Gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa: Gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes was 84.0% in 2018. ▲ Rising

Latest (2018)
84.0%
Change on year
up 0.2%
Rank
41st
of 45 groups
All-time high
84.8%
in 2013
All-time low
63.7%
in 1997
Years of data
22
1997–2018

Gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1997–2018

0204060801997200720181997: 63.7 %1998: 63.9 %1999: 64.2 %2000: 66.2 %2001: 68.1 %2002: 70.2 %2003: 72.5 %2004: 74.5 %2005: 76.7 %2006: 78.4 %2007: 79.5 %2008: 80.8 %2009: 81.5 %2010: 82 %2011: 83.3 %2012: 84.2 %2013: 84.8 %2014: 84.8 %2015: 83.7 %2016: 83.7 %2017: 83.8 %2018: 84 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

Sub-Saharan Africa recorded 84.0% for gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes in 2018.

That represents a change of up 0.2% on the previous year and up 4.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 84.8% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 63.7%, in 1997.

Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 41st of 45 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.

Gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year

Annual values for Gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes (%) in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1997 to 2018.
Year % Change
1997 63.7%
1998 63.9% +0.3%
1999 64.2% +0.5%
2000 66.2% +3.1%
2001 68.1% +2.9%
2002 70.2% +3.1%
2003 72.5% +3.2%
2004 74.5% +2.7%
2005 76.7% +2.9%
2006 78.4% +2.2%
2007 79.5% +1.4%
2008 80.8% +1.7%
2009 81.5% +0.9%
2010 82.0% +0.6%
2011 83.3% +1.5%
2012 84.2% +1.1%
2013 84.8% +0.8%
2014 84.8% -0.0%
2015 83.7% -1.3%
2016 83.7% -0.0%
2017 83.8% +0.2%
2018 84.0% +0.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 63.9% 63.7% 64.2% 3
2000s 74.8% 66.2% 81.5% 10
2010s 83.8% 82.0% 84.8% 9

Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa

  1. 38 Thailand 107.5% compare
  2. 39 United Arab Emirates 107.3% compare
  3. 40 Togo 107.2% compare
  4. 41 Bangladesh 107.1% compare
  5. 42 Timor-Leste 107.1% compare
  6. 43 Libya 107.1% compare
  7. 44 Malta 106.9% compare

See the full ranking of 233 places →

More reference data data for Sub-Saharan Africa

All data for Sub-Saharan Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa?
Gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa was 84.0% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
The highest recorded value was 84.8% in 2013.
What is the lowest gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 63.7% in 1997.
How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes?
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 41st out of 45 groups with data for 2018.
Is gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 4.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 05 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/gross-enrolment-ratio-primary-and-lower-secondary-both-sexes-percent/sub-saharan-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
233 places, 4,592 data points, 1981–2020
Last refreshed

Total enrollment in primary and lower secondary education, regardless of age, expressed as a percentage of the population of official primary and lower secondary education age. GER can exceed 100% due to the inclusion of over-aged and under-aged students because of early or late school entrance and grade repetition.