Teachers in primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: World
UNICEF: World: Teachers in primary education, both sexes was 34.04 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
34.04 million
Change on year
up 1.2%
Rank
5th
of 221 groups
All-time high
34.04 million
in 2024
All-time low
14.68 million
in 1971
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Teachers in primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: World, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, teachers in primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: World stood at 34.04 million. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 10.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, teachers in primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: World peaked at 34.04 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 14.68 million, in 1971.
UNICEF: World ranks 5th of 221 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
Teachers in primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: World, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 15.72 million | — |
| 1971 | 14.68 million | -6.6% |
| 1972 | 15.38 million | +4.7% |
| 1973 | 15.88 million | +3.3% |
| 1974 | 16.33 million | +2.8% |
| 1975 | 16.78 million | +2.8% |
| 1976 | 17.20 million | +2.5% |
| 1977 | 17.47 million | +1.6% |
| 1978 | 17.66 million | +1.1% |
| 1979 | 17.85 million | +1.1% |
| 1980 | 18.66 million | +4.5% |
| 1981 | 19.02 million | +2.0% |
| 1982 | 19.60 million | +3.0% |
| 1983 | 19.99 million | +2.0% |
| 1984 | 20.29 million | +1.5% |
| 1985 | 20.48 million | +0.9% |
| 1986 | 20.66 million | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 20.91 million | +1.2% |
| 1988 | 21.58 million | +3.2% |
| 1989 | 22.03 million | +2.1% |
| 1990 | 22.06 million | +0.1% |
| 1991 | 22.31 million | +1.1% |
| 1992 | 22.71 million | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 22.96 million | +1.1% |
| 1994 | 23.31 million | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 23.41 million | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 23.71 million | +1.3% |
| 1997 | 24.26 million | +2.3% |
| 1998 | 24.21 million | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 24.63 million | +1.7% |
| 2000 | 24.89 million | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 25.20 million | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 25.24 million | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 25.95 million | +2.8% |
| 2004 | 26.65 million | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 26.88 million | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 27.01 million | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 27.53 million | +1.9% |
| 2008 | 27.77 million | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 28.16 million | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 28.66 million | +1.8% |
| 2011 | 29.17 million | +1.8% |
| 2012 | 29.43 million | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 30.55 million | +3.8% |
| 2014 | 30.87 million | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 31.32 million | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 32.05 million | +2.3% |
| 2017 | 32.01 million | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 32.14 million | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 32.68 million | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 32.92 million | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 33.32 million | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 33.23 million | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 33.63 million | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 34.04 million | +1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 16.49 million | 14.68 million | 17.85 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 20.32 million | 18.66 million | 22.03 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 23.36 million | 22.06 million | 24.63 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 26.53 million | 24.89 million | 28.16 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 30.89 million | 28.66 million | 32.68 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 33.43 million | 32.92 million | 34.04 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: World
More education data for UNICEF: World
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 1.35 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 1.56 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 129.28 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.15 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 138.78 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 10.49 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 23.55 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 268.06 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual -0.3082 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 206.38 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is teachers in primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: World?
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: World was 34.04 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest teachers in primary education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: World?
- The highest recorded value was 34.04 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest teachers in primary education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: World?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.68 million in 1971.
- How does UNICEF: World rank for teachers in primary education, both sexes?
- UNICEF: World ranks 5th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is teachers in primary education, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: World?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UNICEF: World 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release