Rates of gender exclusion

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies examines gender exclusion in African education, comparing enrollment ratios and attainment levels across different regions and educational tiers. It highlights a persistent gap between male and female education in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in Central Africa, and notes that without aggressive interventions, the region will struggle to close the gap with global averages.

• In Africa, there is a significant gap in primary school attendance for children aged 6 to 11, with an estimated 9 million girls never attending school compared to 6 million boys.
• Gender parity in sub-Saharan Africa varies by region and education level. In 2019, primary enrollment was 96 girls per 100 boys, with Southern Africa performing best (99:100) and Central Africa worst (93:100). Lower secondary enrollment was 91 girls per 100 boys, with East Africa averaging 97:100 and Central Africa lagging at 77:100. Upper-secondary enrollment was 87 girls per 100 boys, with Southern Africa leading at nearly 101:100 and Central Africa at 68:100. At the tertiary level, sub-Saharan Africa averaged 80 females per 100 males, though Southern Africa was the only sub-region where female enrollment exceeded males at 119:100.
• Educational attainment gaps differ by age and region. In 2019, women aged 25+ in sub-Saharan Africa had about 1.5 years less education than men, while the gap for those aged 15-24 was 0.6 years. In North Africa, women aged 25+ had 1.2 years less education than men, but those aged 15-24 had about 0.5 years more. Somalia was the worst-performing sub-Saharan country, where women aged 25+ had three years less education than men. Conversely, women aged 25+ had more education than men in Namibia, Lesotho, Gabon, Rwanda, Mali, and Libya.
• Sub-Saharan Africa's progress toward global educational standards is slow. It took the region from 2000 to 2010 to increase average female education by one year. The global mean length of adult female education was 8.4 years in 2019; sub-Saharan Africa is not projected to reach this level until the second half of the century on its current path, by which time the global average will likely be 10 years.

APA

Aikins, E. R., & Cilliers, J. (2026). Rates of gender exclusion. Institute for Security Studies. https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/guide.pdf?thematic=06-education&topic=07-rates-of-gender-exclusion

Chicago

Aikins, Enoch Randy, and Jakkie Cilliers. Rates of gender exclusion. Institute for Security Studies, 2026. https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/guide.pdf?thematic=06-education&topic=07-rates-of-gender-exclusion.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Aikins |first1=Enoch Randy |last2=Cilliers |first2=Jakkie |title=Rates of gender exclusion |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=21 April 2026 |url=https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/guide.pdf?thematic=06-education&topic=07-rates-of-gender-exclusion |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{aikins2026rates, author = {Aikins, Enoch Randy and Cilliers, Jakkie}, title = {{Rates of gender exclusion}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2026}, month = apr, url = {https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/guide.pdf?thematic=06-education&topic=07-rates-of-gender-exclusion}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }