School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa
UNICEF: West and Central Africa: School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes was 8.78 years in 2018. ▲ Rising
Latest (2018)
8.78 years
Change on year
up 0.7%
Rank
200th
of 221 groups
All-time high
9 years
in 2013
All-time low
3.81 years
in 1970
Years of data
49
1970–2018
School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa, 1970–2018
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
In 2018, school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa stood at 8.78 years.
The figure is up 0.7% on the previous year and up 15.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa peaked at 9 years in 2013 and was at its lowest, 3.81 years, in 1970.
UNICEF: West and Central Africa ranks 200th of 221 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 49 years of available data.
School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 3.81 years | — |
| 1971 | 3.87 years | +1.6% |
| 1972 | 4.03 years | +4.1% |
| 1973 | 4.08 years | +1.2% |
| 1974 | 4.1 years | +0.5% |
| 1975 | 4.2 years | +2.6% |
| 1976 | 4.23 years | +0.5% |
| 1977 | 4.55 years | +7.6% |
| 1978 | 5.05 years | +11.0% |
| 1979 | 5.55 years | +10.0% |
| 1980 | 5.78 years | +4.1% |
| 1981 | 6.1 years | +5.5% |
| 1982 | 6.48 years | +6.2% |
| 1983 | 6.65 years | +2.6% |
| 1984 | 6.7 years | +0.9% |
| 1985 | 6.51 years | -2.9% |
| 1986 | 6.02 years | -7.4% |
| 1987 | 5.83 years | -3.1% |
| 1988 | 5.85 years | +0.2% |
| 1989 | 5.59 years | -4.3% |
| 1990 | 5.62 years | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 5.82 years | +3.7% |
| 1992 | 5.89 years | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 6.03 years | +2.4% |
| 1994 | 6.06 years | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 6.03 years | -0.5% |
| 1996 | 5.77 years | -4.4% |
| 1997 | 5.94 years | +3.0% |
| 1998 | 6.09 years | +2.5% |
| 1999 | 6.16 years | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 6.44 years | +4.5% |
| 2001 | 6.48 years | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 6.71 years | +3.6% |
| 2003 | 6.97 years | +3.9% |
| 2004 | 7.3 years | +4.7% |
| 2005 | 7.48 years | +2.4% |
| 2006 | 7.65 years | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 7.5 years | -1.9% |
| 2008 | 7.63 years | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 7.89 years | +3.4% |
| 2010 | 8.07 years | +2.3% |
| 2011 | 8.39 years | +4.0% |
| 2012 | 8.59 years | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 9 years | +4.8% |
| 2014 | 8.77 years | -2.6% |
| 2015 | 8.71 years | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 8.66 years | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 8.72 years | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 8.78 years | +0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4.35 years | 3.81 years | 5.55 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.15 years | 5.59 years | 6.7 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.94 years | 5.62 years | 6.16 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.2 years | 6.44 years | 7.89 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.63 years | 8.07 years | 9 years | 9 |
More education data for UNICEF: West and Central Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 4.92 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 20.41 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.9224 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 22.91 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.5411 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 8.34 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 0.9535 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 5.20 million (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.46 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 5.73 % change on previous year (2021)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa was 8.78 years in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 9 years in 2013.
- What is the lowest school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.81 years in 1970.
- How does UNICEF: West and Central Africa rank for school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes?
- UNICEF: West and Central Africa ranks 200th out of 221 groups with data for 2018.
- Is school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UNICEF: West and Central Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, 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