Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary was 33.92 million number in 2019. ▲ Rising
Latest (2019)
33.92 million number
Change on year
down 0.2%
Rank
6th
of 45 groups
All-time high
37.19 million number
in 1999
All-time low
22.41 million number
in 1970
Years of data
50
1970–2019
Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1970–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
The most recent figure for out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in Sub-Saharan Africa is 33.92 million number, measured in 2019.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and up 11.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 37.19 million number in 1999 and was at its lowest, 22.41 million number, in 1970.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 6th out of 45 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 years of available data.
Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 22.41 million number | — |
| 1971 | 22.87 million number | +2.1% |
| 1972 | 23.24 million number | +1.6% |
| 1973 | 23.57 million number | +1.4% |
| 1974 | 23.74 million number | +0.7% |
| 1975 | 23.85 million number | +0.5% |
| 1976 | 24.14 million number | +1.2% |
| 1977 | 24.01 million number | -0.5% |
| 1978 | 23.83 million number | -0.7% |
| 1979 | 23.49 million number | -1.4% |
| 1980 | 23.45 million number | -0.2% |
| 1981 | 23.39 million number | -0.3% |
| 1982 | 23.25 million number | -0.6% |
| 1983 | 24.04 million number | +3.4% |
| 1984 | 24.95 million number | +3.8% |
| 1985 | 26.12 million number | +4.7% |
| 1986 | 26.90 million number | +3.0% |
| 1987 | 28.21 million number | +4.9% |
| 1988 | 29.32 million number | +3.9% |
| 1989 | 30.10 million number | +2.7% |
| 1990 | 31.22 million number | +3.7% |
| 1991 | 31.49 million number | +0.9% |
| 1992 | 32.63 million number | +3.6% |
| 1993 | 33.27 million number | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 34.16 million number | +2.7% |
| 1995 | 34.74 million number | +1.7% |
| 1996 | 36.24 million number | +4.3% |
| 1997 | 35.53 million number | -2.0% |
| 1998 | 37.08 million number | +4.3% |
| 1999 | 37.19 million number | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 36.50 million number | -1.8% |
| 2001 | 35.93 million number | -1.6% |
| 2002 | 35.45 million number | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 34.38 million number | -3.0% |
| 2004 | 33.60 million number | -2.3% |
| 2005 | 32.58 million number | -3.0% |
| 2006 | 31.63 million number | -2.9% |
| 2007 | 31.10 million number | -1.7% |
| 2008 | 30.59 million number | -1.7% |
| 2009 | 30.36 million number | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 30.75 million number | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 30.40 million number | -1.1% |
| 2012 | 30.46 million number | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 30.99 million number | +1.8% |
| 2014 | 31.70 million number | +2.3% |
| 2015 | 32.73 million number | +3.2% |
| 2016 | 32.82 million number | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 32.96 million number | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 33.98 million number | +3.1% |
| 2019 | 33.92 million number | -0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 23.51 million number | 22.41 million number | 24.14 million number | 10 |
| 1980s | 25.97 million number | 23.25 million number | 30.10 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 34.35 million number | 31.22 million number | 37.19 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 33.21 million number | 30.36 million number | 36.50 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 32.07 million number | 30.40 million number | 33.98 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 3 Niger 1.37 million number compare
- 4 Mali 1.09 million number compare
- 5 Chad 1.03 million number compare
- 6 Burkina Faso 798,518 number compare
- 7 Mozambique 778,675 number compare
- 8 Yemen 754,210 number compare
- 9 Côte d'Ivoire 745,342 number compare
More reference data data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- School life expectancy, primary, both sexes 6.17 years (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 15.81 million number (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 32.03 million number (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 16.22 million number (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, female 6.02 years (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, male 6.33 years (2019)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in general 94.2% (2018)
- School life expectancy, pre-primary, both sexes 0.78 years (2019)
- Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, adjusted gender parity 0.767 GPIA (2018)
- Teachers in primary education, male 2.57 million number (2019)
Frequently asked questions
- What is out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary in Sub-Saharan Africa was 33.92 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 37.19 million number in 1999.
- What is the lowest out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.41 million number in 1970.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 6th out of 45 groups with data for 2019.
- Is out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.7%. 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 Out-of-school children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary school age, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of children and adolescents of primary and lower secondary school age who are not enrolled or attending school during in a given academic year. For more information, consult the UNESCO Institute of Statistics website: http://www.uis.unesco.org/Education/