School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in WB: Sub-saharan Africa
WB: Sub-saharan Africa: School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes was 9.15 years in 2018. ▲ Rising
Latest (2018)
9.15 years
Change on year
up 0.6%
Rank
187th
of 221 groups
All-time high
9.19 years
in 2013
All-time low
4.31 years
in 1970
Years of data
49
1970–2018
School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in WB: Sub-saharan Africa, 1970–2018
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
WB: Sub-saharan Africa recorded 9.15 years for school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in 2018.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 8.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in WB: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 9.19 years in 2013 and was at its lowest, 4.31 years, in 1970.
WB: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 187th 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 WB: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 4.31 years | — |
| 1971 | 4.34 years | +0.6% |
| 1972 | 4.46 years | +2.8% |
| 1973 | 4.51 years | +1.2% |
| 1974 | 4.65 years | +3.1% |
| 1975 | 4.8 years | +3.1% |
| 1976 | 4.9 years | +2.1% |
| 1977 | 5.09 years | +3.8% |
| 1978 | 5.37 years | +5.6% |
| 1979 | 5.74 years | +6.9% |
| 1980 | 6.01 years | +4.8% |
| 1981 | 6.24 years | +3.8% |
| 1982 | 6.45 years | +3.4% |
| 1983 | 6.52 years | +1.1% |
| 1984 | 6.52 years | -0.0% |
| 1985 | 6.37 years | -2.3% |
| 1986 | 6.14 years | -3.6% |
| 1987 | 6.07 years | -1.1% |
| 1988 | 6.07 years | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 6.05 years | -0.3% |
| 1990 | 6.02 years | -0.7% |
| 1991 | 6.12 years | +1.7% |
| 1992 | 6.09 years | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 6.13 years | +0.7% |
| 1994 | 6.15 years | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 6.19 years | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 6.07 years | -1.9% |
| 1997 | 6.3 years | +3.7% |
| 1998 | 6.47 years | +2.7% |
| 1999 | 6.53 years | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 6.72 years | +2.9% |
| 2001 | 6.87 years | +2.2% |
| 2002 | 7.09 years | +3.3% |
| 2003 | 7.37 years | +3.9% |
| 2004 | 7.65 years | +3.8% |
| 2005 | 7.88 years | +3.1% |
| 2006 | 8.1 years | +2.8% |
| 2007 | 8.18 years | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 8.4 years | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 8.56 years | +1.9% |
| 2010 | 8.67 years | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 8.85 years | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 8.99 years | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 9.19 years | +2.2% |
| 2014 | 9.1 years | -1.0% |
| 2015 | 9.02 years | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 9.03 years | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 9.09 years | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 9.15 years | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4.82 years | 4.31 years | 5.74 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.24 years | 6.01 years | 6.52 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.21 years | 6.02 years | 6.53 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.68 years | 6.72 years | 8.56 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.01 years | 8.67 years | 9.19 years | 9 |
Countries ranked near WB: Sub-saharan Africa
- 184 Central African Republic 6.32 years compare
- 185 Papua New Guinea 5.78 years compare
- 186 Djibouti 4.05 years compare
More education data for WB: Sub-saharan Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 5.90 million (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 39.08 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.55 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 42.35 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.19 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 26.37 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.55 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 3.52 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 3.88 % change on previous year (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.60 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in WB: Sub-saharan Africa?
- School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in WB: Sub-saharan Africa was 9.15 years in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes recorded in WB: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 9.19 years in 2013.
- What is the lowest school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes recorded in WB: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.31 years in 1970.
- How does WB: Sub-saharan Africa rank for school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes?
- WB: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 187th out of 221 groups with data for 2018.
- Is school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes rising or falling in WB: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this WB: Sub-saharan 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.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release