Share of children out of school — all countries

Share of children out of school — Southern Africa

Share of children out of school in Southern Africa in 2023 — 6.83%. Since 1970, the indicator has fallen by 26.44 pp.

2023 6.83% +0.59 pp vs 2022
World rank —
Period maximum 46.11%1971
Period minimum 4.81%2021

Trend over time

1970–2023 · % of primary school-age children

Share of children out of school — Southern Africa, 1970–2023020406019701976198219881994200020062012201820231970: 33.27%1971: 46.11%1972: 44.67%1973: 42.48%1974: 36.8%1976: 31.44%1977: 28.92%1978: 31.38%1979: 30.23%1980: 28.52%1981: 26.3%1983: 24.56%1984: 24.52%1985: 23.04%1986: 23.72%1987: 22.07%1988: 22.1%1989: 20.7%1990: 21.11%1991: 15.13%1992: 19.34%1993: 24.97%1994: 17.01%1995: 18.62%1996: 23.41%1998: 18.86%1999: 17.92%2000: 17.79%2001: 16.65%2002: 15.09%2003: 13.96%2004: 13.35%2005: 12.9%2006: 11.25%2007: 10.96%2008: 10.88%2009: 12.36%2010: 10.66%2011: 8.92%2012: 9.06%2013: 9.41%2014: 9.81%2015: 5.4%2016: 8.81%2017: 6.51%2018: 9.38%2019: 8.56%2020: 8.47%2021: 4.81%2022: 6.24%2023: 6.83%
Change over the period: −26.44 pp Annual average: -0.5 pp

Comparison, 2023

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Southern Africa

Southern Africa 6.83%
World computed 8.88%
Share of children out of school — Southern Africa, by year Southern Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2023 6.83 +0.59 pp
2022 6.24 +1.43 pp
2021 4.81 −3.65 pp
2020 8.47 −0.1 pp
2019 8.56 −0.82 pp
2018 9.38 +2.86 pp
2017 6.51 −2.29 pp
2016 8.81 +3.41 pp
2015 5.4 −4.41 pp
2014 9.81 +0.4 pp
2013 9.41 +0.35 pp
2012 9.06 +0.14 pp
2011 8.92 −1.74 pp
2010 10.66 −1.7 pp
2009 12.36 +1.49 pp
2008 10.88 −0.08 pp
2007 10.96 −0.3 pp
2006 11.25 −1.65 pp
2005 12.9 −0.45 pp
2004 13.35 −0.61 pp
2003 13.96 −1.13 pp
2002 15.09 −1.56 pp
2001 16.65 −1.14 pp
2000 17.79 −0.13 pp
1999 17.92 −0.95 pp
1998 18.86 —
1996 23.41 +4.79 pp
1995 18.62 +1.61 pp
1994 17.01 −7.96 pp
1993 24.97 +5.64 pp
1992 19.34 +4.21 pp
1991 15.13 −5.98 pp
1990 21.11 +0.41 pp
1989 20.7 −1.4 pp
1988 22.1 +0.02 pp
1987 22.07 −1.64 pp
1986 23.72 +0.67 pp
1985 23.04 −1.48 pp
1984 24.52 −0.04 pp
1983 24.56 —
1981 26.3 −2.22 pp
1980 28.52 −1.71 pp
1979 30.23 −1.15 pp
1978 31.38 +2.47 pp
1977 28.92 −2.52 pp
1976 31.44 —
1974 36.8 −5.68 pp
1973 42.48 −2.2 pp
1972 44.67 −1.44 pp
1971 46.11 +12.84 pp
1970 33.27 —

About the indicator

The share of children of primary school age not attending school. Unlike the absolute count, the indicator speaks to the state of the education system in a country, and it shows that the task does not reduce to poverty: at comparable income the shares differ severalfold, and the highest values come from countries where schooling is obstructed by conflict or by a nomadic way of life.

Important: The aggregate is weighted by the number of children aged 0–14: total population is the wrong weight here — the share of children differs fourfold across countries.

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), license CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO.