Secondary education, pupils in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)

Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries): Secondary education, pupils was 81.43 million in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
81.43 million
Change on year
up 1.4%
Rank
21st
of 43 groups
All-time high
81.43 million
in 2024
All-time low
5.49 million
in 1971
Years of data
55
1970–2024

Secondary education, pupils in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), 1970–2024

020.0M40.0M60.0M80.0M197019972024

Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Analysis

Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) recorded 81.43 million for secondary education, pupils in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.

That represents a change of up 1.4% on the previous year and up 42.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, secondary education, pupils in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 81.43 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 5.49 million, in 1971.

Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 21st of 43 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Secondary education, pupils in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year

Annual values for Secondary education, pupils in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), 1970 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1970 5.49 million
1971 5.49 million -0.1%
1972 5.92 million +7.9%
1973 6.24 million +5.3%
1974 6.50 million +4.3%
1975 6.94 million +6.8%
1976 7.27 million +4.6%
1977 7.71 million +6.2%
1978 8.33 million +7.9%
1979 9.02 million +8.4%
1980 9.92 million +9.9%
1981 10.96 million +10.5%
1982 11.92 million +8.7%
1983 12.96 million +8.8%
1984 14.08 million +8.6%
1985 14.79 million +5.1%
1986 14.59 million -1.4%
1987 15.15 million +3.8%
1988 15.60 million +2.9%
1989 15.56 million -0.2%
1990 16.15 million +3.8%
1991 16.82 million +4.1%
1992 17.26 million +2.6%
1993 17.91 million +3.8%
1994 18.57 million +3.7%
1995 19.64 million +5.7%
1996 20.40 million +3.9%
1997 20.96 million +2.8%
1998 21.96 million +4.7%
1999 22.83 million +4.0%
2000 23.99 million +5.1%
2001 25.92 million +8.1%
2002 27.61 million +6.5%
2003 29.47 million +6.7%
2004 31.84 million +8.0%
2005 33.62 million +5.6%
2006 35.58 million +5.8%
2007 37.27 million +4.8%
2008 40.44 million +8.5%
2009 43.53 million +7.7%
2010 46.95 million +7.8%
2011 49.59 million +5.6%
2012 52.41 million +5.7%
2013 56.98 million +8.7%
2014 56.97 million -0.0%
2015 59.34 million +4.2%
2016 60.57 million +2.1%
2017 62.81 million +3.7%
2018 65.15 million +3.7%
2019 68.34 million +4.9%
2020 71.90 million +5.2%
2021 75.04 million +4.4%
2022 77.33 million +3.1%
2023 80.33 million +3.9%
2024 81.43 million +1.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 6.89 million 5.49 million 9.02 million 10
1980s 13.55 million 9.92 million 15.60 million 10
1990s 19.25 million 16.15 million 22.83 million 10
2000s 32.93 million 23.99 million 43.53 million 10
2010s 57.91 million 46.95 million 68.34 million 10
2020s 77.21 million 71.90 million 81.43 million 5

Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)

  1. 18 Iran, Islamic Republic of 6.62 million compare
  2. 19 Japan 6.61 million compare
  3. 20 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 6.40 million compare
  4. 21 France 6.27 million compare
  5. 22 Algeria 6.07 million compare
  6. 23 South Africa 5.50 million compare
  7. 24 Ethiopia 5.03 million compare

See the full ranking of 251 places →

More education data for Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)

All data for Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) →

Frequently asked questions

What is secondary education, pupils in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
Secondary education, pupils in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) was 81.43 million in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest secondary education, pupils recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
The highest recorded value was 81.43 million in 2024.
What is the lowest secondary education, pupils recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
The lowest recorded value was 5.49 million in 1971.
How does Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for secondary education, pupils?
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 21st out of 43 groups with data for 2024.
Is secondary education, pupils rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
Over the last ten years it is up 42.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) data come from?
The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Secondary education, pupils. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Secondary education, pupils in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries). Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 24 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/secondary-education-pupils/sub-saharan-africa-ida-and-ibrd-countries/

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About this data

Indicator
Secondary education, pupils
Source
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
251 places, 10,025 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

Secondary education pupils is the total number of pupils enrolled at secondary level in public and private schools.