Education in North, Cameroon: official figures

Primary schools in the North region had 692,586 pupils and 9,721 teachers in 2021/22, 71 pupils per teacher, 2nd highest of the 10 regions (Cameroon: 43).

Are primary classrooms in the North region overcrowded?

There were 76 primary pupils per classroom in the North region in 2021/22 (2nd highest of the 10 regions; Cameroon: 44), and 76% of classrooms were built in permanent materials (Cameroon: 85%).

Source: Institut National de la Statistique with the education ministries (SIGE school census) · saved copy

Do girls go to secondary school in the North region?

General secondary schools in the North region taught 116,495 students in 2021/22, with 53 girls for every 100 boys, the lowest of the 10 regions (Cameroon: 101), and 29 students per teacher (Cameroon: 22).

Source: Institut National de la Statistique with the education ministries (SIGE school census) · saved copy

What is the literacy rate in the North region?

31.2% of women aged 15 to 49 in the North region could read in 2018, 2nd lowest of the 10 regions (Cameroon: 70.1%).

Source: Institut National de la Statistique (with ICF, The DHS Program) · saved copy

Do children in the North region go to school?

69.6% of primary-age children in the North region attended primary school in 2018, 3rd lowest of the 12 survey areas (Cameroon: 77.5%).

Source: Institut National de la Statistique (with ICF, The DHS Program) · saved copy

How North compares with other regions

Primary pupils per teacher (2021/22)

North ranks 2 of 10, highest first.

Rank	Region	Primary pupils per teacher
1	Far North	77
2	North	71
3	Adamawa	65
4	East	62
5	West	46
6	South	38
7	Centre	30

Source: Institut National de la Statistique with the education ministries (SIGE school census) · saved copy

Women aged 15-49 who can read (2018)

North ranks 9 of 10, highest first.

Rank	Region	Women aged 15-49 who can read
4	South	90.0%
5	West	88.4%
6	North-West	74.7%
7	East	64.7%
8	Adamawa	42.5%
9	North	31.2%
10	Far North	30.6%

Source: Institut National de la Statistique (with ICF, The DHS Program) · saved copy

More on North: overview · economy and jobs · health · Cameroon

Sources

Institut National de la Statistique (with ICF, The DHS Program): Enquête Démographique et de Santé du Cameroun 2018 (EDSC-V), final report: regional tables 2.1.2, 2.3.2, 2.6, 2.13, 3.3.1, 3.13, 5.2, 8.2-8.3, 9.5, 10.3, 11.1, 12.15, 14.4, 17.10.1, read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b2fd029d9c33…)
Institut National de la Statistique with the education ministries (SIGE school census): Annuaire statistique sectoriel 2021-2022 de l'éducation et de la formation (key figures by region: primary VI.1, general secondary IX.1), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 fe339187a8b4…)

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