School age population, one year before the official primary entry in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: School age population, one year before the official primary entry was 111,791 in 2025. ▲ Rising
School age population, one year before the official primary entry in Sierra Leone, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, one year before the official primary entry in Sierra Leone is 111,791, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 56 years on record.
The figure is up 1.1% on the previous year and up 10.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, one year before the official primary entry in Sierra Leone peaked at 111,791 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 38,899, in 1970.
That places Sierra Leone 82nd out of 222 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
School age population, one year before the official primary entry in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 38,899 | — |
| 1971 | 39,834 | +2.4% |
| 1972 | 40,786 | +2.4% |
| 1973 | 41,556 | +1.9% |
| 1974 | 42,403 | +2.0% |
| 1975 | 43,316 | +2.2% |
| 1976 | 44,222 | +2.1% |
| 1977 | 45,132 | +2.1% |
| 1978 | 46,178 | +2.3% |
| 1979 | 47,544 | +3.0% |
| 1980 | 48,565 | +2.1% |
| 1981 | 49,632 | +2.2% |
| 1982 | 50,805 | +2.4% |
| 1983 | 52,128 | +2.6% |
| 1984 | 53,287 | +2.2% |
| 1985 | 54,496 | +2.3% |
| 1986 | 55,846 | +2.5% |
| 1987 | 57,543 | +3.0% |
| 1988 | 59,282 | +3.0% |
| 1989 | 61,169 | +3.2% |
| 1990 | 62,711 | +2.5% |
| 1991 | 66,497 | +6.0% |
| 1992 | 64,678 | -2.7% |
| 1993 | 64,186 | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 64,140 | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 64,687 | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 64,711 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 63,253 | -2.3% |
| 1998 | 64,359 | +1.7% |
| 1999 | 65,202 | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 65,646 | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 68,566 | +4.4% |
| 2002 | 74,230 | +8.3% |
| 2003 | 77,568 | +4.5% |
| 2004 | 80,848 | +4.2% |
| 2005 | 83,308 | +3.0% |
| 2006 | 85,133 | +2.2% |
| 2007 | 86,345 | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 88,636 | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 90,248 | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 90,913 | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 92,727 | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 95,310 | +2.8% |
| 2013 | 97,101 | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 99,400 | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 101,065 | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 102,405 | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 104,208 | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 105,420 | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 105,334 | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 105,557 | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 105,769 | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 107,380 | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 109,108 | +1.6% |
| 2024 | 110,585 | +1.4% |
| 2025 | 111,791 | +1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 42,987 | 38,899 | 47,544 | 10 |
| 1980s | 54,275 | 48,565 | 61,169 | 10 |
| 1990s | 64,442 | 62,711 | 66,497 | 10 |
| 2000s | 80,053 | 65,646 | 90,248 | 10 |
| 2010s | 99,388 | 90,913 | 105,420 | 10 |
| 2020s | 108,365 | 105,557 | 111,791 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
More education data for Sierra Leone
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1.16 million (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 19.82 % change on previous year (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 46,575 (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 1.23 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 609,235 (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 20.8 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 553,045 (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 18.85 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 178,431 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 4 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, one year before the official primary entry in Sierra Leone?
- School age population, one year before the official primary entry in Sierra Leone was 111,791 in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, one year before the official primary entry recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 111,791 in 2025.
- What is the lowest school age population, one year before the official primary entry recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 38,899 in 1970.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for school age population, one year before the official primary entry?
- Sierra Leone ranks 82nd out of 222 countries with data for 2025.
- Is school age population, one year before the official primary entry rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School age population, one year before the official primary entry age, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release