School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)

ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126): School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes was 80.81 million in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
80.81 million
Change on year
up 1.1%
Rank
52nd
of 221 groups
All-time high
80.81 million
in 2024
All-time low
18.37 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024

School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126), 1970–2024

20.0M40.0M60.0M80.0M197019972024

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) recorded 80.81 million for school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.1% on the previous year and up 31.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) peaked at 80.81 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 18.37 million, in 1970.

ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) ranks 52nd 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, upper secondary education, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126), year by year

Annual values for School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes (number) in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126), 1970 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1970 18.37 million
1971 18.84 million +2.6%
1972 19.32 million +2.5%
1973 19.80 million +2.5%
1974 20.34 million +2.7%
1975 20.96 million +3.1%
1976 21.56 million +2.9%
1977 22.00 million +2.0%
1978 22.60 million +2.7%
1979 23.25 million +2.9%
1980 23.90 million +2.8%
1981 24.85 million +4.0%
1982 25.36 million +2.1%
1983 26.14 million +3.1%
1984 27.36 million +4.6%
1985 28.32 million +3.5%
1986 31.04 million +9.6%
1987 31.93 million +2.9%
1988 32.84 million +2.8%
1989 33.84 million +3.0%
1990 34.81 million +2.9%
1991 36.21 million +4.0%
1992 37.27 million +2.9%
1993 38.41 million +3.1%
1994 39.57 million +3.0%
1995 41.05 million +3.8%
1996 42.29 million +3.0%
1997 43.90 million +3.8%
1998 41.82 million -4.7%
1999 42.60 million +1.9%
2000 43.85 million +2.9%
2001 45.09 million +2.8%
2002 46.27 million +2.6%
2003 47.42 million +2.5%
2004 48.59 million +2.5%
2005 49.77 million +2.4%
2006 50.91 million +2.3%
2007 52.02 million +2.2%
2008 53.30 million +2.5%
2009 54.65 million +2.5%
2010 56.16 million +2.8%
2011 57.66 million +2.7%
2012 59.04 million +2.4%
2013 60.36 million +2.2%
2014 61.59 million +2.0%
2015 62.63 million +1.7%
2016 64.49 million +3.0%
2017 66.48 million +3.1%
2018 68.51 million +3.0%
2019 70.38 million +2.7%
2020 72.37 million +2.8%
2021 75.26 million +4.0%
2022 77.55 million +3.0%
2023 79.94 million +3.1%
2024 80.81 million +1.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 20.70 million 18.37 million 23.25 million 10
1980s 28.56 million 23.90 million 33.84 million 10
1990s 39.79 million 34.81 million 43.90 million 10
2000s 49.19 million 43.85 million 54.65 million 10
2010s 62.73 million 56.16 million 70.38 million 10
2020s 77.19 million 72.37 million 80.81 million 5

Countries ranked near ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)

  1. 49 Spain 1.59 million compare
  2. 50 Zimbabwe 1.56 million compare
  3. 51 Mozambique 1.56 million compare
  4. 52 Saudi Arabia 1.49 million compare
  5. 53 Poland 1.49 million compare
  6. 54 Zambia 1.47 million compare
  7. 55 Sri Lanka 1.44 million compare

See the full ranking of 441 places →

More education data for ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)

All data for ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) →

Frequently asked questions

What is school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)?
School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) was 80.81 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes recorded in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)?
The highest recorded value was 80.81 million in 2024.
What is the lowest school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes recorded in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)?
The lowest recorded value was 18.37 million in 1970.
How does ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) rank for school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes?
ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) ranks 52nd out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
Is school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes rising or falling in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)?
Over the last ten years it is up 31.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126). Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 31 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/school-age-population-upper-secondary-education-both-sexes-number-2/eca-sub-saharan-africa-unsdcode-98126/

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About this data

Indicator
School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes (number)
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
441 places, 20,373 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release