Education · Sub-Saharan Africa · Lower-middle income
Cameroon: education in numbers
Pre-primary enrolment is 35.6% (2019), 132nd of 176 in the world and 14th of 39 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Primary enrolment is 114.4% (2024), 21st of 191 in the world and 10th of 41 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Primary completion is 75.3% (2024), 140th of 168 in the world and 16th of 36 in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Pre-primary enrolment
CameroonSub-Saharan AfricaLower-middle incomeWorld
Primary enrolment
CameroonSub-Saharan AfricaLower-middle incomeWorld
12 indicators
Education: Cameroon in detail
Latest reported value, world rank and rank within Sub-Saharan Africa; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.
| Indicator | Latest | World rank | In region | ~2000 | ~2010 | ~2020 | 10-year change | Region | Income group | World | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-primary enrolmentPre-primary enrolment, % gross | 35.6%2019 | 132/176 | 14/39 | 12.7% | 25.5% | 35.6%2019 | +11.8 ppsince 2009 | 28.1% | 58.5% | 60.9% | |
| Primary enrolmentPrimary school enrolment, % gross | 114.4%2024 | 21/191 | 10/41 | 88.5% | 111.2% | 110.1%2021 | −0.9 ppsince 2014 | 97.1% | 105.4% | 102.2% | |
| Primary completionPrimary completion rate, % of age group | 75.3%2024 | 140/168 | 16/36 | 51.5% | 73.6% | 69.5%2021 | +0.4 ppsince 2014 | 68.9% | 88.0% | 88.0% | |
| Secondary enrolmentSecondary school enrolment, % gross | 44.8%2023 | 161/176 | 20/34 | 28.5% | 49.9%2011 | 45.5%2021 | −10.1 ppsince 2013 | 45.9% | 68.0% | 77.3% | |
| Lower secondary completionLower secondary completion rate, % of age group | 35.0%2023 | 157/168 | 23/34 | · | 42.2%2011 | 35.9%2021 | −8.4 ppsince 2013 | 44.4% | 73.7% | 77.9% | |
| Tertiary enrolmentTertiary enrolment, % gross | 16.7%2024 | 136/172 | 8/34 | 4.7% | 11.6% | 15.6% | −0.1 ppsince 2014 | 9.3% | 27.4% | 43.6% | |
| Out-of-school childrenChildren out of school, % of primary school age | 3.8%2024 | 89/178 | 29/38 | · | 8.5%2011 | 4.4%2021 | −1.4 ppsince 2014 | — | 8.3% | — | |
| Adult literacyAdult literacy rate, % of people 15+ | 72.6%2018 | 110/141 | 18/41 | 68.4% | 71.2% | 72.6%2018 | +1.9 ppsince 2007 | 68.7% | 78.3% | 87.7% | |
| Youth literacyYouth literacy rate, % of people 15–24 | 81.9%2018 | 124/148 | 22/42 | 83.1% | 80.6% | 81.9%2018 | −1.2 ppsince 2007 | 79.0% | 91.9% | 93.1% | |
| Pupils per teacherPupils per teacher, primary | 44.82018 | 11/173 | 10/40 | 62.72001 | 45.8 | 44.82018 | −2.6%since 2008 | 37.4 | 28.9 | 23.4 | |
| Education spendingPublic spending on education, % of GDP | 2.8%2023 | 150/184 | 29/43 | 1.7% | 2.8% | 3.1% | +0.2 ppsince 2013 | 3.3% | 3.4% | 3.6% | |
| Education, % of budgetEducation spending, % of government expenditure | 13.8%2024 | 74/179 | 24/42 | 11.7% | 18.8% | 14.5% | +1.0 ppsince 2014 | 15.4% | 13.6% | 14.0% |
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.
Better than ten years ago
- Pre-primary enrolment+11.8 pp35.6% in 2019
- Primary completion+0.4 pp75.3% in 2024
- Out-of-school children−1.4 pp3.8% in 2024
- Adult literacy+1.9 pp72.6% in 2018
Worse than ten years ago
- Secondary enrolment−10.1 pp44.8% in 2023
- Lower secondary completion−8.4 pp35.0% in 2023
- Tertiary enrolment−0.1 pp16.7% in 2024
- Youth literacy−1.2 pp81.9% in 2018
Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).
neighbours
Cameroon and its neighbours
Countries sharing a land border with Cameroon. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.
| Indicator | Cameroon | Nigeria | Chad | Republic of the Congo | Central African Republic | Gabon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-primary enrolment | 35.6%2019 | 23.5%2018 | 1.3%2021 | 14.3%2018 | 2.9%2017 | 43.0%2019 |
| Primary enrolment | 114.4%2024 | 89.6%2023 | 88.5%2024 | 87.9%2023 | 96.8%2016 | 100.2%2019 |
| Primary completion | 75.3%2024 | 70.2%2010 | 41.8%2021 | 71.1%2023 | 38.5%2016 | — |
| Secondary enrolment | 44.8%2023 | 46.9%2023 | 23.5%2024 | 50.5%2012 | 15.8%2017 | 70.3%2019 |
| Lower secondary completion | 35.0%2023 | 44.2%2010 | 18.4%2021 | 47.9%2012 | 8.9%2016 | — |
| Tertiary enrolment | 16.7%2024 | 9.7%2011 | 4.4%2020 | 10.4%2023 | 2.8%2012 | — |
| Out-of-school children | 3.8%2024 | 24.3%2023 | 24.8%2024 | 17.1%2023 | 37.9%2012 | 28.8%2019 |
| Adult literacy | 72.6%2018 | 70.4%2024 | 30.6%2019 | 76.1%2005 | 42.4%2019 | 88.9%2021 |
| Youth literacy | 81.9%2018 | 81.4%2024 | 45.1%2019 | 78.6%2005 | 50.6%2019 | 94.0%2021 |