School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)
ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126): School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes was 87.94 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
87.94 million
Change on year
up 0.6%
Rank
39th
of 221 groups
All-time high
87.94 million
in 2024
All-time low
24.80 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126), 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) is 87.94 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 17.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) peaked at 87.94 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 24.80 million, in 1970.
ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) ranks 39th of 221 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 24.80 million | — |
| 1971 | 25.46 million | +2.7% |
| 1972 | 26.18 million | +2.8% |
| 1973 | 26.92 million | +2.8% |
| 1974 | 27.58 million | +2.5% |
| 1975 | 28.35 million | +2.8% |
| 1976 | 29.36 million | +3.6% |
| 1977 | 30.35 million | +3.4% |
| 1978 | 31.00 million | +2.2% |
| 1979 | 31.96 million | +3.1% |
| 1980 | 32.92 million | +3.0% |
| 1981 | 34.03 million | +3.4% |
| 1982 | 35.30 million | +3.7% |
| 1983 | 35.98 million | +1.9% |
| 1984 | 36.97 million | +2.8% |
| 1985 | 37.97 million | +2.7% |
| 1986 | 38.90 million | +2.5% |
| 1987 | 40.31 million | +3.6% |
| 1988 | 41.34 million | +2.6% |
| 1989 | 42.37 million | +2.5% |
| 1990 | 43.44 million | +2.5% |
| 1991 | 44.57 million | +2.6% |
| 1992 | 45.76 million | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 46.93 million | +2.6% |
| 1994 | 48.69 million | +3.8% |
| 1995 | 49.86 million | +2.4% |
| 1996 | 51.03 million | +2.3% |
| 1997 | 51.10 million | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 55.75 million | +9.1% |
| 1999 | 52.67 million | -5.5% |
| 2000 | 53.96 million | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 55.26 million | +2.4% |
| 2002 | 56.59 million | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 57.89 million | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 59.35 million | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 60.94 million | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 62.55 million | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 62.48 million | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 64.13 million | +2.6% |
| 2009 | 65.86 million | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 67.79 million | +2.9% |
| 2011 | 69.72 million | +2.9% |
| 2012 | 71.61 million | +2.7% |
| 2013 | 73.46 million | +2.6% |
| 2014 | 74.98 million | +2.1% |
| 2015 | 76.52 million | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 77.96 million | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 80.65 million | +3.4% |
| 2018 | 81.93 million | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 83.18 million | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 83.12 million | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 84.47 million | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 85.86 million | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 87.43 million | +1.8% |
| 2024 | 87.94 million | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 28.19 million | 24.80 million | 31.96 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 37.61 million | 32.92 million | 42.37 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 48.98 million | 43.44 million | 55.75 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 59.90 million | 53.96 million | 65.86 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 75.78 million | 67.79 million | 83.18 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 85.76 million | 83.12 million | 87.94 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)
More education data for ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.61 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 4.35 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 5.89 million (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.7473 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 38.99 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 3.52 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.26 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.59 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 26.34 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 4.62 million (2021)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)?
- School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) was 87.94 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes recorded in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)?
- The highest recorded value was 87.94 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes recorded in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.80 million in 1970.
- How does ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) rank for school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes?
- ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) ranks 39th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes rising or falling in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release