Making Waves: The Rising Demand for Secondary Education in Sub-Saharan Africa

Greater participation in secondary education supports the advancement of human capital linked to economic growth, democracy-building, improved health, greater equity across society, and the development of a capable and competitive workforce. However, many youth never reach secondary school in Sub-Saharan Africa, which limits their life opportunities as well as national development trajectories more broadly. This brief quantifies what we can expect in terms of demand for secondary education in the coming decade, with a focus on Sub-Saharan Africa and on lower secondary education. We also highlight school resource challenges the region will face as it expands secondary education while continuing to expand primary education in pursuit of universal primary education.