School enrollment, primary in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income): School enrollment, primary was 75.3% in 2009. ▲ Rising
School enrollment, primary in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), 1975–2009
Source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % net.
Analysis
In 2009, school enrollment, primary in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) stood at 75.3%. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 29.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school enrollment, primary in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) peaked at 75.3% in 2009 and was at its lowest, 44.1%, in 1975.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) 39th out of 41 groups with data for 2009, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
School enrollment, primary in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), year by year
| Year | % net | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 44.1% | — |
| 1976 | 45.0% | +2.0% |
| 1977 | 47.1% | +4.6% |
| 1978 | 49.3% | +4.7% |
| 1979 | 52.2% | +5.8% |
| 1980 | 54.4% | +4.2% |
| 1981 | 56.4% | +3.7% |
| 1982 | 57.7% | +2.4% |
| 1983 | 58.2% | +0.7% |
| 1984 | 57.6% | -1.0% |
| 1985 | 56.5% | -2.0% |
| 1986 | 54.9% | -2.8% |
| 1987 | 53.9% | -1.9% |
| 1988 | 53.1% | -1.4% |
| 1989 | 53.7% | +1.1% |
| 1990 | 53.0% | -1.2% |
| 1991 | 53.9% | +1.7% |
| 1992 | 53.7% | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 54.1% | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 54.4% | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 55.1% | +1.4% |
| 1996 | 53.9% | -2.2% |
| 1997 | 56.6% | +4.9% |
| 1998 | 57.3% | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 58.0% | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 60.2% | +3.8% |
| 2001 | 61.8% | +2.8% |
| 2002 | 63.3% | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 65.8% | +3.8% |
| 2004 | 67.5% | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 69.7% | +3.2% |
| 2006 | 71.4% | +2.5% |
| 2007 | 74.0% | +3.7% |
| 2008 | 75.0% | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 75.3% | +0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 47.5% | 44.1% | 52.2% | 5 |
| 1980s | 55.6% | 53.1% | 58.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 55.0% | 53.0% | 58.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 68.4% | 60.2% | 75.3% | 10 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
More education data for Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
- Population ages 0-14 40.4% (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 56.4% (2025)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 5.14 million (2024)
- School enrollment, primary 97.1% (2024)
- Primary education, teachers 5.14 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 96.0% (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, male 98.2% (2024)
- Labor force, total 526.96 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school enrollment, primary in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- School enrollment, primary in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) was 75.3% in 2009, according to Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest school enrollment, primary recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 75.3% in 2009.
- What is the lowest school enrollment, primary recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 44.1% in 1975.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) rank for school enrollment, primary?
- Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) ranks 39th out of 41 groups with data for 2009.
- Is school enrollment, primary rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 29.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) data come from?
- The figures come from Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of School enrollment, primary (% net). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Net enrollment rate is the ratio of children of official school age who are enrolled in school to the population of the corresponding official school age. 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.