School life expectancy, primary, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa
UIS: Sub-saharan Africa: School life expectancy, primary, both sexes was 6.05 years in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
6.05 years
Change on year
up 0.2%
Rank
36th
of 221 groups
All-time high
6.15 years
in 2013
All-time low
3.43 years
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School life expectancy, primary, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
In 2024, school life expectancy, primary, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa stood at 6.05 years.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.2% on the previous year and down 0.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school life expectancy, primary, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 6.15 years in 2013 and was at its lowest, 3.43 years, in 1970.
UIS: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 36th of 221 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
School life expectancy, primary, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 3.43 years | — |
| 1971 | 3.47 years | +1.1% |
| 1972 | 3.56 years | +2.6% |
| 1973 | 3.59 years | +1.0% |
| 1974 | 3.72 years | +3.7% |
| 1975 | 3.83 years | +2.9% |
| 1976 | 3.9 years | +1.9% |
| 1977 | 4.08 years | +4.6% |
| 1978 | 4.32 years | +5.9% |
| 1979 | 4.64 years | +7.4% |
| 1980 | 4.85 years | +4.4% |
| 1981 | 5 years | +3.2% |
| 1982 | 5.14 years | +2.8% |
| 1983 | 5.12 years | -0.4% |
| 1984 | 5.03 years | -1.7% |
| 1985 | 4.83 years | -4.0% |
| 1986 | 4.66 years | -3.6% |
| 1987 | 4.58 years | -1.8% |
| 1988 | 4.54 years | -0.9% |
| 1989 | 4.57 years | +0.7% |
| 1990 | 4.49 years | -1.7% |
| 1991 | 4.57 years | +1.9% |
| 1992 | 4.53 years | -1.1% |
| 1993 | 4.55 years | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 4.56 years | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 4.59 years | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 4.47 years | -2.6% |
| 1997 | 4.69 years | +5.0% |
| 1998 | 4.85 years | +3.5% |
| 1999 | 4.93 years | +1.7% |
| 2000 | 5.08 years | +3.1% |
| 2001 | 5.15 years | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 5.29 years | +2.8% |
| 2003 | 5.46 years | +3.2% |
| 2004 | 5.66 years | +3.7% |
| 2005 | 5.83 years | +2.9% |
| 2006 | 5.94 years | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 5.94 years | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 6.02 years | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 6.04 years | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 6.03 years | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 6.11 years | +1.3% |
| 2012 | 6.13 years | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 6.15 years | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 6.1 years | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 5.97 years | -2.1% |
| 2016 | 5.99 years | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 6.02 years | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 6.04 years | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 6.09 years | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 6.14 years | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 6.09 years | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 6.01 years | -1.3% |
| 2023 | 6.04 years | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 6.05 years | +0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3.85 years | 3.43 years | 4.64 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.83 years | 4.54 years | 5.14 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.62 years | 4.47 years | 4.93 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.64 years | 5.08 years | 6.04 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.06 years | 5.97 years | 6.15 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.07 years | 6.01 years | 6.14 years | 5 |
Countries ranked near UIS: Sub-saharan Africa
- 33 Iceland 6.87 years compare
- 34 Trinidad and Tobago 6.86 years compare
- 35 Dominica 6.86 years compare
- 36 Togo 6.85 years compare
- 37 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 6.82 years compare
- 38 Mauritius 6.8 years compare
- 39 Saint Lucia 6.78 years compare
More education data for UIS: Sub-saharan Africa
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 2.38 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 40.73 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.23 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 25.04 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.63 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 9.73 million (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 4 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 4.53 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 3.6 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 5.50 million (2021)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school life expectancy, primary, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
- School life expectancy, primary, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa was 6.05 years in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school life expectancy, primary, both sexes recorded in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 6.15 years in 2013.
- What is the lowest school life expectancy, primary, both sexes recorded in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.43 years in 1970.
- How does UIS: Sub-saharan Africa rank for school life expectancy, primary, both sexes?
- UIS: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 36th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school life expectancy, primary, both sexes rising or falling in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UIS: Sub-saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School life expectancy, primary, both sexes (years). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release