School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan

WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan: School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes was 51.45 million in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
51.45 million
Change on year
up 1.2%
Rank
83rd
of 221 groups
All-time high
51.45 million
in 2024
All-time low
17.41 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024

School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan, 1970–2024

20.0M30.0M40.0M50.0M197019972024

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

In 2024, school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan stood at 51.45 million. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.

The figure is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 25.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan peaked at 51.45 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 17.41 million, in 1970.

That places WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan 83rd 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: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan, year by year

Annual values for School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes (number) in WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan, 1970 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1970 17.41 million
1971 17.51 million +0.6%
1972 18.42 million +5.2%
1973 18.94 million +2.9%
1974 19.51 million +3.0%
1975 20.10 million +3.1%
1976 20.65 million +2.7%
1977 21.18 million +2.5%
1978 21.71 million +2.5%
1979 22.26 million +2.5%
1980 22.78 million +2.3%
1981 23.29 million +2.2%
1982 23.74 million +1.9%
1983 24.29 million +2.3%
1984 24.87 million +2.4%
1985 25.53 million +2.6%
1986 26.17 million +2.5%
1987 26.89 million +2.8%
1988 27.71 million +3.0%
1989 28.02 million +1.1%
1990 29.10 million +3.9%
1991 29.32 million +0.7%
1992 30.46 million +3.9%
1993 31.70 million +4.0%
1994 32.95 million +4.0%
1995 34.05 million +3.3%
1996 35.07 million +3.0%
1997 35.94 million +2.5%
1998 36.72 million +2.2%
1999 37.43 million +1.9%
2000 38.05 million +1.7%
2001 38.43 million +1.0%
2002 38.88 million +1.2%
2003 40.25 million +3.5%
2004 40.46 million +0.5%
2005 40.53 million +0.2%
2006 40.52 million -0.0%
2007 41.24 million +1.8%
2008 41.19 million -0.1%
2009 41.24 million +0.1%
2010 41.46 million +0.5%
2011 41.83 million +0.9%
2012 42.30 million +1.1%
2013 41.51 million -1.9%
2014 40.89 million -1.5%
2015 41.25 million +0.9%
2016 42.88 million +4.0%
2017 43.63 million +1.7%
2018 44.69 million +2.4%
2019 45.95 million +2.8%
2020 47.37 million +3.1%
2021 48.74 million +2.9%
2022 49.90 million +2.4%
2023 50.85 million +1.9%
2024 51.45 million +1.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 19.77 million 17.41 million 22.26 million 10
1980s 25.33 million 22.78 million 28.02 million 10
1990s 33.27 million 29.10 million 37.43 million 10
2000s 40.08 million 38.05 million 41.24 million 10
2010s 42.64 million 40.89 million 45.95 million 10
2020s 49.66 million 47.37 million 51.45 million 5

Countries ranked near WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan

  1. 80 Azerbaijan 854,187 compare
  2. 81 Jordan 765,246 compare
  3. 82 Kyrgyzstan 736,746 compare
  4. 83 Haiti 728,858 compare
  5. 84 South Sudan 683,297 compare
  6. 85 Palestine, State of 665,620 compare
  7. 86 Congo 643,210 compare

See the full ranking of 441 places →

More education data for WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan

All data for WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan →

Frequently asked questions

What is school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan?
School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan was 51.45 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes recorded in WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan?
The highest recorded value was 51.45 million in 2024.
What is the lowest school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes recorded in WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan?
The lowest recorded value was 17.41 million in 1970.
How does WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan rank for school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes?
WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan ranks 83rd out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
Is school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes rising or falling in WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan?
Over the last ten years it is up 25.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan 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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School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 16 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/school-age-population-lower-secondary-education-both-sexes-number-2/wb-middle-east-and-north-africa-afghanistan-pakistan/

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About this data

Indicator
School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes (number)
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
441 places, 20,444 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release