Teachers in primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa
UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa: Teachers in primary education, both sexes was 5.14 million in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
5.14 million
Change on year
up 0.8%
Rank
56th
of 221 groups
All-time high
5.14 million
in 2024
All-time low
742,551
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Teachers in primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, teachers in primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa stood at 5.14 million. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.8% on the previous year and up 23.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, teachers in primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 5.14 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 742,551, in 1970.
UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 56th of 221 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Teachers in primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 742,551 | — |
| 1971 | 755,562 | +1.8% |
| 1972 | 795,194 | +5.2% |
| 1973 | 834,335 | +4.9% |
| 1974 | 892,624 | +7.0% |
| 1975 | 933,140 | +4.5% |
| 1976 | 970,460 | +4.0% |
| 1977 | 1.04 million | +7.3% |
| 1978 | 1.17 million | +12.0% |
| 1979 | 1.28 million | +9.6% |
| 1980 | 1.34 million | +4.6% |
| 1981 | 1.42 million | +5.9% |
| 1982 | 1.50 million | +5.6% |
| 1983 | 1.55 million | +3.7% |
| 1984 | 1.58 million | +1.9% |
| 1985 | 1.57 million | -0.4% |
| 1986 | 1.58 million | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 1.58 million | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 1.62 million | +2.7% |
| 1989 | 1.74 million | +7.3% |
| 1990 | 1.73 million | -0.6% |
| 1991 | 1.80 million | +4.2% |
| 1992 | 1.85 million | +2.5% |
| 1993 | 1.90 million | +3.0% |
| 1994 | 1.89 million | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 1.93 million | +2.3% |
| 1996 | 1.93 million | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 1.95 million | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 2.01 million | +3.3% |
| 1999 | 2.08 million | +3.4% |
| 2000 | 2.13 million | +2.3% |
| 2001 | 2.22 million | +4.3% |
| 2002 | 2.29 million | +3.3% |
| 2003 | 2.46 million | +7.5% |
| 2004 | 2.57 million | +4.3% |
| 2005 | 2.69 million | +4.8% |
| 2006 | 2.77 million | +2.9% |
| 2007 | 2.84 million | +2.4% |
| 2008 | 2.98 million | +5.0% |
| 2009 | 3.12 million | +4.6% |
| 2010 | 3.32 million | +6.5% |
| 2011 | 3.52 million | +6.1% |
| 2012 | 3.53 million | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 3.97 million | +12.4% |
| 2014 | 4.16 million | +4.8% |
| 2015 | 4.28 million | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 4.44 million | +3.7% |
| 2017 | 4.63 million | +4.4% |
| 2018 | 4.82 million | +4.2% |
| 2019 | 4.81 million | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 4.84 million | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 5.02 million | +3.7% |
| 2022 | 4.99 million | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 5.10 million | +2.2% |
| 2024 | 5.14 million | +0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 940,815 | 742,551 | 1.28 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.55 million | 1.34 million | 1.74 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.91 million | 1.73 million | 2.08 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.61 million | 2.13 million | 3.12 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.15 million | 3.32 million | 4.82 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.02 million | 4.84 million | 5.14 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa
- 53 Kazakhstan 113,317 compare
- 54 Ukraine 105,694 compare
- 55 Australia 105,469 compare
- 56 Côte d'Ivoire 104,418 compare
- 57 Netherlands 98,851 compare
- 58 Angola 96,016 compare
- 59 Chile 94,708 compare
More education data for UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 5.90 million (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 39.14 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.62 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 42.42 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.27 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 26.38 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.59 % 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 teachers in primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa was 5.14 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest teachers in primary education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 5.14 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest teachers in primary education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 742,551 in 1970.
- How does UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa rank for teachers in primary education, both sexes?
- UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 56th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is teachers in primary education, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 23.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release