School age population, primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Africa
UNICEF: Africa: School age population, primary education, both sexes was 229.77 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
229.77 million
Change on year
up 0.7%
Rank
21st
of 221 groups
All-time high
229.77 million
in 2024
All-time low
61.88 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
UNICEF: Africa recorded 229.77 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 0.7% on the previous year and up 23.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Africa peaked at 229.77 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 61.88 million, in 1970.
UNICEF: Africa ranks 21st 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, primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 61.88 million | — |
| 1971 | 63.61 million | +2.8% |
| 1972 | 65.30 million | +2.7% |
| 1973 | 66.94 million | +2.5% |
| 1974 | 68.69 million | +2.6% |
| 1975 | 70.26 million | +2.3% |
| 1976 | 72.23 million | +2.8% |
| 1977 | 74.11 million | +2.6% |
| 1978 | 76.08 million | +2.7% |
| 1979 | 78.25 million | +2.8% |
| 1980 | 80.41 million | +2.8% |
| 1981 | 82.62 million | +2.7% |
| 1982 | 84.96 million | +2.8% |
| 1983 | 87.34 million | +2.8% |
| 1984 | 89.76 million | +2.8% |
| 1985 | 92.40 million | +2.9% |
| 1986 | 95.14 million | +3.0% |
| 1987 | 98.29 million | +3.3% |
| 1988 | 101.11 million | +2.9% |
| 1989 | 103.93 million | +2.8% |
| 1990 | 105.40 million | +1.4% |
| 1991 | 108.77 million | +3.2% |
| 1992 | 111.47 million | +2.5% |
| 1993 | 114.51 million | +2.7% |
| 1994 | 117.12 million | +2.3% |
| 1995 | 119.90 million | +2.4% |
| 1996 | 122.44 million | +2.1% |
| 1997 | 125.29 million | +2.3% |
| 1998 | 128.13 million | +2.3% |
| 1999 | 130.63 million | +2.0% |
| 2000 | 133.14 million | +1.9% |
| 2001 | 135.75 million | +2.0% |
| 2002 | 138.49 million | +2.0% |
| 2003 | 141.45 million | +2.1% |
| 2004 | 144.48 million | +2.1% |
| 2005 | 149.29 million | +3.3% |
| 2006 | 152.53 million | +2.2% |
| 2007 | 157.13 million | +3.0% |
| 2008 | 160.85 million | +2.4% |
| 2009 | 164.07 million | +2.0% |
| 2010 | 168.21 million | +2.5% |
| 2011 | 172.50 million | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 176.95 million | +2.6% |
| 2013 | 182.09 million | +2.9% |
| 2014 | 186.85 million | +2.6% |
| 2015 | 192.08 million | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 197.41 million | +2.8% |
| 2017 | 202.76 million | +2.7% |
| 2018 | 207.85 million | +2.5% |
| 2019 | 212.68 million | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 217.22 million | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 221.53 million | +2.0% |
| 2022 | 225.56 million | +1.8% |
| 2023 | 228.25 million | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 229.77 million | +0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 69.74 million | 61.88 million | 78.25 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 91.60 million | 80.41 million | 103.93 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 118.37 million | 105.40 million | 130.63 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 147.72 million | 133.14 million | 164.07 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 189.94 million | 168.21 million | 212.68 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 224.47 million | 217.22 million | 229.77 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: Africa
- 18 Viet Nam 8.00 million compare
- 19 Sudan 7.86 million compare
- 20 Russian Federation 7.48 million compare
- 21 South Africa 7.34 million compare
- 22 Afghanistan 6.99 million compare
- 23 Mozambique 6.88 million compare
- 24 Iraq 6.78 million compare
More education data for UNICEF: Africa
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 2.01 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 50.51 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 2.35 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 54.20 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.87 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 29.65 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 3.29 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 2.62 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.94 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 1.6 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Africa?
- School age population, primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Africa was 229.77 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 229.77 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 61.88 million in 1970.
- How does UNICEF: Africa rank for school age population, primary education, both sexes?
- UNICEF: Africa ranks 21st out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, primary education, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 23.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UNICEF: 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