School enrollment, secondary in Africa Western and Central
Africa Western and Central: School enrollment, secondary was 46.3% in 2024. ▲ Rising
School enrollment, secondary 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 46.3% for school enrollment, secondary in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.3% on the previous year and up 8.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school enrollment, secondary in Africa Western and Central peaked at 46.4% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 8.0%, in 1970.
That places Africa Western and Central 36th 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, secondary in Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | % gross | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 8.0% | — |
| 1971 | 8.2% | +2.8% |
| 1972 | 8.7% | +5.4% |
| 1973 | 9.2% | +5.9% |
| 1974 | 9.5% | +3.3% |
| 1975 | 9.9% | +4.8% |
| 1976 | 10.4% | +5.3% |
| 1977 | 11.1% | +6.0% |
| 1978 | 12.1% | +9.5% |
| 1979 | 13.3% | +10.0% |
| 1980 | 15.0% | +12.5% |
| 1981 | 17.0% | +13.2% |
| 1982 | 18.9% | +11.5% |
| 1983 | 20.9% | +10.5% |
| 1984 | 22.6% | +8.1% |
| 1985 | 22.8% | +0.9% |
| 1986 | 21.6% | -5.4% |
| 1987 | 21.6% | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 21.2% | -1.6% |
| 1989 | 20.2% | -4.8% |
| 1990 | 20.5% | +1.3% |
| 1991 | 20.6% | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 20.7% | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 20.7% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 20.8% | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 20.9% | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 20.9% | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 20.9% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 21.0% | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 21.3% | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 22.3% | +4.9% |
| 2001 | 24.0% | +7.4% |
| 2002 | 25.4% | +5.8% |
| 2003 | 27.1% | +7.0% |
| 2004 | 28.8% | +6.0% |
| 2005 | 29.6% | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 29.9% | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 30.1% | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 32.6% | +8.4% |
| 2009 | 35.2% | +7.9% |
| 2010 | 38.3% | +9.0% |
| 2011 | 40.2% | +4.8% |
| 2012 | 41.6% | +3.7% |
| 2013 | 46.4% | +11.5% |
| 2014 | 42.5% | -8.4% |
| 2015 | 43.7% | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 42.3% | -3.2% |
| 2017 | 42.4% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 42.7% | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 43.9% | +2.8% |
| 2020 | 44.7% | +1.9% |
| 2021 | 45.6% | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 45.6% | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 46.4% | +1.8% |
| 2024 | 46.3% | -0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 10.0% | 8.0% | 13.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 20.2% | 15.0% | 22.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 20.8% | 20.5% | 21.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 28.5% | 22.3% | 35.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 42.4% | 38.3% | 46.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 45.7% | 44.7% | 46.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Africa Western and Central
More education data for Africa Western and Central
- Population ages 15-64 56.1% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 40.9% (2025)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 2.08 million (2024)
- School enrollment, primary 91.1% (2024)
- 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, total 227.71 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school enrollment, secondary in Africa Western and Central?
- School enrollment, secondary in Africa Western and Central was 46.3% in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest school enrollment, secondary recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 46.4% in 2023.
- What is the lowest school enrollment, secondary recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.0% in 1970.
- How does Africa Western and Central rank for school enrollment, secondary?
- Africa Western and Central ranks 36th out of 43 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school enrollment, secondary rising or falling in Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.9%. 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, secondary (% 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. Secondary education completes the provision of basic education that began at the primary level, and aims at laying the foundations for lifelong learning and human development, by offering more subject- or skill-oriented instruction using more specialized teachers.