School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in WB: Sub-saharan Africa
WB: Sub-saharan Africa: School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes was 88.36 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
88.36 million
Change on year
up 0.6%
Rank
36th
of 221 groups
All-time high
88.36 million
in 2024
All-time low
24.89 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in WB: Sub-saharan Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in WB: Sub-saharan Africa stood at 88.36 million. 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 WB: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 88.36 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 24.89 million, in 1970.
WB: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 36th 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 WB: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 24.89 million | — |
| 1971 | 25.56 million | +2.7% |
| 1972 | 26.28 million | +2.8% |
| 1973 | 27.03 million | +2.8% |
| 1974 | 27.69 million | +2.5% |
| 1975 | 28.46 million | +2.8% |
| 1976 | 29.48 million | +3.6% |
| 1977 | 30.47 million | +3.4% |
| 1978 | 31.12 million | +2.2% |
| 1979 | 32.08 million | +3.1% |
| 1980 | 33.04 million | +3.0% |
| 1981 | 34.15 million | +3.4% |
| 1982 | 35.42 million | +3.7% |
| 1983 | 36.11 million | +1.9% |
| 1984 | 37.11 million | +2.8% |
| 1985 | 38.11 million | +2.7% |
| 1986 | 39.05 million | +2.5% |
| 1987 | 40.45 million | +3.6% |
| 1988 | 41.49 million | +2.6% |
| 1989 | 42.52 million | +2.5% |
| 1990 | 43.59 million | +2.5% |
| 1991 | 44.73 million | +2.6% |
| 1992 | 45.92 million | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 47.09 million | +2.6% |
| 1994 | 48.87 million | +3.8% |
| 1995 | 50.04 million | +2.4% |
| 1996 | 51.21 million | +2.3% |
| 1997 | 51.29 million | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 55.95 million | +9.1% |
| 1999 | 52.88 million | -5.5% |
| 2000 | 54.17 million | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 55.47 million | +2.4% |
| 2002 | 56.81 million | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 58.11 million | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 59.57 million | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 61.16 million | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 62.78 million | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 62.72 million | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 64.38 million | +2.6% |
| 2009 | 66.12 million | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 68.06 million | +2.9% |
| 2011 | 70.01 million | +2.9% |
| 2012 | 71.91 million | +2.7% |
| 2013 | 73.77 million | +2.6% |
| 2014 | 75.30 million | +2.1% |
| 2015 | 76.86 million | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 78.31 million | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 81.00 million | +3.4% |
| 2018 | 82.30 million | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 83.55 million | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 83.50 million | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 84.87 million | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 86.26 million | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 87.84 million | +1.8% |
| 2024 | 88.36 million | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 28.31 million | 24.89 million | 32.08 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 37.75 million | 33.04 million | 42.52 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 49.16 million | 43.59 million | 55.95 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 60.13 million | 54.17 million | 66.12 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 76.11 million | 68.06 million | 83.55 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 86.17 million | 83.50 million | 88.36 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near WB: Sub-saharan Africa
- 33 France 2.17 million compare
- 34 Philippines 2.15 million compare
- 35 Thailand 2.10 million compare
- 36 Chad 2.07 million compare
- 37 Tanzania, United Republic of 2.04 million compare
- 38 Somalia 1.98 million compare
- 39 Burkina Faso 1.96 million compare
More education data for WB: Sub-saharan Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 5.90 million (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 39.08 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.55 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 42.35 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.19 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 26.37 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.55 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 3.52 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 3.88 % change on previous year (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 WB: Sub-saharan Africa?
- School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in WB: Sub-saharan Africa was 88.36 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes recorded in WB: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 88.36 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes recorded in WB: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.89 million in 1970.
- How does WB: Sub-saharan Africa rank for school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes?
- WB: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 36th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes rising or falling in WB: 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 WB: 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