School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in WB: Sub-saharan Africa
WB: Sub-saharan Africa: School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes was 81.07 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
81.07 million
Change on year
up 1.1%
Rank
49th
of 221 groups
All-time high
81.07 million
in 2024
All-time low
18.42 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in WB: Sub-saharan Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in WB: Sub-saharan Africa is 81.07 million, measured 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 31.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in WB: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 81.07 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 18.42 million, in 1970.
That places WB: Sub-saharan Africa 49th 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 WB: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 18.42 million | — |
| 1971 | 18.89 million | +2.6% |
| 1972 | 19.37 million | +2.5% |
| 1973 | 19.86 million | +2.5% |
| 1974 | 20.39 million | +2.7% |
| 1975 | 21.02 million | +3.1% |
| 1976 | 21.62 million | +2.9% |
| 1977 | 22.06 million | +2.0% |
| 1978 | 22.66 million | +2.7% |
| 1979 | 23.32 million | +2.9% |
| 1980 | 23.97 million | +2.8% |
| 1981 | 24.92 million | +4.0% |
| 1982 | 25.44 million | +2.1% |
| 1983 | 26.22 million | +3.1% |
| 1984 | 27.44 million | +4.6% |
| 1985 | 28.41 million | +3.5% |
| 1986 | 31.13 million | +9.6% |
| 1987 | 32.02 million | +2.9% |
| 1988 | 32.93 million | +2.8% |
| 1989 | 33.93 million | +3.0% |
| 1990 | 34.90 million | +2.8% |
| 1991 | 36.31 million | +4.0% |
| 1992 | 37.36 million | +2.9% |
| 1993 | 38.52 million | +3.1% |
| 1994 | 39.67 million | +3.0% |
| 1995 | 41.17 million | +3.8% |
| 1996 | 42.40 million | +3.0% |
| 1997 | 44.01 million | +3.8% |
| 1998 | 41.94 million | -4.7% |
| 1999 | 42.72 million | +1.9% |
| 2000 | 43.98 million | +2.9% |
| 2001 | 45.22 million | +2.8% |
| 2002 | 46.40 million | +2.6% |
| 2003 | 47.56 million | +2.5% |
| 2004 | 48.73 million | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 49.92 million | +2.4% |
| 2006 | 51.06 million | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 52.18 million | +2.2% |
| 2008 | 53.45 million | +2.4% |
| 2009 | 54.81 million | +2.5% |
| 2010 | 56.32 million | +2.8% |
| 2011 | 57.82 million | +2.7% |
| 2012 | 59.20 million | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 60.52 million | +2.2% |
| 2014 | 61.76 million | +2.0% |
| 2015 | 62.80 million | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 64.68 million | +3.0% |
| 2017 | 66.67 million | +3.1% |
| 2018 | 68.70 million | +3.0% |
| 2019 | 70.58 million | +2.7% |
| 2020 | 72.58 million | +2.8% |
| 2021 | 75.48 million | +4.0% |
| 2022 | 77.79 million | +3.1% |
| 2023 | 80.19 million | +3.1% |
| 2024 | 81.07 million | +1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 20.76 million | 18.42 million | 23.32 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 28.64 million | 23.97 million | 33.93 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 39.90 million | 34.90 million | 44.01 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 49.33 million | 43.98 million | 54.81 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 62.91 million | 56.32 million | 70.58 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 77.42 million | 72.58 million | 81.07 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near WB: Sub-saharan Africa
- 46 Mali 1.70 million compare
- 47 Malaysia 1.65 million compare
- 48 Burkina Faso 1.65 million compare
- 49 Spain 1.59 million compare
- 50 Zimbabwe 1.56 million compare
- 51 Mozambique 1.56 million compare
- 52 Saudi Arabia 1.49 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, upper secondary education, both sexes in WB: Sub-saharan Africa?
- School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in WB: Sub-saharan Africa was 81.07 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes recorded in WB: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 81.07 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes recorded in WB: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.42 million in 1970.
- How does WB: Sub-saharan Africa rank for school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes?
- WB: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 49th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes rising or falling in WB: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 31.3%. 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, 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