Student-teacher ratio in primary education globally by region, 2000-2018
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
24 Jan 2024
Sub-Saharan Africa has encountered notable challenges in its education sector, as reflected in its consistently high student-teacher ratio, which has exceeded 40 students per teacher over the past two decades, gradually declining after 2012. This can be attributed to insufficient government funding, which directly impacts teacher salaries, thus contributing to a shortage of qualified educators. Inadequate educational infrastructure compounds these issues, with limited classrooms and resources contributing to overcrowded learning environments. South Asia faces comparable challenges due to rapid population growth, which strains the education system and complicates efforts to maintain low student-teacher ratios. Conversely, North America, Europe, and Central Asia have maintained student-teacher ratios twice as low over the same period. This disparity can be attributed to greater resource availability and a commitment to investing in education.
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