Sierra Leone literacy rate for 2022 was 48.64%, a 5.06% increase from 2019.

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<li>Sierra Leone literacy rate for 2019 was <strong>43.58%</strong>, a <strong>1.26% decline</strong> from 2017.</li>
<li>Sierra Leone literacy rate for 2017 was <strong>44.83%</strong>, a <strong>12.41% increase</strong> from 2013.</li>
<li>Sierra Leone literacy rate for 2013 was <strong>32.43%</strong>, a <strong>2.57% decline</strong> from 2004.</li>
</ul>Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.

Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) in Sierra Leone was reported at 48.64 % in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Sierra Leone - Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Sierra Leone SL: Literacy Rate: Adult Male: % of Males Aged 15 and Above data was reported at 41.332 % in 2013. This records a decrease from the previous number of 46.654 % for 2004. Sierra Leone SL: Literacy Rate: Adult Male: % of Males Aged 15 and Above data is updated yearly, averaging 43.993 % from Dec 2004 (Median) to 2013, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 46.654 % in 2004 and a record low of 41.332 % in 2013. Sierra Leone SL: Literacy Rate: Adult Male: % of Males Aged 15 and Above data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Sierra Leone – Table SL.World Bank.WDI: Education Statistics. Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; Weighted average; Each economy is classified based on the classification of World Bank Group's fiscal year 2018 (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018).

Literacy rate, youth female (% of females ages 15-24) in Sierra Leone was reported at 71.65 % in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Sierra Leone - Literacy rate, youth female (% of females ages 15-24) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Sierra Leone: Youth literacy rate, ages 15-24: The latest value from 2022 is 73.46 percent, an increase from 72.99 percent in 2019. In comparison, the world average is 90.52 percent, based on data from 65 countries. Historically, the average for Sierra Leone from 2004 to 2022 is 63.92 percent. The minimum value, 48 percent, was reached in 2004 while the maximum of 73.6 percent was recorded in 2017.

Sierra Leone SL: Literacy Rate: Adult: % of People Aged 15 and Above data was reported at 32.426 % in 2013. This records a decrease from the previous number of 34.827 % for 2004. Sierra Leone SL: Literacy Rate: Adult: % of People Aged 15 and Above data is updated yearly, averaging 33.626 % from Dec 2004 (Median) to 2013, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 34.827 % in 2004 and a record low of 32.426 % in 2013. Sierra Leone SL: Literacy Rate: Adult: % of People Aged 15 and Above data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Sierra Leone – Table SL.World Bank: Education Statistics. Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; Weighted average; Each economy is classified based on the classification of World Bank Group's fiscal year 2018 (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018).

Sierra Leone SL: Literacy Rate: Youth: % of People Age 15-24 data was reported at 57.022 % in 2013. This records an increase from the previous number of 47.928 % for 2004. Sierra Leone SL: Literacy Rate: Youth: % of People Age 15-24 data is updated yearly, averaging 52.475 % from Dec 2004 (Median) to 2013, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 57.022 % in 2013 and a record low of 47.928 % in 2004. Sierra Leone SL: Literacy Rate: Youth: % of People Age 15-24 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Sierra Leone – Table SL.World Bank: Education Statistics. Youth literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15-24 who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; Weighted average; Each economy is classified based on the classification of World Bank Group's fiscal year 2018 (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018).

Literacy rate, youth (ages 15-24), gender parity index (GPI) in Sierra Leone was reported at 0.95241 % in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Sierra Leone - Ratio of young literate females to males (% ages 15-24) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

Sierra Leone SL: Literacy Rate: Adult Female: % of Females Aged 15 and Above data was reported at 24.857 % in 2013. This records an increase from the previous number of 24.159 % for 2004. Sierra Leone SL: Literacy Rate: Adult Female: % of Females Aged 15 and Above data is updated yearly, averaging 24.508 % from Dec 2004 (Median) to 2013, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 24.857 % in 2013 and a record low of 24.159 % in 2004. Sierra Leone SL: Literacy Rate: Adult Female: % of Females Aged 15 and Above data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Sierra Leone – Table SL.World Bank: Education Statistics. Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; Weighted average; Each economy is classified based on the classification of World Bank Group's fiscal year 2018 (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018).

Historical dataset showing Sierra Leone literacy rate by year from 2004 to 2022.

