School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa
UNICEF: West and Central Africa: School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes was 43.17 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
43.17 million
Change on year
up 1.1%
Rank
88th
of 221 groups
All-time high
43.17 million
in 2024
All-time low
7.42 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa stood at 43.17 million. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
The figure is up 1.1% on the previous year and up 34.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa peaked at 43.17 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 7.42 million, in 1970.
UNICEF: West and Central Africa ranks 88th of 221 groups on this measure, 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: West and Central Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 7.42 million | — |
| 1971 | 7.63 million | +2.8% |
| 1972 | 7.84 million | +2.7% |
| 1973 | 8.06 million | +2.9% |
| 1974 | 8.30 million | +2.9% |
| 1975 | 8.55 million | +3.1% |
| 1976 | 8.81 million | +3.0% |
| 1977 | 9.06 million | +2.9% |
| 1978 | 9.37 million | +3.4% |
| 1979 | 9.70 million | +3.6% |
| 1980 | 10.05 million | +3.6% |
| 1981 | 10.36 million | +3.1% |
| 1982 | 10.66 million | +3.0% |
| 1983 | 11.00 million | +3.1% |
| 1984 | 11.31 million | +2.9% |
| 1985 | 11.66 million | +3.1% |
| 1986 | 13.93 million | +19.5% |
| 1987 | 14.38 million | +3.2% |
| 1988 | 14.84 million | +3.2% |
| 1989 | 15.33 million | +3.3% |
| 1990 | 15.87 million | +3.5% |
| 1991 | 16.82 million | +6.0% |
| 1992 | 17.43 million | +3.6% |
| 1993 | 18.06 million | +3.6% |
| 1994 | 18.77 million | +4.0% |
| 1995 | 19.40 million | +3.3% |
| 1996 | 19.98 million | +3.0% |
| 1997 | 20.51 million | +2.6% |
| 1998 | 21.18 million | +3.3% |
| 1999 | 21.85 million | +3.2% |
| 2000 | 22.48 million | +2.9% |
| 2001 | 23.11 million | +2.8% |
| 2002 | 23.69 million | +2.5% |
| 2003 | 24.28 million | +2.5% |
| 2004 | 24.91 million | +2.6% |
| 2005 | 25.58 million | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 26.27 million | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 26.94 million | +2.5% |
| 2008 | 27.65 million | +2.6% |
| 2009 | 28.41 million | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 29.27 million | +3.0% |
| 2011 | 30.15 million | +3.0% |
| 2012 | 30.94 million | +2.6% |
| 2013 | 31.29 million | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 32.02 million | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 32.97 million | +2.9% |
| 2016 | 34.10 million | +3.4% |
| 2017 | 35.38 million | +3.7% |
| 2018 | 36.56 million | +3.4% |
| 2019 | 37.66 million | +3.0% |
| 2020 | 38.79 million | +3.0% |
| 2021 | 40.04 million | +3.2% |
| 2022 | 41.35 million | +3.3% |
| 2023 | 42.72 million | +3.3% |
| 2024 | 43.17 million | +1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 8.47 million | 7.42 million | 9.70 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 12.35 million | 10.05 million | 15.33 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 18.99 million | 15.87 million | 21.85 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.33 million | 22.48 million | 28.41 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 33.03 million | 29.27 million | 37.66 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 41.21 million | 38.79 million | 43.17 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: West and Central Africa
- 85 Dominican Republic 557,537 compare
- 86 Czechia 482,414 compare
- 87 Israel 472,943 compare
- 88 Lao People's Democratic Republic 447,677 compare
- 89 Honduras 426,637 compare
- 90 Papua New Guinea 417,570 compare
- 91 Libya 412,353 compare
More education data for UNICEF: West and Central Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 4.92 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 20.41 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.9224 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 22.91 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.5411 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 8.34 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 0.9535 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 5.20 million (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.46 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 5.73 % change on previous year (2021)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa was 43.17 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 43.17 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.42 million in 1970.
- How does UNICEF: West and Central Africa rank for school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes?
- UNICEF: West and Central Africa ranks 88th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 34.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UNICEF: West and Central 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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About this data
February 2026 Data Release