School enrollment, primary in Africa Western and Central
Africa Western and Central: School enrollment, primary was 91.1% in 2024. ▲ Rising
School enrollment, primary in Africa Western and Central, 1970–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % gross.
Analysis
Africa Western and Central recorded 91.1% for school enrollment, primary in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 2.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school enrollment, primary in Africa Western and Central peaked at 91.1% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 43.1%, in 1970.
That places Africa Western and Central 43rd out of 43 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
School enrollment, primary in Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | % gross | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 43.1% | — |
| 1971 | 44.7% | +3.7% |
| 1972 | 46.6% | +4.4% |
| 1973 | 48.1% | +3.1% |
| 1974 | 48.2% | +0.2% |
| 1975 | 48.7% | +0.9% |
| 1976 | 49.2% | +1.0% |
| 1977 | 54.8% | +11.6% |
| 1978 | 62.8% | +14.4% |
| 1979 | 69.7% | +11.0% |
| 1980 | 72.7% | +4.4% |
| 1981 | 76.7% | +5.4% |
| 1982 | 81.5% | +6.2% |
| 1983 | 81.7% | +0.2% |
| 1984 | 80.8% | -1.1% |
| 1985 | 78.3% | -3.1% |
| 1986 | 72.1% | -7.9% |
| 1987 | 70.6% | -2.1% |
| 1988 | 69.0% | -2.4% |
| 1989 | 68.2% | -1.1% |
| 1990 | 69.5% | +1.9% |
| 1991 | 69.7% | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 71.5% | +2.6% |
| 1993 | 73.7% | +3.1% |
| 1994 | 74.1% | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 72.8% | -1.8% |
| 1996 | 68.1% | -6.3% |
| 1997 | 71.8% | +5.3% |
| 1998 | 74.6% | +4.0% |
| 1999 | 77.4% | +3.8% |
| 2000 | 80.6% | +4.1% |
| 2001 | 81.1% | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 82.8% | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 83.6% | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 85.5% | +2.3% |
| 2005 | 86.4% | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 87.1% | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 84.4% | -3.1% |
| 2008 | 82.0% | -2.8% |
| 2009 | 83.7% | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 84.5% | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 87.8% | +4.0% |
| 2012 | 89.4% | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 90.6% | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 89.1% | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 87.1% | -2.3% |
| 2016 | 86.7% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 86.8% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 86.7% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 87.6% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 88.2% | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 88.1% | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 89.5% | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 90.9% | +1.5% |
| 2024 | 91.1% | +0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 51.6% | 43.1% | 69.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 75.2% | 68.2% | 81.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 72.3% | 68.1% | 77.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 83.7% | 80.6% | 87.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 87.6% | 84.5% | 90.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 89.5% | 88.1% | 91.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Africa Western and Central
More education data for Africa Western and Central
- Population ages 15-64 56.1% (2025)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 2.08 million (2024)
- Population ages 0-14 40.9% (2025)
- Primary education, teachers 2.08 million (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, per capita 0.004 units per person (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, female 89.7% (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, male 92.4% (2024)
- Labor force, female 46.4% (2025)
- Labor force, total, per capita 0.4274 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school enrollment, primary in Africa Western and Central?
- School enrollment, primary in Africa Western and Central was 91.1% in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest school enrollment, primary recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 91.1% in 2024.
- What is the lowest school enrollment, primary recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 43.1% in 1970.
- How does Africa Western and Central rank for school enrollment, primary?
- Africa Western and Central ranks 43rd out of 43 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school enrollment, primary rising or falling in Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Africa Western and Central data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of School enrollment, primary (% gross). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Gross enrollment ratio is the ratio of total enrollment, regardless of age, to the population of the age group that officially corresponds to the level of education shown. Primary education provides children with basic reading, writing, and mathematics skills along with an elementary understanding of such subjects as history, geography, natural science, social science, art, and music.