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.