Countries in Africa Ranked by Pupil-teacher ratio (primary) (2018)
Pupil-teacher ratio (primary): each country's latest value (2013–2018), ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Central African Republic ranks #1 with 83.4 pupils per teacher (2016). Rwanda is second with 59.5 pupils per teacher, 40.2% behind. The top five are Central African Republic, Rwanda, Malawi, Chad and Mozambique. The median across all 46 is 36.2 pupils per teacher; Seychelles is last at 14.5 pupils per teacher. Central African Republic's figure has fallen 6% since 2005 (88.6 pupils per teacher to 83.4 pupils per teacher in 2016).
- #1
- Central African Republic · 83.4 pupils per teacher
- Median
- 36.2 pupils per teacher
- Coverage
- 46 countries in Africa
- Data year
- 2018
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | Pupil-teacher ratio (primary) (pupils per teacher) | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Central African Republic | 83.4 | 2016 |
| 2 | Rwanda | 59.5 | 2018 |
| 3 | Malawi | 58.7 | 2018 |
| 4 | Chad | 56.9 | 2016 |
| 5 | Mozambique | 55.3 | 2018 |
| 6 | Tanzania | 50.6 | 2018 |
| 7 | Angola | 50 | 2015 |
| 8 | Guinea | 47.1 | 2016 |
| 9 | South Sudan | 46.8 | 2015 |
| 10 | Cameroon | 44.8 | 2018 |
| 11 | Uganda | 42.7 | 2017 |
| 12 | Burundi | 42.5 | 2018 |
| 13 | Zambia | 42.1 | 2017 |
| 14 | Côte d'Ivoire | 41.8 | 2018 |
| 15 | Togo | 40.1 | 2018 |
| 16 | Madagascar | 39.8 | 2018 |
| 17 | Burkina Faso | 39.7 | 2018 |
| 18 | Benin | 39.2 | 2018 |
| 19 | Eritrea | 38.7 | 2018 |
| 20 | Mali | 37.8 | 2018 |
| 21 | Zimbabwe | 36.4 | 2013 |
| 22 | Niger | 36.3 | 2017 |
| 23 | Senegal | 36.3 | 2018 |
| 24 | Gambia, The | 36.1 | 2018 |
| 25 | Mauritania | 34.3 | 2018 |
| 26 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 33.2 | 2015 |
| 27 | Lesotho | 32.9 | 2017 |
| 28 | São Tomé and Principe | 31.2 | 2017 |
| 29 | Kenya | 30.7 | 2015 |
| 30 | South Africa | 30.3 | 2015 |
| 31 | Djibouti | 29.4 | 2018 |
| 32 | Comoros | 28.1 | 2018 |
| 33 | Sierra Leone | 27.5 | 2018 |
| 34 | Ghana | 27 | 2019 |
| 35 | Morocco | 26.8 | 2018 |
| 36 | Eswatini | 26.6 | 2017 |
| 37 | Namibia | 25.1 | 2018 |
| 38 | Algeria | 24.3 | 2018 |
| 39 | Botswana | 23.7 | 2015 |
| 40 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 23.7 | 2018 |
| 41 | Equatorial Guinea | 23.2 | 2015 |
| 42 | Liberia | 22.3 | 2017 |
| 43 | Cabo Verde | 21.1 | 2018 |
| 44 | Tunisia | 16.9 | 2018 |
| 45 | Mauritius | 16.2 | 2018 |
| 46 | Seychelles | 14.5 | 2018 |
About the top 10
#1 Central African Republic
Central African Republic ranks #1 on this list with 83.4 pupils per teacher (2016).
- Capital
- Bangui
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 5.51 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$3.07 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$556.1 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 57.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 44.6% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in population ages 0-14 share · #1 in age dependency ratio · #1 in age dependency ratio (young).
#2 Rwanda
Rwanda ranks #2 on this list with 59.5 pupils per teacher.
- Capital
- Kigali
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 14.57 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$16.37 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,124 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 68 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 30.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Kigali.
Also ranks #1 in women in parliament share · #2 in school enrolment (primary) · #2 in pupil-teacher ratio (primary).
#3 Malawi
Malawi ranks #3 on this list with 58.7 pupils per teacher.
- Capital
- Lilongwe
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 22.22 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$14.92 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$671.5 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 67.6 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 17.6% of population (2025)
Also ranks #3 in school enrolment (primary) · #3 in pupil-teacher ratio (primary) · #3 in poverty headcount ratio.
#4 Chad
Chad ranks #4 on this list with 56.9 pupils per teacher (2016).
- Capital
- N'Djamena
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 21 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$21.47 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,022 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 55.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 27.6% of population (2025)
Largest cities: N'Djamena.
Also ranks #1 in fertility rate · #2 in birth rate · #2 in maternal mortality ratio.
#5 Mozambique
Mozambique ranks #5 on this list with 55.3 pupils per teacher.
- Capital
- Maputo
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 35.63 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$22.34 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$626.9 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 63.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 37.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Maputo, Matola.
Also ranks #2 in poverty headcount ratio · #3 in income share of richest 10% · #4 in debt service share of exports.
#6 Tanzania
Tanzania ranks #6 on this list with 50.6 pupils per teacher.
- Capital
- Dodoma
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 70.55 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$90.14 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,319 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 67.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 36.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Dar es Salaam.
Also ranks #4 in labour force participation rate · #4 in female labour force participation · #5 in livestock production index.
#7 Angola
Angola ranks #7 on this list with 50 pupils per teacher (2015).
- Capital
- Luanda
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 39.04 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$122.17 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$3,130 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 64.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 71.5% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Luanda, Quilamba Quiaxi.
Also ranks #4 in gini index · #4 in oil rents share of gdp · #5 in income share of richest 10%.
#8 Guinea
Guinea ranks #8 on this list with 47.1 pupils per teacher (2016).
- Capital
- Conakry
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 15.1 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$28.35 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,877 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 60.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 38.5% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Conakry.
Also ranks #6 in under-5 mortality rate · #7 in infant mortality rate · #7 in official exchange rate.
#9 South Sudan
South Sudan ranks #9 on this list with 46.8 pupils per teacher (2015).
- Capital
- Juba
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 12.19 million people (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 57.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 21.7% of population (2025)
- Currency
- South Sudanese pound
- Official languages
- English
Also ranks #1 in infant mortality rate · #4 in inflation rate · #4 in maternal mortality ratio.
#10 Cameroon
Cameroon ranks #10 on this list with 44.8 pupils per teacher.
- Capital
- Yaoundé
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 29.88 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$58.93 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,972 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 64 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 55.7% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Douala, Yaoundé, Garoua.
Also ranks #10 in pm2.5 air pollution exposure · #11 in pupil-teacher ratio (primary) · #15 in age dependency ratio (young).
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Pupil-teacher ratio (primary): each country's latest value (2013–2018), ranked from highest to lowest.
Source: The World Bank, indicator SE.PRM.ENRL.TC.ZS. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Pupil-teacher ratio, primary: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) (via World Development Indicators)
Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Values are shown as published. Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.