School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa
UIS: Sub-saharan Africa: School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes was 85.02 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
85.02 million
Change on year
up 0.6%
Rank
41st
of 221 groups
All-time high
85.02 million
in 2024
All-time low
23.04 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa is 85.02 million, measured 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 UIS: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 85.02 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 23.04 million, in 1970.
That places UIS: Sub-saharan Africa 41st out of 221 groups with data for 2024, putting it 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 UIS: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 23.04 million | — |
| 1971 | 23.70 million | +2.9% |
| 1972 | 24.42 million | +3.0% |
| 1973 | 25.16 million | +3.0% |
| 1974 | 25.82 million | +2.6% |
| 1975 | 26.59 million | +3.0% |
| 1976 | 27.60 million | +3.8% |
| 1977 | 28.59 million | +3.6% |
| 1978 | 29.24 million | +2.3% |
| 1979 | 30.19 million | +3.3% |
| 1980 | 31.15 million | +3.2% |
| 1981 | 32.26 million | +3.6% |
| 1982 | 33.53 million | +3.9% |
| 1983 | 34.21 million | +2.0% |
| 1984 | 35.20 million | +2.9% |
| 1985 | 36.19 million | +2.8% |
| 1986 | 37.13 million | +2.6% |
| 1987 | 38.53 million | +3.8% |
| 1988 | 39.57 million | +2.7% |
| 1989 | 40.59 million | +2.6% |
| 1990 | 41.66 million | +2.6% |
| 1991 | 42.79 million | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 43.97 million | +2.8% |
| 1993 | 45.14 million | +2.7% |
| 1994 | 46.91 million | +3.9% |
| 1995 | 48.08 million | +2.5% |
| 1996 | 49.25 million | +2.4% |
| 1997 | 49.32 million | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 53.96 million | +9.4% |
| 1999 | 50.84 million | -5.8% |
| 2000 | 52.09 million | +2.5% |
| 2001 | 53.36 million | +2.4% |
| 2002 | 54.66 million | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 55.93 million | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 57.35 million | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 58.90 million | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 60.46 million | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 60.35 million | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 61.96 million | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 63.64 million | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 65.52 million | +3.0% |
| 2011 | 67.42 million | +2.9% |
| 2012 | 69.26 million | +2.7% |
| 2013 | 71.07 million | +2.6% |
| 2014 | 72.55 million | +2.1% |
| 2015 | 74.03 million | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 75.44 million | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 78.10 million | +3.5% |
| 2018 | 79.35 million | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 80.56 million | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 80.43 million | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 81.70 million | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 83.01 million | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 84.50 million | +1.8% |
| 2024 | 85.02 million | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 26.44 million | 23.04 million | 30.19 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 35.84 million | 31.15 million | 40.59 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 47.19 million | 41.66 million | 53.96 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 57.87 million | 52.09 million | 63.64 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 73.33 million | 65.52 million | 80.56 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 82.93 million | 80.43 million | 85.02 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near UIS: Sub-saharan Africa
More education data for UIS: Sub-saharan Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 4 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 37.39 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.61 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 40.73 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.23 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 25.04 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.63 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 9.73 million (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 5.50 million (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 4.53 % change on previous year (2021)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
- School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa was 85.02 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes recorded in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 85.02 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes recorded in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 23.04 million in 1970.
- How does UIS: Sub-saharan Africa rank for school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes?
- UIS: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 41st out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes rising or falling in UIS: 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 UIS: 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