School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in WB: World
WB: World: School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes was 430.53 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
430.53 million
Change on year
up 0.4%
Rank
4th
of 221 groups
All-time high
430.53 million
in 2024
All-time low
280.16 million
in 1973
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in WB: World, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in WB: World stood at 430.53 million. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
The figure is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 11.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in WB: World peaked at 430.53 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 280.16 million, in 1973.
That places WB: World 4th out of 221 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
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: World, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 283.60 million | — |
| 1971 | 284.72 million | +0.4% |
| 1972 | 281.41 million | -1.2% |
| 1973 | 280.16 million | -0.4% |
| 1974 | 281.56 million | +0.5% |
| 1975 | 292.25 million | +3.8% |
| 1976 | 310.29 million | +6.2% |
| 1977 | 337.98 million | +8.9% |
| 1978 | 342.88 million | +1.4% |
| 1979 | 341.87 million | -0.3% |
| 1980 | 342.29 million | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 346.38 million | +1.2% |
| 1982 | 350.02 million | +1.0% |
| 1983 | 356.55 million | +1.9% |
| 1984 | 357.98 million | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 359.06 million | +0.3% |
| 1986 | 355.32 million | -1.0% |
| 1987 | 354.79 million | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 352.95 million | -0.5% |
| 1989 | 349.79 million | -0.9% |
| 1990 | 348.35 million | -0.4% |
| 1991 | 348.27 million | -0.0% |
| 1992 | 351.20 million | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 356.85 million | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 362.69 million | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 369.44 million | +1.9% |
| 1996 | 373.00 million | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 375.42 million | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 375.20 million | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 382.05 million | +1.8% |
| 2000 | 388.41 million | +1.7% |
| 2001 | 393.42 million | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 397.21 million | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 400.85 million | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 399.20 million | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 394.19 million | -1.3% |
| 2006 | 387.24 million | -1.8% |
| 2007 | 384.98 million | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 383.77 million | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 382.74 million | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 382.37 million | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 383.31 million | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 385.04 million | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 387.05 million | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 387.78 million | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 389.65 million | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 391.42 million | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 395.49 million | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 399.19 million | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 404.04 million | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 411.55 million | +1.9% |
| 2021 | 417.35 million | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 423.15 million | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 428.62 million | +1.3% |
| 2024 | 430.53 million | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 303.67 million | 280.16 million | 342.88 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 352.51 million | 342.29 million | 359.06 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 364.25 million | 348.27 million | 382.05 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 391.20 million | 382.74 million | 400.85 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 390.53 million | 382.37 million | 404.04 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 422.24 million | 411.55 million | 430.53 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near WB: World
More education data for WB: World
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 23.60 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 10.50 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 139.06 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.15 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 1.57 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 129.51 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 1.35 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.1689 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.69 % change on previous year (2024)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in general 89.8% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in WB: World?
- School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in WB: World was 430.53 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes recorded in WB: World?
- The highest recorded value was 430.53 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes recorded in WB: World?
- The lowest recorded value was 280.16 million in 1973.
- How does WB: World rank for school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes?
- WB: World ranks 4th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes rising or falling in WB: World?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this WB: World 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