School age population, primary education, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa
UIS: Sub-saharan Africa: School age population, primary education, both sexes was 194.09 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
194.09 million
Change on year
up 0.6%
Rank
34th
of 221 groups
All-time high
194.09 million
in 2024
All-time low
45.93 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, primary education, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
UIS: Sub-saharan Africa recorded 194.09 million for school age population, primary education, both sexes in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 22.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, primary education, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 194.09 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 45.93 million, in 1970.
UIS: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 34th 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, primary education, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 45.93 million | — |
| 1971 | 47.33 million | +3.1% |
| 1972 | 48.76 million | +3.0% |
| 1973 | 50.14 million | +2.8% |
| 1974 | 51.66 million | +3.0% |
| 1975 | 53.00 million | +2.6% |
| 1976 | 54.63 million | +3.1% |
| 1977 | 56.10 million | +2.7% |
| 1978 | 57.74 million | +2.9% |
| 1979 | 59.55 million | +3.1% |
| 1980 | 61.39 million | +3.1% |
| 1981 | 63.20 million | +3.0% |
| 1982 | 65.12 million | +3.0% |
| 1983 | 67.11 million | +3.0% |
| 1984 | 69.13 million | +3.0% |
| 1985 | 71.35 million | +3.2% |
| 1986 | 73.63 million | +3.2% |
| 1987 | 76.30 million | +3.6% |
| 1988 | 78.67 million | +3.1% |
| 1989 | 81.00 million | +3.0% |
| 1990 | 83.36 million | +2.9% |
| 1991 | 85.67 million | +2.8% |
| 1992 | 87.95 million | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 90.62 million | +3.0% |
| 1994 | 92.97 million | +2.6% |
| 1995 | 95.58 million | +2.8% |
| 1996 | 98.01 million | +2.5% |
| 1997 | 100.84 million | +2.9% |
| 1998 | 103.67 million | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 106.15 million | +2.4% |
| 2000 | 108.67 million | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 111.30 million | +2.4% |
| 2002 | 114.06 million | +2.5% |
| 2003 | 117.05 million | +2.6% |
| 2004 | 120.08 million | +2.6% |
| 2005 | 123.13 million | +2.5% |
| 2006 | 126.32 million | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 130.80 million | +3.6% |
| 2008 | 134.35 million | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 137.91 million | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 141.67 million | +2.7% |
| 2011 | 145.55 million | +2.7% |
| 2012 | 149.54 million | +2.7% |
| 2013 | 154.12 million | +3.1% |
| 2014 | 158.24 million | +2.7% |
| 2015 | 162.76 million | +2.9% |
| 2016 | 167.34 million | +2.8% |
| 2017 | 171.86 million | +2.7% |
| 2018 | 176.15 million | +2.5% |
| 2019 | 180.15 million | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 183.87 million | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 187.40 million | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 190.70 million | +1.8% |
| 2023 | 192.85 million | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 194.09 million | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 52.48 million | 45.93 million | 59.55 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 70.69 million | 61.39 million | 81.00 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 94.48 million | 83.36 million | 106.15 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 122.37 million | 108.67 million | 137.91 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 160.74 million | 141.67 million | 180.15 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 189.78 million | 183.87 million | 194.09 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) 9.73 million (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, male (number), gaps 5.50 million (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 4.24 million (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.52 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, primary education, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
- School age population, primary education, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa was 194.09 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 194.09 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 45.93 million in 1970.
- How does UIS: Sub-saharan Africa rank for school age population, primary education, both sexes?
- UIS: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 34th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, primary education, both sexes rising or falling in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.7%. 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, primary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release