School life expectancy, primary and secondary, both sexes (years) in SDG: Least Developed Countries
SDG: Least Developed Countries: School life expectancy, primary and secondary, both sexes (years) was 8.85 years in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
8.85 years
Change on year
up 0.0%
Rank
180th
of 221 groups
All-time high
9.06 years
in 2020
All-time low
3.69 years
in 1971
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School life expectancy, primary and secondary, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
SDG: Least Developed Countries recorded 8.85 years for school life expectancy, primary and secondary, both sexes in 2024.
The figure is up 1.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school life expectancy, primary and secondary, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries peaked at 9.06 years in 2020 and was at its lowest, 3.69 years, in 1971.
SDG: Least Developed Countries ranks 180th of 221 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
School life expectancy, primary and secondary, both sexes (years) in SDG: Least Developed Countries, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 3.71 years | — |
| 1971 | 3.69 years | -0.5% |
| 1972 | 3.89 years | +5.2% |
| 1973 | 4.05 years | +4.1% |
| 1974 | 4.09 years | +1.2% |
| 1975 | 4.27 years | +4.2% |
| 1976 | 4.41 years | +3.2% |
| 1977 | 4.47 years | +1.5% |
| 1978 | 4.6 years | +2.8% |
| 1979 | 4.73 years | +3.0% |
| 1980 | 4.88 years | +3.0% |
| 1981 | 4.92 years | +0.8% |
| 1982 | 4.98 years | +1.2% |
| 1983 | 5.02 years | +1.0% |
| 1984 | 5.02 years | -0.1% |
| 1985 | 4.92 years | -2.0% |
| 1986 | 4.95 years | +0.6% |
| 1987 | 4.92 years | -0.5% |
| 1988 | 5.07 years | +3.1% |
| 1989 | 5.03 years | -0.8% |
| 1990 | 4.93 years | -2.1% |
| 1991 | 5.09 years | +3.3% |
| 1992 | 5.11 years | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 5.18 years | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 5.3 years | +2.3% |
| 1995 | 5.47 years | +3.1% |
| 1996 | 5.56 years | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 5.76 years | +3.5% |
| 1998 | 5.9 years | +2.4% |
| 1999 | 5.98 years | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 6.16 years | +3.1% |
| 2001 | 6.36 years | +3.1% |
| 2002 | 6.71 years | +5.6% |
| 2003 | 6.96 years | +3.6% |
| 2004 | 7.15 years | +2.8% |
| 2005 | 7.34 years | +2.6% |
| 2006 | 7.57 years | +3.1% |
| 2007 | 7.73 years | +2.2% |
| 2008 | 7.97 years | +3.1% |
| 2009 | 8.11 years | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 8.23 years | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 8.41 years | +2.2% |
| 2012 | 8.51 years | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 8.64 years | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 8.7 years | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 8.65 years | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 8.77 years | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 8.81 years | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 8.91 years | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 8.99 years | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 9.06 years | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 9.02 years | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 8.88 years | -1.6% |
| 2023 | 8.85 years | -0.3% |
| 2024 | 8.85 years | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4.19 years | 3.69 years | 4.73 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.97 years | 4.88 years | 5.07 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.43 years | 4.93 years | 5.98 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.21 years | 6.16 years | 8.11 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.66 years | 8.23 years | 8.99 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.93 years | 8.85 years | 9.06 years | 5 |
Countries ranked near SDG: Least Developed Countries
- 177 Tajikistan 9.76 years compare
- 178 British Virgin Islands 9.75 years compare
- 179 Ukraine 9.72 years compare
- 180 Madagascar 9.56 years compare
- 181 San Marino 9.5 years compare
- 182 Benin 9.47 years compare
- 183 El Salvador 9.34 years compare
More education data for SDG: Least Developed Countries
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 75.92 million (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 14.09 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 36.37 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 11.66 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.684 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 11.32 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 4.43 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 0.7503 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 87.82 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.09 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school life expectancy, primary and secondary, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries?
- School life expectancy, primary and secondary, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries was 8.85 years in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school life expectancy, primary and secondary, both sexes recorded in SDG: Least Developed Countries?
- The highest recorded value was 9.06 years in 2020.
- What is the lowest school life expectancy, primary and secondary, both sexes recorded in SDG: Least Developed Countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.69 years in 1971.
- How does SDG: Least Developed Countries rank for school life expectancy, primary and secondary, both sexes?
- SDG: Least Developed Countries ranks 180th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school life expectancy, primary and secondary, both sexes rising or falling in SDG: Least Developed Countries?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this SDG: Least Developed Countries data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School life expectancy, primary and secondary, both sexes (years). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release