Share of children out of school — all countries

Share of children out of school — Western Africa

Share of children out of school in Western Africa in 2020 — 17.52%. Since 1999, the indicator has fallen by 27.49 pp.

2020 17.52% −4.81 pp vs 2017
World rank
Period maximum 45.01%1999
Period minimum 17.52%2020

Trend over time

1999–2020 · % of primary school-age children

Share of children out of school — Western Africa, 1999–20201020304050199920022005200820112014201720201999: 45.01%2000: 41.59%2003: 44.64%2004: 38.37%2005: 36.93%2006: 35.87%2007: 33.92%2008: 36.06%2009: 36.31%2010: 36.46%2011: 25.25%2012: 25.77%2014: 25.34%2015: 29.23%2016: 21.98%2017: 22.33%2020: 17.52%
Change over the period: −27.49 pp Annual average: -1.31 pp

Comparison, 2020

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

Western Africa 17.52%
World computed 4.81%
Share of children out of school — Western Africa, by year Western Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2020 17.52
2017 22.33 +0.35 pp
2016 21.98 −7.24 pp
2015 29.23 +3.89 pp
2014 25.34
2012 25.77 +0.52 pp
2011 25.25 −11.2 pp
2010 36.46 +0.15 pp
2009 36.31 +0.25 pp
2008 36.06 +2.14 pp
2007 33.92 −1.95 pp
2006 35.87 −1.06 pp
2005 36.93 −1.44 pp
2004 38.37 −6.26 pp
2003 44.64
2000 41.59 −3.42 pp
1999 45.01

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.