School life expectancy, primary, both sexes in UNICEF: Africa
UNICEF: Africa: School life expectancy, primary, both sexes was 5.98 years in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
5.98 years
Change on year
up 0.3%
Rank
53rd
of 221 groups
All-time high
6.05 years
in 2020
All-time low
3.55 years
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School life expectancy, primary, both sexes in UNICEF: Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school life expectancy, primary, both sexes in UNICEF: Africa is 5.98 years, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 0.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school life expectancy, primary, both sexes in UNICEF: Africa peaked at 6.05 years in 2020 and was at its lowest, 3.55 years, in 1970.
That places UNICEF: Africa 53rd out of 221 groups with data for 2024, putting it 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 UNICEF: Africa, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 3.55 years | — |
| 1971 | 3.58 years | +0.7% |
| 1972 | 3.66 years | +2.4% |
| 1973 | 3.71 years | +1.2% |
| 1974 | 3.8 years | +2.6% |
| 1975 | 3.91 years | +2.8% |
| 1976 | 3.98 years | +1.7% |
| 1977 | 4.12 years | +3.7% |
| 1978 | 4.32 years | +4.7% |
| 1979 | 4.58 years | +6.0% |
| 1980 | 4.75 years | +3.7% |
| 1981 | 4.87 years | +2.6% |
| 1982 | 4.99 years | +2.5% |
| 1983 | 4.99 years | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 4.93 years | -1.1% |
| 1985 | 4.77 years | -3.2% |
| 1986 | 4.65 years | -2.7% |
| 1987 | 4.59 years | -1.2% |
| 1988 | 4.57 years | -0.4% |
| 1989 | 4.59 years | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 4.47 years | -2.6% |
| 1991 | 4.57 years | +2.1% |
| 1992 | 4.5 years | -1.4% |
| 1993 | 4.53 years | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 4.58 years | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 4.58 years | -0.0% |
| 1996 | 4.53 years | -1.2% |
| 1997 | 4.71 years | +4.0% |
| 1998 | 4.84 years | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 4.91 years | +1.5% |
| 2000 | 5.05 years | +2.7% |
| 2001 | 5.1 years | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 5.23 years | +2.5% |
| 2003 | 5.37 years | +2.8% |
| 2004 | 5.54 years | +3.1% |
| 2005 | 5.74 years | +3.6% |
| 2006 | 5.85 years | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 5.85 years | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 5.91 years | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 5.93 years | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 5.92 years | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 5.97 years | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 6.02 years | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 6.03 years | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 5.98 years | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 5.87 years | -1.8% |
| 2016 | 5.89 years | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 5.92 years | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 5.94 years | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 6 years | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 6.05 years | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 6.01 years | -0.7% |
| 2022 | 5.91 years | -1.5% |
| 2023 | 5.97 years | +0.9% |
| 2024 | 5.98 years | +0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3.92 years | 3.55 years | 4.58 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.77 years | 4.57 years | 4.99 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.62 years | 4.47 years | 4.91 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.56 years | 5.05 years | 5.93 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.96 years | 5.87 years | 6.03 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.98 years | 5.91 years | 6.05 years | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: Africa
More education data for UNICEF: Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 9.24 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 19.22 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 2.01 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 1.99 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 3.29 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.94 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 54.20 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.87 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 29.65 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 9.98 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school life expectancy, primary, both sexes in UNICEF: Africa?
- School life expectancy, primary, both sexes in UNICEF: Africa was 5.98 years in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school life expectancy, primary, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 6.05 years in 2020.
- What is the lowest school life expectancy, primary, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.55 years in 1970.
- How does UNICEF: Africa rank for school life expectancy, primary, both sexes?
- UNICEF: Africa ranks 53rd out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school life expectancy, primary, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UNICEF: 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.
Download this data
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release