School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa
MDG: Sub-saharan Africa: School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes was 88.41 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
88.41 million
Change on year
up 0.6%
Rank
34th
of 221 groups
All-time high
88.41 million
in 2024
All-time low
24.90 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
MDG: Sub-saharan Africa recorded 88.41 million for school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in 2024. 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 17.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 88.41 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 24.90 million, in 1970.
MDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 34th 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 MDG: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 24.90 million | — |
| 1971 | 25.57 million | +2.7% |
| 1972 | 26.29 million | +2.8% |
| 1973 | 27.04 million | +2.8% |
| 1974 | 27.70 million | +2.5% |
| 1975 | 28.47 million | +2.8% |
| 1976 | 29.49 million | +3.6% |
| 1977 | 30.48 million | +3.4% |
| 1978 | 31.14 million | +2.2% |
| 1979 | 32.10 million | +3.1% |
| 1980 | 33.06 million | +3.0% |
| 1981 | 34.18 million | +3.4% |
| 1982 | 35.45 million | +3.7% |
| 1983 | 36.13 million | +1.9% |
| 1984 | 37.13 million | +2.8% |
| 1985 | 38.13 million | +2.7% |
| 1986 | 39.07 million | +2.5% |
| 1987 | 40.48 million | +3.6% |
| 1988 | 41.52 million | +2.6% |
| 1989 | 42.55 million | +2.5% |
| 1990 | 43.63 million | +2.5% |
| 1991 | 44.76 million | +2.6% |
| 1992 | 45.96 million | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 47.13 million | +2.6% |
| 1994 | 48.90 million | +3.8% |
| 1995 | 50.08 million | +2.4% |
| 1996 | 51.25 million | +2.3% |
| 1997 | 51.33 million | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 55.98 million | +9.1% |
| 1999 | 52.92 million | -5.5% |
| 2000 | 54.21 million | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 55.51 million | +2.4% |
| 2002 | 56.85 million | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 58.15 million | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 59.61 million | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 61.21 million | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 62.83 million | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 62.77 million | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 64.43 million | +2.6% |
| 2009 | 66.17 million | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 68.11 million | +2.9% |
| 2011 | 70.06 million | +2.9% |
| 2012 | 71.96 million | +2.7% |
| 2013 | 73.81 million | +2.6% |
| 2014 | 75.35 million | +2.1% |
| 2015 | 76.90 million | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 78.36 million | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 81.05 million | +3.4% |
| 2018 | 82.34 million | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 83.59 million | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 83.55 million | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 84.91 million | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 86.30 million | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 87.88 million | +1.8% |
| 2024 | 88.41 million | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 28.32 million | 24.90 million | 32.10 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 37.77 million | 33.06 million | 42.55 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 49.19 million | 43.63 million | 55.98 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 60.17 million | 54.21 million | 66.17 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 76.15 million | 68.11 million | 83.59 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 86.21 million | 83.55 million | 88.41 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near MDG: Sub-saharan Africa
More education data for MDG: Sub-saharan Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 5.90 million (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.62 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 42.42 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.27 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 26.38 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.59 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 3.52 % change on previous year (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 2.54 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 10.53 million (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.60 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa was 88.41 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes recorded in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 88.41 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes recorded in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.90 million in 1970.
- How does MDG: Sub-saharan Africa rank for school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes?
- MDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 34th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes rising or falling in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this MDG: Sub-saharan Africa 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