Survival rate to the last grade of primary education, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa
SDG: Sub-saharan Africa: Survival rate to the last grade of primary education, both sexes was 61.1% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
61.1%
Change on year
down 0.9%
Rank
198th
of 220 groups
All-time high
66.2%
in 1986
All-time low
55.0%
in 2010
Years of data
54
1970–2023
Survival rate to the last grade of primary education, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, 1970–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for survival rate to the last grade of primary education, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa is 61.1%, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 0.9% on the previous year and up 10.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, survival rate to the last grade of primary education, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 66.2% in 1986 and was at its lowest, 55.0%, in 2010.
SDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 198th of 220 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 54 years of available data.
Survival rate to the last grade of primary education, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 60.1% | — |
| 1971 | 61.3% | +1.9% |
| 1972 | 61.3% | +0.1% |
| 1973 | 62.9% | +2.6% |
| 1974 | 64.0% | +1.8% |
| 1975 | 63.3% | -1.1% |
| 1976 | 63.9% | +0.9% |
| 1977 | 64.9% | +1.6% |
| 1978 | 64.3% | -1.0% |
| 1979 | 64.6% | +0.5% |
| 1980 | 64.5% | -0.2% |
| 1981 | 64.6% | +0.3% |
| 1982 | 65.8% | +1.7% |
| 1983 | 65.6% | -0.2% |
| 1984 | 65.6% | -0.0% |
| 1985 | 65.9% | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 66.2% | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 65.4% | -1.2% |
| 1988 | 64.4% | -1.5% |
| 1989 | 64.6% | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 65.2% | +0.8% |
| 1991 | 64.5% | -1.0% |
| 1992 | 65.7% | +1.9% |
| 1993 | 65.0% | -1.2% |
| 1994 | 63.4% | -2.4% |
| 1995 | 63.8% | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 62.1% | -2.7% |
| 1997 | 61.9% | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 62.2% | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 62.0% | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 63.7% | +2.8% |
| 2001 | 65.3% | +2.5% |
| 2002 | 63.4% | -3.0% |
| 2003 | 60.9% | -3.9% |
| 2004 | 61.7% | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 62.0% | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 57.8% | -6.7% |
| 2007 | 56.5% | -2.3% |
| 2008 | 60.1% | +6.4% |
| 2009 | 55.9% | -7.1% |
| 2010 | 55.0% | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 57.0% | +3.5% |
| 2012 | 55.3% | -2.9% |
| 2013 | 55.1% | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 55.5% | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 56.5% | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 57.0% | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 58.5% | +2.7% |
| 2018 | 59.8% | +2.3% |
| 2019 | 60.8% | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 62.3% | +2.3% |
| 2021 | 61.9% | -0.6% |
| 2022 | 61.6% | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 61.1% | -0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 63.1% | 60.1% | 64.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 65.3% | 64.4% | 66.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 63.6% | 61.9% | 65.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 60.7% | 55.9% | 65.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 57.0% | 55.0% | 60.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 61.7% | 61.1% | 62.3% | 4 |
More education data for SDG: Sub-saharan Africa
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 191.30 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.31 % change on previous year (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 14.32 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.68 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 37.60 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 12.63 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 12.47 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.8202 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 4.94 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 97.68 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is survival rate to the last grade of primary education, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Survival rate to the last grade of primary education, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa was 61.1% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest survival rate to the last grade of primary education, both sexes recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 66.2% in 1986.
- What is the lowest survival rate to the last grade of primary education, both sexes recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 55.0% in 2010.
- How does SDG: Sub-saharan Africa rank for survival rate to the last grade of primary education, both sexes?
- SDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 198th out of 220 groups with data for 2023.
- Is survival rate to the last grade of primary education, both sexes rising or falling in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this SDG: Sub-saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Survival rate to the last grade of primary education, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release