School age population, primary education, both sexes in WB: Africa Eastern and Southern
WB: Africa Eastern and Southern: School age population, primary education, both sexes was 119.46 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
119.46 million
Change on year
up 0.6%
Rank
71st
of 221 groups
All-time high
119.46 million
in 2024
All-time low
31.92 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, primary education, both sexes in WB: Africa Eastern and Southern, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, school age population, primary education, both sexes in WB: Africa Eastern and Southern stood at 119.46 million. 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 20.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, primary education, both sexes in WB: Africa Eastern and Southern peaked at 119.46 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 31.92 million, in 1970.
That places WB: Africa Eastern and Southern 71st out of 221 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
School age population, primary education, both sexes in WB: Africa Eastern and Southern, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 31.92 million | — |
| 1971 | 32.77 million | +2.7% |
| 1972 | 33.63 million | +2.6% |
| 1973 | 34.42 million | +2.3% |
| 1974 | 35.35 million | +2.7% |
| 1975 | 36.08 million | +2.1% |
| 1976 | 37.06 million | +2.7% |
| 1977 | 37.86 million | +2.2% |
| 1978 | 38.79 million | +2.5% |
| 1979 | 39.84 million | +2.7% |
| 1980 | 40.87 million | +2.6% |
| 1981 | 41.80 million | +2.3% |
| 1982 | 42.83 million | +2.5% |
| 1983 | 43.84 million | +2.4% |
| 1984 | 44.92 million | +2.5% |
| 1985 | 46.07 million | +2.6% |
| 1986 | 47.34 million | +2.7% |
| 1987 | 48.99 million | +3.5% |
| 1988 | 50.37 million | +2.8% |
| 1989 | 51.69 million | +2.6% |
| 1990 | 53.05 million | +2.6% |
| 1991 | 54.49 million | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 55.89 million | +2.6% |
| 1993 | 57.66 million | +3.2% |
| 1994 | 59.13 million | +2.6% |
| 1995 | 60.86 million | +2.9% |
| 1996 | 62.39 million | +2.5% |
| 1997 | 64.38 million | +3.2% |
| 1998 | 66.19 million | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 67.72 million | +2.3% |
| 2000 | 69.30 million | +2.3% |
| 2001 | 70.94 million | +2.4% |
| 2002 | 72.64 million | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 74.56 million | +2.6% |
| 2004 | 76.41 million | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 78.24 million | +2.4% |
| 2006 | 80.09 million | +2.4% |
| 2007 | 83.07 million | +3.7% |
| 2008 | 85.06 million | +2.4% |
| 2009 | 87.15 million | +2.5% |
| 2010 | 89.28 million | +2.4% |
| 2011 | 91.54 million | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 93.89 million | +2.6% |
| 2013 | 96.79 million | +3.1% |
| 2014 | 99.15 million | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 101.78 million | +2.7% |
| 2016 | 104.48 million | +2.6% |
| 2017 | 107.09 million | +2.5% |
| 2018 | 109.54 million | +2.3% |
| 2019 | 111.81 million | +2.1% |
| 2020 | 113.90 million | +1.9% |
| 2021 | 115.85 million | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 117.76 million | +1.7% |
| 2023 | 118.79 million | +0.9% |
| 2024 | 119.46 million | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 35.77 million | 31.92 million | 39.84 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 45.87 million | 40.87 million | 51.69 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 60.18 million | 53.05 million | 67.72 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 77.75 million | 69.30 million | 87.15 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 100.54 million | 89.28 million | 111.81 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 117.15 million | 113.90 million | 119.46 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near WB: Africa Eastern and Southern
- 68 Rwanda 2.04 million compare
- 69 Ecuador 1.86 million compare
- 70 South Sudan 1.78 million compare
- 71 Sri Lanka 1.68 million compare
- 72 Korea, Democratic People's Republic of 1.67 million compare
- 73 Kazakhstan 1.62 million compare
- 74 Poland 1.52 million compare
More education data for WB: Africa Eastern and Southern
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 20.71 million (2022)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 2.23 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 5.92 million (2021)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.75 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 18.88 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 2.91 % change on previous year (2022)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 23.18 million (2022)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 2.98 % change on previous year (2022)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.9717 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 46.07 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, primary education, both sexes in WB: Africa Eastern and Southern?
- School age population, primary education, both sexes in WB: Africa Eastern and Southern was 119.46 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in WB: Africa Eastern and Southern?
- The highest recorded value was 119.46 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in WB: Africa Eastern and Southern?
- The lowest recorded value was 31.92 million in 1970.
- How does WB: Africa Eastern and Southern rank for school age population, primary education, both sexes?
- WB: Africa Eastern and Southern ranks 71st out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, primary education, both sexes rising or falling in WB: Africa Eastern and Southern?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this WB: Africa Eastern and Southern 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.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release