School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Africa
UNICEF: Africa: School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes was 92.95 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
92.95 million
Change on year
up 1.3%
Rank
33rd
of 221 groups
All-time high
92.95 million
in 2024
All-time low
22.93 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Africa is 92.95 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
The figure is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 29.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Africa peaked at 92.95 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 22.93 million, in 1970.
That places UNICEF: Africa 33rd out of 221 groups with data for 2024, putting it 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 UNICEF: Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 22.93 million | — |
| 1971 | 23.63 million | +3.0% |
| 1972 | 24.22 million | +2.5% |
| 1973 | 24.84 million | +2.6% |
| 1974 | 25.52 million | +2.7% |
| 1975 | 26.29 million | +3.0% |
| 1976 | 27.03 million | +2.8% |
| 1977 | 27.61 million | +2.1% |
| 1978 | 28.39 million | +2.8% |
| 1979 | 29.23 million | +3.0% |
| 1980 | 30.07 million | +2.9% |
| 1981 | 31.20 million | +3.8% |
| 1982 | 31.89 million | +2.2% |
| 1983 | 32.83 million | +2.9% |
| 1984 | 34.21 million | +4.2% |
| 1985 | 35.34 million | +3.3% |
| 1986 | 38.23 million | +8.2% |
| 1987 | 39.30 million | +2.8% |
| 1988 | 40.40 million | +2.8% |
| 1989 | 41.65 million | +3.1% |
| 1990 | 42.93 million | +3.1% |
| 1991 | 44.60 million | +3.9% |
| 1992 | 45.88 million | +2.9% |
| 1993 | 47.25 million | +3.0% |
| 1994 | 48.64 million | +2.9% |
| 1995 | 50.40 million | +3.6% |
| 1996 | 51.90 million | +3.0% |
| 1997 | 53.78 million | +3.6% |
| 1998 | 52.03 million | -3.2% |
| 1999 | 53.04 million | +1.9% |
| 2000 | 54.49 million | +2.7% |
| 2001 | 55.87 million | +2.5% |
| 2002 | 57.19 million | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 58.45 million | +2.2% |
| 2004 | 59.68 million | +2.1% |
| 2005 | 60.83 million | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 61.95 million | +1.8% |
| 2007 | 63.02 million | +1.7% |
| 2008 | 64.20 million | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 65.40 million | +1.9% |
| 2010 | 66.78 million | +2.1% |
| 2011 | 68.17 million | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 69.44 million | +1.9% |
| 2013 | 70.75 million | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 71.99 million | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 73.03 million | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 74.91 million | +2.6% |
| 2017 | 76.99 million | +2.8% |
| 2018 | 79.11 million | +2.8% |
| 2019 | 81.12 million | +2.5% |
| 2020 | 83.28 million | +2.7% |
| 2021 | 86.41 million | +3.8% |
| 2022 | 88.99 million | +3.0% |
| 2023 | 91.73 million | +3.1% |
| 2024 | 92.95 million | +1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 25.97 million | 22.93 million | 29.23 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 35.51 million | 30.07 million | 41.65 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 49.05 million | 42.93 million | 53.78 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 60.11 million | 54.49 million | 65.40 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 73.23 million | 66.78 million | 81.12 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 88.67 million | 83.28 million | 92.95 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: Africa
More education data for UNICEF: Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 19.22 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)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 2.01 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.94 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 9.98 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 9.24 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 50.51 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Africa?
- School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Africa was 92.95 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 92.95 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.93 million in 1970.
- How does UNICEF: Africa rank for school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes?
- UNICEF: Africa ranks 33rd out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 29.1%. 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, upper secondary 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