School age population, secondary education, both sexes in WB: Sub-saharan Africa
WB: Sub-saharan Africa: School age population, secondary education, both sexes was 177.39 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
177.39 million
Change on year
up 0.9%
Rank
46th
of 221 groups
All-time high
177.39 million
in 2024
All-time low
41.55 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, secondary education, both sexes in WB: Sub-saharan Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, school age population, secondary education, both sexes in WB: Sub-saharan Africa stood at 177.39 million. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.9% on the previous year and up 31.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, secondary education, both sexes in WB: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 177.39 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 41.55 million, in 1970.
WB: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 46th 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 WB: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 41.55 million | — |
| 1971 | 42.64 million | +2.6% |
| 1972 | 43.79 million | +2.7% |
| 1973 | 45.07 million | +2.9% |
| 1974 | 46.36 million | +2.9% |
| 1975 | 47.76 million | +3.0% |
| 1976 | 49.13 million | +2.9% |
| 1977 | 50.38 million | +2.5% |
| 1978 | 51.73 million | +2.7% |
| 1979 | 53.21 million | +2.9% |
| 1980 | 54.75 million | +2.9% |
| 1981 | 56.66 million | +3.5% |
| 1982 | 57.87 million | +2.1% |
| 1983 | 59.60 million | +3.0% |
| 1984 | 61.76 million | +3.6% |
| 1985 | 63.61 million | +3.0% |
| 1986 | 63.89 million | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 65.77 million | +2.9% |
| 1988 | 67.74 million | +3.0% |
| 1989 | 69.25 million | +2.2% |
| 1990 | 71.32 million | +3.0% |
| 1991 | 73.42 million | +2.9% |
| 1992 | 75.58 million | +2.9% |
| 1993 | 77.85 million | +3.0% |
| 1994 | 80.04 million | +2.8% |
| 1995 | 82.84 million | +3.5% |
| 1996 | 85.34 million | +3.0% |
| 1997 | 87.01 million | +2.0% |
| 1998 | 89.14 million | +2.4% |
| 1999 | 91.72 million | +2.9% |
| 2000 | 94.31 million | +2.8% |
| 2001 | 96.92 million | +2.8% |
| 2002 | 99.55 million | +2.7% |
| 2003 | 102.15 million | +2.6% |
| 2004 | 104.81 million | +2.6% |
| 2005 | 107.45 million | +2.5% |
| 2006 | 110.19 million | +2.5% |
| 2007 | 112.36 million | +2.0% |
| 2008 | 115.35 million | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 118.36 million | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 121.50 million | +2.7% |
| 2011 | 124.67 million | +2.6% |
| 2012 | 127.84 million | +2.5% |
| 2013 | 131.41 million | +2.8% |
| 2014 | 134.55 million | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 138.39 million | +2.9% |
| 2016 | 142.44 million | +2.9% |
| 2017 | 146.40 million | +2.8% |
| 2018 | 150.82 million | +3.0% |
| 2019 | 155.21 million | +2.9% |
| 2020 | 160.83 million | +3.6% |
| 2021 | 165.53 million | +2.9% |
| 2022 | 170.20 million | +2.8% |
| 2023 | 175.75 million | +3.3% |
| 2024 | 177.39 million | +0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 47.16 million | 41.55 million | 53.21 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 62.09 million | 54.75 million | 69.25 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 81.43 million | 71.32 million | 91.72 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 106.15 million | 94.31 million | 118.36 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 137.32 million | 121.50 million | 155.21 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 169.94 million | 160.83 million | 177.39 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near WB: Sub-saharan Africa
- 43 Mozambique 4.17 million compare
- 44 Burkina Faso 4.09 million compare
- 45 Nepal 4.01 million compare
- 46 Morocco 4.01 million compare
- 47 Somalia 3.73 million compare
- 48 Mali 3.59 million compare
- 49 Syrian Arab Republic 3.51 million compare
More education data for WB: Sub-saharan Africa
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 26.37 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.7609 % change on previous year (2024)
- 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 tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 3.88 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 4.63 million (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 2.54 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 5.14 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, secondary education, both sexes in WB: Sub-saharan Africa?
- School age population, secondary education, both sexes in WB: Sub-saharan Africa was 177.39 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, secondary education, both sexes recorded in WB: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 177.39 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, secondary education, both sexes recorded in WB: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 41.55 million in 1970.
- How does WB: Sub-saharan Africa rank for school age population, secondary education, both sexes?
- WB: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 46th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, secondary education, both sexes rising or falling in WB: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 31.8%. 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, secondary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release