School enrollment, tertiary in Africa Western and Central
Africa Western and Central: School enrollment, tertiary was 10.2% in 2021. ◆ Volatile
School enrollment, tertiary in Africa Western and Central, 1970–2021
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % gross.
Analysis
Africa Western and Central recorded 10.2% for school enrollment, tertiary in 2021. That is the highest value across all 52 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.6% on the previous year and up 23.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school enrollment, tertiary in Africa Western and Central peaked at 10.2% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 0.6%, in 1970.
That places Africa Western and Central 36th out of 43 groups with data for 2021, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
School enrollment, tertiary in Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | % gross | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.6% | — |
| 1971 | 0.6% | +0.2% |
| 1972 | 0.7% | +6.9% |
| 1973 | 0.7% | +9.4% |
| 1974 | 0.8% | +8.6% |
| 1975 | 0.8% | +5.8% |
| 1976 | 0.9% | +11.6% |
| 1977 | 1.1% | +17.5% |
| 1978 | 1.2% | +13.0% |
| 1979 | 1.5% | +21.8% |
| 1980 | 1.7% | +10.4% |
| 1981 | 1.9% | +16.3% |
| 1982 | 2.1% | +6.7% |
| 1983 | 2.1% | +4.3% |
| 1984 | 2.2% | +2.9% |
| 1985 | 2.4% | +8.3% |
| 1986 | 2.5% | +5.3% |
| 1987 | 2.5% | -1.6% |
| 1988 | 2.7% | +7.2% |
| 1989 | 2.8% | +4.5% |
| 1990 | 2.9% | +3.8% |
| 1991 | 3.0% | +3.5% |
| 1992 | 3.1% | +4.7% |
| 1993 | 3.3% | +5.6% |
| 1994 | 3.5% | +4.8% |
| 1995 | 3.6% | +4.1% |
| 1996 | 3.8% | +5.4% |
| 1997 | 4.0% | +6.0% |
| 1998 | 4.2% | +3.9% |
| 1999 | 4.3% | +4.0% |
| 2000 | 5.0% | +14.1% |
| 2001 | 5.4% | +9.7% |
| 2002 | 5.9% | +9.3% |
| 2003 | 6.4% | +8.3% |
| 2004 | 6.6% | +2.9% |
| 2005 | 7.0% | +6.3% |
| 2006 | 7.1% | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 7.3% | +3.1% |
| 2008 | 7.6% | +3.3% |
| 2009 | 7.7% | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 7.9% | +3.5% |
| 2011 | 8.2% | +3.7% |
| 2012 | 8.6% | +4.6% |
| 2013 | 9.1% | +6.1% |
| 2014 | 9.4% | +2.8% |
| 2015 | 9.5% | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 9.3% | -1.9% |
| 2017 | 9.4% | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 9.6% | +2.0% |
| 2019 | 9.7% | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 9.9% | +2.0% |
| 2021 | 10.2% | +2.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.9% | 0.6% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.3% | 1.7% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.6% | 2.9% | 4.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.6% | 5.0% | 7.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.1% | 7.9% | 9.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.1% | 9.9% | 10.2% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Africa Western and Central
- 33 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 78.3% compare
- 34 Puerto Rico 77.9% compare
- 35 Portugal 77.7% compare
- 36 Ireland 77.6% compare
- 37 New Zealand 77.2% compare
- 38 China 76.9% compare
- 39 Germany 76.7% compare
More education data for Africa Western and Central
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 2.08 million (2024)
- Population ages 0-14 40.9% (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 56.1% (2025)
- 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, per capita 0.4274 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school enrollment, tertiary in Africa Western and Central?
- School enrollment, tertiary in Africa Western and Central was 10.2% in 2021, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest school enrollment, tertiary recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 10.2% in 2021.
- What is the lowest school enrollment, tertiary recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.6% in 1970.
- How does Africa Western and Central rank for school enrollment, tertiary?
- Africa Western and Central ranks 36th out of 43 groups with data for 2021.
- Is school enrollment, tertiary rising or falling in Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is up 23.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- 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, tertiary (% 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. Tertiary education, whether or not to an advanced research qualification, normally requires, as a minimum condition of admission, the successful completion of education at the secondary level.