School life expectancy, primary and lower secondary, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa
UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa: School life expectancy, primary and lower secondary, both sexes was 7.78 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
7.78 years
Change on year
down 0.2%
Rank
168th
of 221 groups
All-time high
8.14 years
in 2020
All-time low
5.35 years
in 1994
Years of data
30
1994–2023
School life expectancy, primary and lower secondary, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa, 1994–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa recorded 7.78 years for school life expectancy, primary and lower secondary, both sexes in 2023.
The figure is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 3.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school life expectancy, primary and lower secondary, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa peaked at 8.14 years in 2020 and was at its lowest, 5.35 years, in 1994.
That places UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa 168th out of 221 groups with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 30 years of available data.
School life expectancy, primary and lower secondary, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 5.35 years | — |
| 1995 | 5.43 years | +1.6% |
| 1996 | 5.46 years | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 5.73 years | +5.0% |
| 1998 | 5.95 years | +3.8% |
| 1999 | 6.01 years | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 6.18 years | +2.9% |
| 2001 | 6.4 years | +3.5% |
| 2002 | 6.63 years | +3.5% |
| 2003 | 6.9 years | +4.2% |
| 2004 | 7.1 years | +2.9% |
| 2005 | 7.38 years | +3.9% |
| 2006 | 7.6 years | +3.0% |
| 2007 | 7.82 years | +2.9% |
| 2008 | 8.11 years | +3.6% |
| 2009 | 8.11 years | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 8.12 years | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 8.11 years | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 8.13 years | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 8.06 years | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 8.04 years | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 7.94 years | -1.3% |
| 2016 | 7.98 years | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 8.01 years | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 8.05 years | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 8.09 years | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 8.14 years | +0.6% |
| 2021 | 7.81 years | -4.1% |
| 2022 | 7.79 years | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 7.78 years | -0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5.66 years | 5.35 years | 6.01 years | 6 |
| 2000s | 7.22 years | 6.18 years | 8.11 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.05 years | 7.94 years | 8.13 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.88 years | 7.78 years | 8.14 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa
- 165 Poland 7.81 years compare
- 166 El Salvador 7.79 years compare
- 167 Kenya 7.79 years compare
- 168 Serbia 7.67 years compare
- 169 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 7.62 years compare
- 170 Romania 7.59 years compare
- 171 Bangladesh 7.57 years compare
More education data for UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 49.26 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 1.01 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.50 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 2.77 % change on previous year (2022)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 36.30 million (2022)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.22 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 50.69 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.32 % change on previous year (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 8.67 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 9.20 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school life expectancy, primary and lower secondary, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
- School life expectancy, primary and lower secondary, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa was 7.78 years in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school life expectancy, primary and lower secondary, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 8.14 years in 2020.
- What is the lowest school life expectancy, primary and lower secondary, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.35 years in 1994.
- How does UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa rank for school life expectancy, primary and lower secondary, both sexes?
- UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa ranks 168th out of 221 groups with data for 2023.
- Is school life expectancy, primary and lower secondary, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School life expectancy, primary and lower secondary, both sexes (years). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release