School life expectancy, primary and secondary, both sexes in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: School life expectancy, primary and secondary, both sexes was 15.59 years in 2023. ◆ Volatile
School life expectancy, primary and secondary, both sexes in Sierra Leone, 1971–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school life expectancy, primary and secondary, both sexes in Sierra Leone is 15.59 years, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 30 years on record.
The figure is up 7.4% on the previous year and up 56.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school life expectancy, primary and secondary, both sexes in Sierra Leone peaked at 15.59 years in 2023 and was at its lowest, 3.09 years, in 1971.
That places Sierra Leone 4th out of 213 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
School life expectancy, primary and secondary, both sexes in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 3.09 years | — |
| 1972 | 3.21 years | +4.0% |
| 1973 | 3.1 years | -3.4% |
| 1974 | 3.26 years | +5.0% |
| 1975 | 3.36 years | +3.0% |
| 1976 | 3.51 years | +4.5% |
| 1977 | 3.65 years | +3.9% |
| 1978 | 3.72 years | +2.0% |
| 1980 | 4.52 years | +21.4% |
| 1981 | 4.65 years | +2.9% |
| 1984 | 5.37 years | +15.4% |
| 1985 | 5.71 years | +6.3% |
| 1986 | 5.54 years | -2.9% |
| 1988 | 5.45 years | -1.6% |
| 1989 | 4.89 years | -10.3% |
| 1990 | 4.74 years | -3.0% |
| 1991 | 4.28 years | -9.8% |
| 2001 | 6.07 years | +41.8% |
| 2007 | 10.51 years | +73.2% |
| 2011 | 9.4 years | -10.5% |
| 2012 | 9.79 years | +4.2% |
| 2013 | 9.95 years | +1.6% |
| 2015 | 10.15 years | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 10.34 years | +1.8% |
| 2017 | 10.56 years | +2.1% |
| 2018 | 9.83 years | -7.0% |
| 2019 | 12.91 years | +31.4% |
| 2020 | 12.85 years | -0.5% |
| 2021 | 14.51 years | +12.9% |
| 2023 | 15.59 years | +7.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3.36 years | 3.09 years | 3.72 years | 8 |
| 1980s | 5.16 years | 4.52 years | 5.71 years | 7 |
| 1990s | 4.51 years | 4.28 years | 4.74 years | 2 |
| 2000s | 8.29 years | 6.07 years | 10.51 years | 2 |
| 2010s | 10.37 years | 9.4 years | 12.91 years | 8 |
| 2020s | 14.32 years | 12.85 years | 15.59 years | 3 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
More education data for Sierra Leone
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 1.44 % change on previous year (2002)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 15,753 (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 30,822 (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 2,602 (2002)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 2.2 % change on previous year (2002)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 6,439 (2002)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 1.13 % change on previous year (2002)
- Theoretical duration of primary education (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of pre-primary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (pre-primary to post-secondary non) 0.0494 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school life expectancy, primary and secondary, both sexes in Sierra Leone?
- School life expectancy, primary and secondary, both sexes in Sierra Leone was 15.59 years in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school life expectancy, primary and secondary, both sexes recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 15.59 years in 2023.
- What is the lowest school life expectancy, primary and secondary, both sexes recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.09 years in 1971.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for school life expectancy, primary and secondary, both sexes?
- Sierra Leone ranks 4th out of 213 countries with data for 2023.
- Is school life expectancy, primary and secondary, both sexes rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is up 56.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sierra Leone 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 30 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release