Cameroon's primary education, pupils was 5.29 million in 2024, the latest year in the World Bank's World Development Indicators. That is up 27.68% from 4.14 million in 2014 (2.47% a year on average, compounded).
Key figures
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Latest | 5.29 million | 2024 |
| Five years earlier | 4.4 million | 2019 |
| Ten years earlier | 4.14 million | 2014 |
| Highest | 5.29 million | 2024 |
| Lowest | 923,234 | 1971 |
| Average since 2015 | 4.66 million | 2015–2024 |
| First recorded | 923,234 |
What the numbers say
In 2024, Cameroon's primary education, pupils rose 2.6% on 2023 (from 5.16 million to 5.29 million).
Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1988 to 2023), the average change was +3.2% and a typical year strayed about 4.6% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.
On record, the biggest yearly rise was 20.2% in 2001 and the biggest yearly fall was 5.8% in 1996. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.
From 2015 to 2024 the straight-line trend is upward, about 107,704 a year. A straight line explains 79% of the movement over 9 observed years.
Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.
How it compares
In 2024, Cameroon had the 12th highest value of the 119 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Cameroon | 5.29 million | 2024 |
| World | 780.85 million | 2024 |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | 196.8 million | 2024 |
| Lower middle income | 343.48 million | 2024 |
Closest to Cameroon in the 2024 ranking
- Tanzania — 8th of 119: 11.39 million
- Viet Nam — 9th of 119: 8.88 million
- Madagascar — 10th of 119: 5.29 million
- Ghana — 12th of 119: 4.98 million
- Côte d'Ivoire — 13th of 119: 4.82 million
- Malawi — 14th of 119: 4.75 million
What this measures
Primary education pupils is the total number of pupils enrolled at primary level in public and private schools.
Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a sum.
All 51 values
| Year | Primary education, pupils |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 5,289,656 |
| 2023 | 5,155,547 |
| 2022 | 4,944,290 |
| 2021 | 4,731,585 |
| 2020 | no data |
| 2019 | 4,399,897 |
| 2018 | 4,201,988 |
| 2017 | 4,371,381 |
| 2016 | 4,481,235 |
| 2015 | 4,369,988 |
| 2014 |
Primary education, pupils in nearby economies
- Angola — 5.38 million (2023)
- Benin — 2.4 million (2022)
- Botswana — 381,674 (2022)
- Burkina Faso — 3.07 million (2024)
- Burundi — 2.52 million (2025)
- Cabo Verde — 61,167 (2022)
- Central African Republic — 813,767 (2016)
- Chad — 3.05 million (2024)
- Comoros — 102,152 (2024)
- Congo, Dem. Rep. — 21.15 million (2023)
- Congo, Rep. — 880,625 (2023)
- Côte d'Ivoire
More education data for Cameroon
- Primary school starting age (years) — 6 (2025)
- Primary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
- Lower secondary school starting age (years) — 12 (2025)
- Secondary education, duration (years) — 7 (2025)
- School enrollment, primary (% gross) — 114.41% (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, female (% gross) — 109.53% (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, male (% gross) — 119.22% (2024)
- Primary education, teachers — 121,453 (2024)
- School enrollment, preprimary (% gross) — 35.62% (2019)
- School enrollment, primary (gross), gender parity index (GPI)
Reading data like this
Questions people ask
- What is Cameroon's primary education, pupils?
- 5.29 million in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).
- How has it changed since 1971?
- It is up 472.95% from 923,234 in 1971 (3.35% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 5.29 million in 2024 and the lowest 923,234 in 1971.
- How does Cameroon rank?
- 12th highest of 119 economies with data for 2024.
- Is the latest change in primary education, pupils unusual for Cameroon?
- In 2024, Cameroon's primary education, pupils rose 2.6% on 2023 (from 5.16 million to 5.29 million). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1988 to 2023), the average change was +3.2% and a typical year strayed about 4.6% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.
Source
World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SE.PRM.ENRL, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), uri: https://databrowser.uis.unesco.org/resources, note: The data are obtained through the UIS API. Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.
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