Theoretical duration of lower secondary education (years) in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Theoretical duration of lower secondary education (years) was 3 years in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
3 years
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
91st
of 221 countries
All-time high
5 years
in 1970
All-time low
3 years
in 1998
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Theoretical duration of lower secondary education in Sierra Leone, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
In 2025, theoretical duration of lower secondary education in Sierra Leone stood at 3 years. That is the lowest value across all 56 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, theoretical duration of lower secondary education in Sierra Leone peaked at 5 years in 1970 and was at its lowest, 3 years, in 1998.
Sierra Leone ranks 91st of 221 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 56 years of available data.
Theoretical duration of lower secondary education (years) in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 5 years | — |
| 1971 | 5 years | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 5 years | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 5 years | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 5 years | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 5 years | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 5 years | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 5 years | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 5 years | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 5 years | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 5 years | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 5 years | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 5 years | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 5 years | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 5 years | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 5 years | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 5 years | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 5 years | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 5 years | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 5 years | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 5 years | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 5 years | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 5 years | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 5 years | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 5 years | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 5 years | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 5 years | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 5 years | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 3 years | -40.0% |
| 1999 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 3 years | +0.0% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 3 years is above the median for low income countries, which is 3 years, 1.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 3 years is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3 years, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5 years | 5 years | 5 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 5 years | 5 years | 5 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.6 years | 3 years | 5 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
- 91 Afghanistan 3 years compare
- 91 Angola 3 years compare
- 91 Anguilla 3 years compare
- 91 Argentina 3 years compare
- 91 Antigua and Barbuda 3 years compare
- 91 Burundi 3 years compare
- 91 Bangladesh 3 years compare
- 91 Bulgaria 3 years compare
- 91 Bahrain 3 years compare
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- 91 Bermuda 3 years compare
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- 91 Botswana 3 years compare
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- 91 Costa Rica 3 years compare
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- 91 Dominica 3 years compare
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- 91 Ecuador 3 years compare
- 91 Egypt 3 years compare
- 91 Eritrea 3 years compare
- 91 Western Sahara 3 years compare
- 91 Spain 3 years compare
- 91 Estonia 3 years compare
- 91 Finland 3 years compare
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- 91 Georgia 3 years compare
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- 91 Gibraltar 3 years compare
- 91 Gambia 3 years compare
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- 91 Tunisia 3 years compare
- 91 Uruguay 3 years compare
- 91 United States 3 years compare
- 91 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3 years compare
- 91 Venezuela 3 years compare
- 91 British Virgin Islands 3 years compare
- 91 United States Virgin Islands 3 years compare
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More education data for Sierra Leone
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 38,043 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 73,295 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 85,708 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 92,723 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.16 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.07 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.52 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.2393 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is theoretical duration of lower secondary education in Sierra Leone?
- Theoretical duration of lower secondary education in Sierra Leone was 3 years in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest theoretical duration of lower secondary education recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 5 years in 1970.
- What is the lowest theoretical duration of lower secondary education recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 3 years in 1998.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for theoretical duration of lower secondary education?
- Sierra Leone ranks 91st out of 221 countries with data for 2025.
- Is theoretical duration of lower secondary education rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Theoretical duration of lower secondary education (years). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release