Africa in Focus: Education Projections

The education level of African countries significantly changed during the last 30 years. If in 1980, the highest average years of schooling attained was 5.5 years recorded in Mauritius, in 2015, this number increased to 10.3 years which was recorded in Botswana. The lowest value in 1980 was recorded in Mali (0.5 years). In 2015, the African country with the lowest average years of schooling attained became Niger (2.4 years).

The percentage of the population with no schooling attained decreased from 1980 but is still high. Niger was the African country with the highest percentage of no schooling attained in 1980 (88.5%) and remained on its leading position in 2015 with 65.6%. Reunion island had the lowest percentage of the population with no schooling (18.8%) in 1980. As for 2015, the country with the least percentage of no schooling became Mauritius with 1.7%.

In 2040, the average years of schooling attained is predicted to reach 12.35 years in Mauritius, 12.27 in Libya and 12.24 in Gabon - these countries are predicted to be the African leaders by this indicator. The percentage of the population without schooling is estimated to be the highest in Sudan (32.3%), Mali (31.7%), and Niger (29.5%) and the lowest in Zimbabwe (0.6%), Botswana (0.3%), and Mauritius (0.3%).

Africa in Focus:  Overview | Population Prospects | Population Density | Demographics | GDP per capita | Education