School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa
UNICEF: West and Central Africa: School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes was 39.72 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
39.72 million
Change on year
up 0.3%
Rank
88th
of 221 groups
All-time high
39.72 million
in 2024
All-time low
11.85 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa is 39.72 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.3% on the previous year and up 19.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa peaked at 39.72 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 11.85 million, in 1970.
UNICEF: West and Central Africa ranks 88th of 221 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 11.85 million | — |
| 1971 | 12.20 million | +2.9% |
| 1972 | 12.57 million | +3.0% |
| 1973 | 12.95 million | +3.1% |
| 1974 | 13.26 million | +2.3% |
| 1975 | 13.68 million | +3.2% |
| 1976 | 14.35 million | +4.9% |
| 1977 | 14.98 million | +4.4% |
| 1978 | 15.33 million | +2.3% |
| 1979 | 15.89 million | +3.7% |
| 1980 | 16.46 million | +3.6% |
| 1981 | 17.22 million | +4.7% |
| 1982 | 18.00 million | +4.5% |
| 1983 | 18.61 million | +3.4% |
| 1984 | 19.16 million | +2.9% |
| 1985 | 19.70 million | +2.8% |
| 1986 | 20.19 million | +2.5% |
| 1987 | 20.80 million | +3.0% |
| 1988 | 21.39 million | +2.9% |
| 1989 | 21.94 million | +2.6% |
| 1990 | 22.45 million | +2.3% |
| 1991 | 22.96 million | +2.3% |
| 1992 | 23.55 million | +2.6% |
| 1993 | 24.17 million | +2.7% |
| 1994 | 25.45 million | +5.3% |
| 1995 | 26.14 million | +2.7% |
| 1996 | 26.84 million | +2.7% |
| 1997 | 27.56 million | +2.7% |
| 1998 | 28.36 million | +2.9% |
| 1999 | 21.38 million | -24.6% |
| 2000 | 22.00 million | +2.9% |
| 2001 | 22.64 million | +2.9% |
| 2002 | 23.21 million | +2.5% |
| 2003 | 23.83 million | +2.7% |
| 2004 | 24.58 million | +3.2% |
| 2005 | 25.41 million | +3.4% |
| 2006 | 26.24 million | +3.3% |
| 2007 | 26.98 million | +2.8% |
| 2008 | 27.76 million | +2.9% |
| 2009 | 28.55 million | +2.9% |
| 2010 | 29.47 million | +3.2% |
| 2011 | 30.40 million | +3.2% |
| 2012 | 31.35 million | +3.1% |
| 2013 | 32.27 million | +2.9% |
| 2014 | 33.26 million | +3.1% |
| 2015 | 34.24 million | +2.9% |
| 2016 | 35.18 million | +2.8% |
| 2017 | 35.38 million | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 36.23 million | +2.4% |
| 2019 | 37.02 million | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 37.79 million | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 38.47 million | +1.8% |
| 2022 | 39.05 million | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 39.58 million | +1.4% |
| 2024 | 39.72 million | +0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 13.71 million | 11.85 million | 15.89 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 19.35 million | 16.46 million | 21.94 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 24.89 million | 21.38 million | 28.36 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.12 million | 22.00 million | 28.55 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 33.48 million | 29.47 million | 37.02 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 38.92 million | 37.79 million | 39.72 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: West and Central Africa
- 85 Dominican Republic 561,813 compare
- 86 Israel 552,835 compare
- 87 Tunisia 547,998 compare
- 88 Central African Republic 537,786 compare
- 89 Congo 524,621 compare
- 90 Netherlands 522,579 compare
- 91 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 495,865 compare
More education data for UNICEF: West and Central Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 4.92 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 20.41 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.9224 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 22.91 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.5411 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 8.34 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 0.9535 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 5.20 million (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.46 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 5.73 % change on previous year (2021)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa was 39.72 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 39.72 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.85 million in 1970.
- How does UNICEF: West and Central Africa rank for school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes?
- UNICEF: West and Central Africa ranks 88th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UNICEF: West and Central 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