School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa

UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa: School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes was 37.97 million in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
37.97 million
Change on year
up 1.1%
Rank
96th
of 221 groups
All-time high
37.97 million
in 2024
All-time low
11.00 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024

School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa, 1970–2024

10.0M20.0M30.0M40.0M197019972024

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

In 2024, school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa stood at 37.97 million. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.

That represents a change of up 1.1% on the previous year and up 27.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa peaked at 37.97 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 11.00 million, in 1970.

That places UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa 96th 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, upper secondary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa, year by year

Annual values for School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes (number) in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa, 1970 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1970 11.00 million
1971 11.28 million +2.5%
1972 11.54 million +2.4%
1973 11.81 million +2.3%
1974 12.11 million +2.6%
1975 12.48 million +3.1%
1976 12.83 million +2.8%
1977 13.01 million +1.4%
1978 13.31 million +2.3%
1979 13.63 million +2.4%
1980 13.94 million +2.3%
1981 14.59 million +4.6%
1982 14.80 million +1.5%
1983 15.25 million +3.0%
1984 16.15 million +5.9%
1985 16.77 million +3.8%
1986 17.23 million +2.7%
1987 17.67 million +2.6%
1988 18.13 million +2.6%
1989 18.64 million +2.8%
1990 19.07 million +2.3%
1991 19.52 million +2.4%
1992 19.98 million +2.4%
1993 20.50 million +2.6%
1994 20.94 million +2.1%
1995 21.80 million +4.1%
1996 22.46 million +3.0%
1997 23.55 million +4.8%
1998 20.80 million -11.7%
1999 20.92 million +0.6%
2000 21.55 million +3.0%
2001 22.16 million +2.8%
2002 22.77 million +2.8%
2003 23.33 million +2.5%
2004 23.87 million +2.3%
2005 24.38 million +2.1%
2006 24.84 million +1.9%
2007 25.29 million +1.8%
2008 25.86 million +2.3%
2009 26.45 million +2.3%
2010 27.11 million +2.5%
2011 27.73 million +2.3%
2012 28.32 million +2.1%
2013 29.30 million +3.5%
2014 29.80 million +1.7%
2015 29.90 million +0.3%
2016 30.64 million +2.5%
2017 31.36 million +2.3%
2018 32.21 million +2.7%
2019 32.99 million +2.4%
2020 33.86 million +2.7%
2021 35.51 million +4.9%
2022 36.51 million +2.8%
2023 37.54 million +2.8%
2024 37.97 million +1.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 12.30 million 11.00 million 13.63 million 10
1980s 16.32 million 13.94 million 18.64 million 10
1990s 20.95 million 19.07 million 23.55 million 10
2000s 24.05 million 21.55 million 26.45 million 10
2010s 29.94 million 27.11 million 32.99 million 10
2020s 36.28 million 33.86 million 37.97 million 5

Countries ranked near UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa

  1. 93 Liberia 399,551 compare
  2. 94 Central African Republic 395,529 compare
  3. 95 Hungary 394,008 compare
  4. 96 United Arab Emirates 389,078 compare
  5. 97 Tajikistan 388,490 compare
  6. 98 Jordan 370,058 compare
  7. 99 Sweden 367,238 compare

See the full ranking of 441 places →

More education data for UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa

All data for UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa was 37.97 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
The highest recorded value was 37.97 million in 2024.
What is the lowest school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 11.00 million in 1970.
How does UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa rank for school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes?
UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa ranks 96th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
Is school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 27.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this UNICEF: Eastern and Southern 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.

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School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 08 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/school-age-population-upper-secondary-education-both-sexes-number-2/unicef-eastern-and-southern-africa/

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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