Literacy rate, adult male (% of males ages 15 and above) in Sierra Leone was reported at 56.03 % in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Sierra Leone - Literacy rate, adult male (% of males ages 15 and above) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Sierra Leone SL: Literacy Rate: Youth Female: % of Females Aged 15-24 data was reported at 50.857 % in 2013. This records an increase from the previous number of 37.358 % for 2004. Sierra Leone SL: Literacy Rate: Youth Female: % of Females Aged 15-24 data is updated yearly, averaging 44.107 % from Dec 2004 (Median) to 2013, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 50.857 % in 2013 and a record low of 37.358 % in 2004. Sierra Leone SL: Literacy Rate: Youth Female: % of Females Aged 15-24 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Sierra Leone – Table SL.World Bank: Education Statistics. Youth literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15-24 who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; Weighted average; Each economy is classified based on the classification of World Bank Group's fiscal year 2018 (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018).

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male (%) in Sierra Leone was reported at 9.7142 % in 2018, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Sierra Leone - Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Sierra Leone SL: Literacy Rate: Youth Male: % of Males Aged 15-24 data was reported at 64.531 % in 2013. This records an increase from the previous number of 59.614 % for 2004. Sierra Leone SL: Literacy Rate: Youth Male: % of Males Aged 15-24 data is updated yearly, averaging 62.072 % from Dec 2004 (Median) to 2013, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 64.531 % in 2013 and a record low of 59.614 % in 2004. Sierra Leone SL: Literacy Rate: Youth Male: % of Males Aged 15-24 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Sierra Leone – Table SL.World Bank.WDI: Education Statistics. Youth literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15-24 who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; Weighted average; Each economy is classified based on the classification of World Bank Group's fiscal year 2018 (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018).

Sierra Leone SL: Gender Parity Index (GPI): Literacy Rate: Youth Aged 15-24 data was reported at 0.788 Ratio in 2013. This records an increase from the previous number of 0.627 Ratio for 2004. Sierra Leone SL: Gender Parity Index (GPI): Literacy Rate: Youth Aged 15-24 data is updated yearly, averaging 0.707 Ratio from Dec 2004 (Median) to 2013, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 0.788 Ratio in 2013 and a record low of 0.627 Ratio in 2004. Sierra Leone SL: Gender Parity Index (GPI): Literacy Rate: Youth Aged 15-24 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Sierra Leone – Table SL.World Bank: Education Statistics. Gender parity index for youth literacy rate is the ratio of females to males ages 15-24 who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; Weighted average; Each economy is classified based on the classification of World Bank Group's fiscal year 2018 (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018).

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes (%) in Sierra Leone was reported at 4.5768 % in 2018, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Sierra Leone - Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

Sierra Leone: Female literacy rate, ages 15-24: Pour cet indicateur, UNESCO fournit des données pour la Sierra Leone de 2004 à 2022. La valeur moyenne pour Sierra Leone pendant cette période était de 52.99 pour cent avec un minimum de 37 pour cent en 2004 et un maximum de 71.65 pour cent en 2022.

Literacy rate, youth male (% of males ages 15-24) in Sierra Leone was reported at 75.23 % in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Sierra Leone - Literacy rate, youth male (% of males ages 15-24) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Sierra Leone: Youth literacy rate, ages 15-24: Pour cet indicateur, UNESCO fournit des données pour la Sierra Leone de 2004 à 2022. La valeur moyenne pour Sierra Leone pendant cette période était de 63.92 pour cent avec un minimum de 48 pour cent en 2004 et un maximum de 73.6 pour cent en 2017.

Sierra Leone SL: School Enrollment: Primary: % Gross data was reported at 114.836 % in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 112.750 % for 2015. Sierra Leone SL: School Enrollment: Primary: % Gross data is updated yearly, averaging 50.566 % from Dec 1971 (Median) to 2016, with 26 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 114.875 % in 2013 and a record low of 34.399 % in 1973. Sierra Leone SL: School Enrollment: Primary: % Gross data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Sierra Leone – Table SL.World Bank: Education Statistics. Gross enrollment ratio is the ratio of total enrollment, regardless of age, to the population of the age group that officially corresponds to the level of education shown. Primary education provides children with basic reading, writing, and mathematics skills along with an elementary understanding of such subjects as history, geography, natural science, social science, art, and music.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; Weighted average; Each economy is classified based on the classification of World Bank Group's fiscal year 2018 (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018).