Sierra Leone: School enrollment, preprimary (% gross)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2021, Sierra Leone's school enrollment, preprimary (% gross) rose 4.16 percentage points on 2020 (from 20.84% to 25%).

Across the 9 yearly changes before that (2001 to 2020), the average change was +0.71 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 3.58 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.0 standard deviations above 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 5.47 percentage points in 2019 and the biggest yearly fall was 7.68 percentage points in 2011. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2012 to 2021 the straight-line trend is upward, about 1.83 percentage points a year. A straight line explains 88% 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 2021, Sierra Leone had the 56th highest value of the 66 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 Sierra Leone in the 2021 ranking

• Oman — 52nd of 66: 27.4%
• Jordan — 53rd of 66: 26.6%
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 54th of 66: 25.47%
• Benin — 56th of 66: 23.13%
• Guinea — 57th of 66: 19.66%
• Saudi Arabia — 58th of 66: 18.32%

What this measures

Gross enrollment ratio is the ratio of total enrollment, regardless of age, to the population of the age group that officially corresponds to the level of education shown. Preprimary education refers to programs at the initial stage of organized instruction, designed primarily to introduce very young children to a school-type environment and to provide a bridge between home and school.

Limitations: Enrollment indicators are based on annual school surveys, but do not necessarily reflect actual attendance or dropout rates during the year. Also, the length of education differs across countries and can influence enrollment rates, although the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) tries to minimize the difference. For example, a shorter duration for primary education tends to increase the rate; a longer one to decrease it (in part because older children are more at risk of dropping out). Moreover, age at enrollment may be inaccurately estimated or misstated, especially in communities where registration of births is not strictly enforced.

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

All 13 values

School enrollment, preprimary (% gross) in nearby economies

• Angola — 39.61% (2016)
• Benin — 23.13% (2021)
• Burkina Faso — 6.5% (2021)
• Burundi — 16.49% (2021)
• Cabo Verde — 74.7% (2019)
• Cameroon — 35.62% (2019)
• Central African Republic — 2.93% (2017)
• Chad — 1.27% (2021)
• Comoros — 21.81% (2018)
• Congo, Dem. Rep. — 6.86% (2020)
• Congo, Rep.

More education data for Sierra Leone

• 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)
• Primary education, pupils — 2.07 million (2024)
• School enrollment, primary (% gross) — 162.12% (2024)
• School enrollment, primary, female (% gross) — 166.35% (2024)
• School enrollment, primary, male (% gross) — 157.95% (2024)
• Primary education, teachers — 46,575 (2024)
• School enrollment, primary (gross), gender parity index (GPI)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Sierra Leone's school enrollment, preprimary (% gross)?

25% in 2021, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 2000?

It is up 21.14 percentage points from 3.86% in 2000. The highest value was 25% in 2021 and the lowest 3.86% in 2000.

How does Sierra Leone rank?

56th highest of 66 economies with data for 2021.

Is the latest change in school enrollment, preprimary (% gross) unusual for Sierra Leone?

In 2021, Sierra Leone's school enrollment, preprimary (% gross) rose 4.16 percentage points on 2020 (from 20.84% to 25%). Across the 9 yearly changes before that (2001 to 2020), the average change was +0.71 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 3.58 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.0 standard deviations above 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.PRE.ENRR, 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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