School age population, secondary education, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa
UIS: Sub-saharan Africa: School age population, secondary education, both sexes was 169.65 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
169.65 million
Change on year
up 1.0%
Rank
56th
of 221 groups
All-time high
169.65 million
in 2024
All-time low
38.28 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, secondary education, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, school age population, secondary education, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa stood at 169.65 million. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.0% on the previous year and up 31.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, secondary education, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 169.65 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 38.28 million, in 1970.
UIS: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 56th 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, secondary education, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 38.28 million | — |
| 1971 | 39.36 million | +2.8% |
| 1972 | 40.50 million | +2.9% |
| 1973 | 41.77 million | +3.1% |
| 1974 | 43.06 million | +3.1% |
| 1975 | 44.45 million | +3.2% |
| 1976 | 45.82 million | +3.1% |
| 1977 | 47.06 million | +2.7% |
| 1978 | 48.42 million | +2.9% |
| 1979 | 49.90 million | +3.1% |
| 1980 | 51.42 million | +3.0% |
| 1981 | 53.32 million | +3.7% |
| 1982 | 54.52 million | +2.2% |
| 1983 | 56.24 million | +3.2% |
| 1984 | 58.40 million | +3.8% |
| 1985 | 60.24 million | +3.1% |
| 1986 | 60.51 million | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 62.39 million | +3.1% |
| 1988 | 64.35 million | +3.2% |
| 1989 | 65.85 million | +2.3% |
| 1990 | 67.92 million | +3.1% |
| 1991 | 70.01 million | +3.1% |
| 1992 | 72.16 million | +3.1% |
| 1993 | 74.42 million | +3.1% |
| 1994 | 76.60 million | +2.9% |
| 1995 | 79.39 million | +3.7% |
| 1996 | 81.88 million | +3.1% |
| 1997 | 83.54 million | +2.0% |
| 1998 | 85.67 million | +2.5% |
| 1999 | 88.16 million | +2.9% |
| 2000 | 90.67 million | +2.8% |
| 2001 | 93.18 million | +2.8% |
| 2002 | 95.72 million | +2.7% |
| 2003 | 98.23 million | +2.6% |
| 2004 | 100.81 million | +2.6% |
| 2005 | 103.34 million | +2.5% |
| 2006 | 105.96 million | +2.5% |
| 2007 | 108.01 million | +1.9% |
| 2008 | 110.81 million | +2.6% |
| 2009 | 113.68 million | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 116.71 million | +2.7% |
| 2011 | 119.78 million | +2.6% |
| 2012 | 122.84 million | +2.6% |
| 2013 | 126.27 million | +2.8% |
| 2014 | 129.27 million | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 132.95 million | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 136.84 million | +2.9% |
| 2017 | 140.64 million | +2.8% |
| 2018 | 144.89 million | +3.0% |
| 2019 | 149.21 million | +3.0% |
| 2020 | 153.61 million | +2.9% |
| 2021 | 158.16 million | +3.0% |
| 2022 | 162.66 million | +2.8% |
| 2023 | 168.04 million | +3.3% |
| 2024 | 169.65 million | +1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 43.86 million | 38.28 million | 49.90 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 58.72 million | 51.42 million | 65.85 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 77.97 million | 67.92 million | 88.16 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 102.04 million | 90.67 million | 113.68 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 131.94 million | 116.71 million | 149.21 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 162.42 million | 153.61 million | 169.65 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, female (number) 4.53 % change on previous year (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, secondary education, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
- School age population, secondary education, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa was 169.65 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, secondary education, both sexes recorded in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 169.65 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, secondary education, both sexes recorded in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 38.28 million in 1970.
- How does UIS: Sub-saharan Africa rank for school age population, secondary education, both sexes?
- UIS: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 56th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, secondary education, both sexes rising or falling in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 31.2%. 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, secondary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release