School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa
SDG: Sub-saharan Africa: School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes was 85.53 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
85.53 million
Change on year
up 0.6%
Rank
40th
of 221 groups
All-time high
85.53 million
in 2024
All-time low
23.16 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
SDG: Sub-saharan Africa recorded 85.53 million for school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
The figure is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 17.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 85.53 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 23.16 million, in 1970.
SDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 40th 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 SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 23.16 million | — |
| 1971 | 23.82 million | +2.9% |
| 1972 | 24.55 million | +3.0% |
| 1973 | 25.29 million | +3.0% |
| 1974 | 25.96 million | +2.6% |
| 1975 | 26.73 million | +3.0% |
| 1976 | 27.75 million | +3.8% |
| 1977 | 28.74 million | +3.6% |
| 1978 | 29.39 million | +2.3% |
| 1979 | 30.35 million | +3.3% |
| 1980 | 31.31 million | +3.2% |
| 1981 | 32.43 million | +3.6% |
| 1982 | 33.70 million | +3.9% |
| 1983 | 34.39 million | +2.0% |
| 1984 | 35.38 million | +2.9% |
| 1985 | 36.39 million | +2.8% |
| 1986 | 37.33 million | +2.6% |
| 1987 | 38.74 million | +3.8% |
| 1988 | 39.78 million | +2.7% |
| 1989 | 40.81 million | +2.6% |
| 1990 | 41.88 million | +2.6% |
| 1991 | 43.02 million | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 44.21 million | +2.8% |
| 1993 | 45.38 million | +2.7% |
| 1994 | 47.16 million | +3.9% |
| 1995 | 48.34 million | +2.5% |
| 1996 | 49.51 million | +2.4% |
| 1997 | 49.59 million | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 54.24 million | +9.4% |
| 1999 | 51.13 million | -5.7% |
| 2000 | 52.39 million | +2.5% |
| 2001 | 53.66 million | +2.4% |
| 2002 | 54.96 million | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 56.24 million | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 57.66 million | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 59.21 million | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 60.79 million | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 60.68 million | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 62.30 million | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 63.99 million | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 65.89 million | +3.0% |
| 2011 | 67.80 million | +2.9% |
| 2012 | 69.65 million | +2.7% |
| 2013 | 71.47 million | +2.6% |
| 2014 | 72.96 million | +2.1% |
| 2015 | 74.46 million | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 75.88 million | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 78.55 million | +3.5% |
| 2018 | 79.81 million | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 81.02 million | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 80.90 million | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 82.18 million | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 83.50 million | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 85.00 million | +1.8% |
| 2024 | 85.53 million | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 26.57 million | 23.16 million | 30.35 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 36.02 million | 31.31 million | 40.81 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 47.44 million | 41.88 million | 54.24 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 58.19 million | 52.39 million | 63.99 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 73.75 million | 65.89 million | 81.02 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 83.42 million | 80.90 million | 85.53 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near SDG: Sub-saharan Africa
More education data for SDG: Sub-saharan Africa
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 191.30 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.31 % change on previous year (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 14.32 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.68 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 37.60 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 12.63 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 12.47 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.8202 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 4.94 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 97.68 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa was 85.53 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 85.53 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 23.16 million in 1970.
- How does SDG: Sub-saharan Africa rank for school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes?
- SDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 40th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes rising or falling in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this SDG: 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