Teachers in primary education, female in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Teachers in primary education, female was 2.25 million number in 2019. ◆ Volatile
Teachers in primary education, female in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1970–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
Sub-Saharan Africa recorded 2.25 million number for teachers in primary education, female in 2019. That is the highest value across all 50 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.5% on the previous year and up 62.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, teachers in primary education, female in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 2.25 million number in 2019 and was at its lowest, 242,279 number, in 1970.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 22nd out of 43 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Teachers in primary education, female in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 242,279 number | — |
| 1971 | 250,941 number | +3.6% |
| 1972 | 269,968 number | +7.6% |
| 1973 | 285,455 number | +5.7% |
| 1974 | 308,857 number | +8.2% |
| 1975 | 324,856 number | +5.2% |
| 1976 | 336,617 number | +3.6% |
| 1977 | 361,493 number | +7.4% |
| 1978 | 405,169 number | +12.1% |
| 1979 | 452,839 number | +11.8% |
| 1980 | 480,874 number | +6.2% |
| 1981 | 517,807 number | +7.7% |
| 1982 | 543,558 number | +5.0% |
| 1983 | 575,530 number | +5.9% |
| 1984 | 597,645 number | +3.8% |
| 1985 | 608,044 number | +1.7% |
| 1986 | 613,382 number | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 607,568 number | -0.9% |
| 1988 | 635,122 number | +4.5% |
| 1989 | 710,499 number | +11.9% |
| 1990 | 703,992 number | -0.9% |
| 1991 | 730,577 number | +3.8% |
| 1992 | 755,869 number | +3.5% |
| 1993 | 775,594 number | +2.6% |
| 1994 | 786,911 number | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 837,311 number | +6.4% |
| 1996 | 833,689 number | -0.4% |
| 1997 | 834,560 number | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 864,570 number | +3.6% |
| 1999 | 901,759 number | +4.3% |
| 2000 | 924,978 number | +2.6% |
| 2001 | 960,175 number | +3.8% |
| 2002 | 1.02 million number | +5.8% |
| 2003 | 1.07 million number | +5.7% |
| 2004 | 1.16 million number | +7.9% |
| 2005 | 1.22 million number | +4.9% |
| 2006 | 1.26 million number | +3.3% |
| 2007 | 1.26 million number | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 1.33 million number | +5.6% |
| 2009 | 1.39 million number | +3.9% |
| 2010 | 1.50 million number | +7.8% |
| 2011 | 1.60 million number | +7.1% |
| 2012 | 1.61 million number | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 1.85 million number | +15.5% |
| 2014 | 1.95 million number | +4.9% |
| 2015 | 2.02 million number | +3.8% |
| 2016 | 2.08 million number | +2.8% |
| 2017 | 2.14 million number | +3.3% |
| 2018 | 2.20 million number | +2.6% |
| 2019 | 2.25 million number | +2.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 323,847 number | 242,279 number | 452,839 number | 10 |
| 1980s | 589,003 number | 480,874 number | 710,499 number | 10 |
| 1990s | 802,483 number | 703,992 number | 901,759 number | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.16 million number | 924,978 number | 1.39 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.92 million number | 1.50 million number | 2.25 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
More education data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Population ages 0-14 40.4% (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 56.4% (2025)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 5.14 million (2024)
- School enrollment, primary 97.1% (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, per capita 0.004 units per person (2024)
- Primary education, teachers 5.14 million (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, female 96.0% (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, male 98.2% (2024)
- Labor force, total, per capita 0.3987 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is teachers in primary education, female in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Teachers in primary education, female in Sub-Saharan Africa was 2.25 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest teachers in primary education, female recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 2.25 million number in 2019.
- What is the lowest teachers in primary education, female recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 242,279 number in 1970.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for teachers in primary education, female?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 22nd out of 43 groups with data for 2019.
- Is teachers in primary education, female rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 62.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Teachers in primary education, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total number of female teachers in public and private primary education institutions. Teachers are persons employed full time or part time in an official capacity to guide and direct the learning experience of pupils and students, irrespective of their qualifications or the delivery mechanism, i.e. face-to-face and/or at a distance. This definition excludes educational personnel who have no active teaching duties (e.g. headmasters, headmistresses or principals who do not teach) and persons who work occasionally or in a voluntary capacity in educational institutions.