School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: World
UNICEF: World: School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes was 345.67 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
345.67 million
Change on year
down 2.0%
Rank
5th
of 221 groups
All-time high
362.41 million
in 2018
All-time low
307.33 million
in 1982
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: World, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
UNICEF: World recorded 345.67 million for school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in 2024.
The figure is down 2.0% on the previous year and down 1.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: World peaked at 362.41 million in 2018 and was at its lowest, 307.33 million, in 1982.
UNICEF: World ranks 5th of 221 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
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: World, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 314.05 million | — |
| 1971 | 310.68 million | -1.1% |
| 1972 | 314.14 million | +1.1% |
| 1973 | 316.99 million | +0.9% |
| 1974 | 321.03 million | +1.3% |
| 1975 | 325.19 million | +1.3% |
| 1976 | 325.11 million | -0.0% |
| 1977 | 324.76 million | -0.1% |
| 1978 | 321.52 million | -1.0% |
| 1979 | 317.82 million | -1.2% |
| 1980 | 314.04 million | -1.2% |
| 1981 | 309.72 million | -1.4% |
| 1982 | 307.33 million | -0.8% |
| 1983 | 307.64 million | +0.1% |
| 1984 | 309.98 million | +0.8% |
| 1985 | 314.74 million | +1.5% |
| 1986 | 321.28 million | +2.1% |
| 1987 | 324.52 million | +1.0% |
| 1988 | 328.22 million | +1.1% |
| 1989 | 332.06 million | +1.2% |
| 1990 | 335.82 million | +1.1% |
| 1991 | 343.76 million | +2.4% |
| 1992 | 348.75 million | +1.5% |
| 1993 | 353.46 million | +1.3% |
| 1994 | 357.95 million | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 355.15 million | -0.8% |
| 1996 | 351.64 million | -1.0% |
| 1997 | 346.21 million | -1.5% |
| 1998 | 327.91 million | -5.3% |
| 1999 | 323.02 million | -1.5% |
| 2000 | 322.33 million | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 323.77 million | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 322.79 million | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 321.41 million | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 323.33 million | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 324.98 million | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 325.92 million | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 324.61 million | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 326.61 million | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 328.61 million | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 331.85 million | +1.0% |
| 2011 | 336.44 million | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 341.90 million | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 349.17 million | +2.1% |
| 2014 | 352.15 million | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 354.02 million | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 356.68 million | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 359.97 million | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 362.41 million | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 361.63 million | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 360.40 million | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 359.92 million | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 356.95 million | -0.8% |
| 2023 | 352.88 million | -1.1% |
| 2024 | 345.67 million | -2.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 319.13 million | 310.68 million | 325.19 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 316.95 million | 307.33 million | 332.06 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 344.37 million | 323.02 million | 357.95 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 324.44 million | 321.41 million | 328.61 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 350.62 million | 331.85 million | 362.41 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 355.17 million | 345.67 million | 360.40 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: World
- 2 China 36.57 million compare
- 3 Pakistan 12.58 million compare
- 4 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 11.24 million compare
- 5 United States 11.22 million compare
- 6 Ethiopia 11.02 million compare
- 7 Bangladesh 9.79 million compare
- 8 Indonesia 9.01 million compare
More education data for UNICEF: World
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 23.55 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 10.49 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 138.78 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.15 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 1.56 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 129.28 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 1.35 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.17 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.69 % change on previous year (2024)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in general 89.8% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: World?
- School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: World was 345.67 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: World?
- The highest recorded value was 362.41 million in 2018.
- What is the lowest school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: World?
- The lowest recorded value was 307.33 million in 1982.
- How does UNICEF: World rank for school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes?
- UNICEF: World ranks 5th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: World?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UNICEF: World 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