Sierra Leone: School enrollment, secondary (% gross)

Key figures

What the numbers say

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 18.08 percentage points in 2019 and the biggest yearly fall was 5.33 percentage points in 2013. 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 2023 the straight-line trend is upward, about 6.3 percentage points a year. A straight line explains 92% of the movement over 8 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 2023, Sierra Leone had the 32nd highest value of the 49 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 2023 ranking

• West Bank and Gaza — 28th of 49: 89.12%
• Sri Lanka — 29th of 49: 87.95%
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 30th of 49: 87.87%
• Iran, Islamic Rep. — 32nd of 49: 85.15%
• Kenya — 33rd of 49: 84.31%
• Romania — 34th of 49: 81.63%

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. Secondary education completes the provision of basic education that began at the primary level, and aims at laying the foundations for lifelong learning and human development, by offering more subject- or skill-oriented instruction using more specialized teachers.

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 30 values

School enrollment, secondary (% gross) in nearby economies

• Angola — 51.48% (2023)
• Benin — 43.56% (2022)
• Botswana — 70.63% (2021)
• Burkina Faso — 29.99% (2024)
• Burundi — 23.13% (2025)
• Cabo Verde — 96.43% (2022)
• Cameroon — 44.84% (2023)
• Central African Republic — 15.81% (2017)
• Chad — 23.49% (2024)
• Comoros — 54.81% (2022)
• Congo, Dem. 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

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
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• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

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

86.91% in 2023, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1971?

It is up 77.61 percentage points from 9.29% in 1971. The highest value was 86.91% in 2023 and the lowest 9.29% in 1971.

How does Sierra Leone rank?

32nd highest of 49 economies with data for 2023.

Where does this data come from?

The World Bank's World Development Indicators, 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..

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SE.SEC.ENRR, 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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