Official 2023 Annual Education Census enrolment statistics.
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Education in South Sudan
DATAEducation profile
Education profile 路 Reference periods shown
South Sudan's National Bureau of Statistics publishes 2023 Annual Education Census results showing 1,823,431 primary pupils, 162,165 secondary pupils and 78,631 learners in the Alternative Education System. South Sudan's page uses the latest directly verified census figures available from the National Bureau of Statistics and keeps the 2023 year prominent.
South Sudan education snapshot
South Sudan's page uses the latest directly verified census figures available from the National Bureau of Statistics and keeps the 2023 year prominent.
Primary pupils
1,823,431
Secondary pupils
162,165
Alternative education
78,631
Pre-primary pupils
151,267
* Reference years and benchmark labels are shown with the figures.
How the education pathway works
The stage map mirrors the census categories, including the Alternative Education System as a distinct route.
| Stage | When | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-primary education | Early years | Pre-primary precedes the main formal school sequence. |
| Primary education | Primary | Primary education accounts for the largest census enrolment group. |
| Secondary education | Secondary | Secondary schooling follows primary education. |
| Alternative Education System | Alternative route | AES provides another pathway outside the standard formal sequence. |
Key evidence
The four cards are headcounts for different education levels or programmes in the same census.
| Measure | Value | Year | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary pupils | 1,823,431 | 2023 | 2023 Annual Education Census |
| Secondary pupils | 162,165 | 2023 | 2023 Annual Education Census |
| Alternative education | 78,631 | 2023 | AES learners |
| Pre-primary pupils | 151,267 | 2023 | Pre-primary enrolment |
* Reference years and benchmark labels are shown with the figures.
How to read the South Sudan evidence
No 2026 label is applied to these values, and no recent missing enrolment is estimated.
The page avoids modelled out-of-school estimates because the national census provides clearer administrative counts for this snapshot.
Frequently asked questions
How many primary pupils were counted in South Sudan's 2023 census?
The census reports 1,823,431.
How many secondary pupils were counted?
The 2023 total is 162,165.
How many learners were in the Alternative Education System?
The census reports 78,631.
How many pre-primary pupils were reported?
The total is 151,267.
Sources and methodology
The National Bureau of Statistics directly supports all four headline values.
Methodology: South Sudan counts remain explicitly tied to the 2023 Annual Education Census.