.91 million | -0.4% |
| 1990 | 19.41 million | +2.7% |
| 1991 | 19.89 million | +2.5% |
| 1992 | 20.39 million | +2.5% |
| 1993 | 20.98 million | +2.9% |
| 1994 | 21.54 million | +2.7% |
| 1995 | 22.33 million | +3.7% |
| 1996 | 23.00 million | +3.0% |
| 1997 | 22.52 million | -2.1% |
| 1998 | 26.23 million | +16.4% |
| 1999 | 27.55 million | +5.0% |
| 2000 | 28.40 million | +3.1% |
| 2001 | 29.23 million | +2.9% |
| 2002 | 30.09 million | +3.0% |
| 2003 | 30.94 million | +2.8% |
| 2004 | 31.81 million | +2.8% |
| 2005 | 32.65 million | +2.6% |
| 2006 | 33.60 million | +2.9% |
| 2007 | 33.99 million | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 34.94 million | +2.8% |
| 2009 | 35.94 million | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 36.86 million | +2.6% |
| 2011 | 37.84 million | +2.6% |
| 2012 | 38.83 million | +2.6% |
| 2013 | 40.13 million | +3.4% |
| 2014 | 41.03 million | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 42.76 million | +4.2% |
| 2016 | 43.91 million | +2.7% |
| 2017 | 44.82 million | +2.1% |
| 2018 | 46.08 million | +2.8% |
| 2019 | 47.42 million | +2.9% |
| 2020 | 49.86 million | +5.2% |
| 2021 | 50.47 million | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 51.66 million | +2.4% |
| 2023 | 53.65 million | +3.9% |
| 2024 | 53.96 million | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 13.46 million | 11.83 million | 15.19 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 17.41 million | 15.63 million | 18.99 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 22.38 million | 19.41 million | 27.55 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 32.16 million | 28.40 million | 35.94 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 41.97 million | 36.86 million | 47.42 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 51.92 million | 49.86 million | 53.96 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near WB: Africa Eastern and Southern
- 76 Zimbabwe 894,265 compare
- 77 Turkmenistan 887,500 compare
- 78 Papua New Guinea 874,158 compare
- 79 Romania 863,933 compare
- 80 Azerbaijan 854,187 compare
- 81 Jordan 765,246 compare
- 82 Kyrgyzstan 736,746 compare
More education data for WB: Africa Eastern and Southern
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 20.71 million (2022)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 2.23 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 5.92 million (2021)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.75 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 18.88 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 2.91 % change on previous year (2022)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 23.18 million (2022)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 2.98 % change on previous year (2022)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.9717 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 46.07 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in WB: Africa Eastern and Southern?
- School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in WB: Africa Eastern and Southern was 53.96 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes recorded in WB: Africa Eastern and Southern?
- The highest recorded value was 53.96 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes recorded in WB: Africa Eastern and Southern?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.83 million in 1970.
- How does WB: Africa Eastern and Southern rank for school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes?
- WB: Africa Eastern and Southern ranks 79th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes rising or falling in WB: Africa Eastern and Southern?
- Over the last ten years it is up 31.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this WB: Africa Eastern and Southern 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