Senegal: Pupil-teacher ratio, primary

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2018, Senegal's pupil-teacher ratio, primary rose 3.51 on 2017 (from 32.81 to 36.32).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1988 to 2017), the average change was −0.6 and a typical year strayed about 2.83 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.5 standard deviations above that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 6.34 in 1990 and the biggest yearly fall was 7.27 in 1999. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2009 to 2018 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains less than 1% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2018, Senegal had the 18th highest value of the 83 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.

Closest to Senegal in the 2018 ranking

• Benin — 14th of 83: 39.2
• Eritrea — 15th of 83: 38.74
• Mali — 16th of 83: 37.83
• Gambia, The — 18th of 83: 36.14
• Bhutan — 19th of 83: 34.67
• Mauritania — 20th of 83: 34.28

What this measures

Primary school pupil-teacher ratio is the average number of pupils per teacher in primary school.

Limitations: The comparability of pupil-teacher ratios across countries is affected by the definition of teachers and by differences in class size by grade and in the number of hours taught, as well as the different practices countries employ such as part-time teachers, school shifts, and multi-grade classes. Moreover, the underlying enrollment levels are subject to a variety of reporting errors.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a weighted average.

All 48 values

Pupil-teacher ratio, primary in nearby economies

• Angola — 50.03 (2015)
• Benin — 39.2 (2018)
• Botswana — 23.71 (2015)
• Burkina Faso — 39.72 (2018)
• Burundi — 42.52 (2018)
• Cabo Verde — 21.07 (2018)
• Cameroon — 44.83 (2018)
• Central African Republic — 83.41 (2016)
• Chad — 56.89 (2016)
• Comoros — 28.06 (2018)
• Congo, Dem. Rep. — 33.2 (2015)

More education data for Senegal

• 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), gender parity index (GPI) — 1.16 (2021)
• Primary education, pupils — 2.35 million (2024)
• School enrollment, primary (% gross) — 85.33% (2024)
• School enrollment, primary, female (% gross) — 96.07% (2024)
• School enrollment, primary, male (% gross) — 75.52% (2024)
• Primary education, teachers

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Senegal's pupil-teacher ratio, primary?

36.32 in 2018, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1971?

It is down 19.71% from 45.23 in 1971 (0.47% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 59.74 in 1995 and the lowest 31.74 in 2016.

How does Senegal rank?

18th highest of 83 economies with data for 2018.

Is the latest change in pupil-teacher ratio, primary unusual for Senegal?

In 2018, Senegal's pupil-teacher ratio, primary rose 3.51 on 2017 (from 32.81 to 36.32). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1988 to 2017), the average change was −0.6 and a typical year strayed about 2.83 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.5 standard deviations above that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SE.PRM.ENRL.TC.ZS, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), uri: https://uis.unesco.org/bdds, publisher: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) 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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