Children out of school — all countries

Children out of school — Southern Africa

Children out of school in Southern Africa in 2023 — 569,248 people. Since 1970, the indicator has fallen by 61%.

2023 569,248 people +2.45% vs 2022
World rank
Period maximum 1.74M people1998
Period minimum 77,879 people2011

Trend over time

1970–2023 · people

Children out of school — Southern Africa, 1970–20230500,0001M1.5M2M19701976198219881994200020062012201820231970: 1,459,829 people1971: 189,385 people1972: 187,982 people1973: 185,585 people1974: 164,875 people1976: 148,839 people1977: 140,855 people1978: 157,999 people1979: 157,925 people1980: 154,724 people1981: 146,973 people1983: 149,295 people1984: 155,414 people1985: 152,245 people1986: 163,653 people1987: 154,348 people1988: 160,192 people1989: 205,023 people1990: 215,758 people1991: 1,169,788 people1992: 210,085 people1993: 211,037 people1994: 1,517,164 people1995: 1,717,811 people1996: 282,501 people1998: 1,738,483 people1999: 1,640,686 people2000: 1,613,720 people2001: 1,493,353 people2002: 1,331,339 people2003: 1,217,874 people2004: 1,150,237 people2005: 1,095,944 people2006: 109,940 people2007: 106,008 people2008: 105,092 people2009: 144,671 people2010: 92,963 people2011: 77,879 people2012: 108,340 people2013: 114,765 people2014: 121,675 people2015: 761,331 people2016: 81,982 people2017: 839,852 people2018: 797,151 people2019: 735,313 people2020: 714,667 people2021: 405,428 people2022: 555,616 people2023: 569,248 people
Change over the period: −890,581 (−61.01%) Average annual rate: -1.76 %

Comparison, 2023

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

Southern Africa 569,248 people
World computed 44.51M people
Children out of school — Southern Africa, by year Southern Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2023 569,248 +13,632 +2.45%
2022 555,616 +150,188 +37.04%
2021 405,428 −309,239 −43.27%
2020 714,667 −20,646 −2.81%
2019 735,313 −61,838 −7.76%
2018 797,151 −42,701 −5.08%
2017 839,852 +757,870 +924.43%
2016 81,982 −679,349 −89.23%
2015 761,331 +639,656 +525.71%
2014 121,675 +6,910 +6.02%
2013 114,765 +6,425 +5.93%
2012 108,340 +30,461 +39.11%
2011 77,879 −15,084 −16.23%
2010 92,963 −51,708 −35.74%
2009 144,671 +39,579 +37.66%
2008 105,092 −916 −0.86%
2007 106,008 −3,932 −3.58%
2006 109,940 −986,004 −89.97%
2005 1.1M −54,293 −4.72%
2004 1.15M −67,637 −5.55%
2003 1.22M −113,465 −8.52%
2002 1.33M −162,014 −10.85%
2001 1.49M −120,367 −7.46%
2000 1.61M −26,966 −1.64%
1999 1.64M −97,797 −5.63%
1998 1.74M
1996 282,501 −1.44M −83.55%
1995 1.72M +200,647 +13.23%
1994 1.52M +1.31M +618.91%
1993 211,037 +952 +0.45%
1992 210,085 −959,703 −82.04%
1991 1.17M +954,030 +442.18%
1990 215,758 +10,735 +5.24%
1989 205,023 +44,831 +27.99%
1988 160,192 +5,844 +3.79%
1987 154,348 −9,305 −5.69%
1986 163,653 +11,408 +7.49%
1985 152,245 −3,169 −2.04%
1984 155,414 +6,119 +4.1%
1983 149,295
1981 146,973 −7,751 −5.01%
1980 154,724 −3,201 −2.03%
1979 157,925 −74 −0.05%
1978 157,999 +17,144 +12.17%
1977 140,855 −7,984 −5.36%
1976 148,839
1974 164,875 −20,710 −11.16%
1973 185,585 −2,397 −1.28%
1972 187,982 −1,403 −0.74%
1971 189,385 −1.27M −87.03%
1970 1.46M

About the indicator

The number of children of primary school age who attend neither primary nor secondary school. The absolute count answers the question of the scale of the task rather than of the state of a country, and for that reason it diverges from the share: a large part of all out-of-school children in the world lives in a few big countries where the share is low, not in those where the share is high. Both numbers matter for planning, and together they produce different lists of priorities.

Important: Primary school age only. Adolescents who do not attend secondary school are not part of this series, although there are more of them.

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