Ireland vs South Africa: Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate

Ireland
-1.49 % change on previous year
in 2022
South Africa
-1.44 % change on previous year
in 2023
Ireland rank
159th
South Africa rank
158th

Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate over time

  • Ireland
  • South Africa
-100102030197219972023

How they compare

South Africa currently reports -1.44 % change on previous year against -1.49 % change on previous year in Ireland, a difference of 0.05 % change on previous year.

The two have swapped places 11 times across 34 shared years of data; in 1978 it was Ireland ahead.

Ireland ranks 159th and South Africa ranks 158th of 206 countries.

Across the 6 decades both report, Ireland averaged higher in 4 and South Africa in 2.

Head to head by decade

Decade Ireland South Africa Difference Ahead
1970s 1 % change on previous year -0.5906 % change on previous year 1.59 % change on previous year Ireland
1980s 0.2553 % change on previous year 9.77 % change on previous year 9.51 % change on previous year South Africa
1990s 4.67 % change on previous year 1.4 % change on previous year 3.27 % change on previous year Ireland
2000s 0.9 % change on previous year -1.05 % change on previous year 1.95 % change on previous year Ireland
2010s 1.32 % change on previous year 0.7735 % change on previous year 0.5428 % change on previous year Ireland
2020s -1.16 % change on previous year -0.2491 % change on previous year 0.9088 % change on previous year South Africa

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher primary education, pupils, annual growth rate, Ireland or South Africa?
South Africa, at -1.44 % change on previous year against -1.49 % change on previous year in Ireland as of 2023.
What is the difference in primary education, pupils, annual growth rate between Ireland and South Africa?
0.05 % change on previous year, with South Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Ireland and South Africa?
34 years are reported by both, from 1978 to 2022.
How do Ireland and South Africa rank globally for primary education, pupils, annual growth rate?
Ireland ranks 159th and South Africa ranks 158th of 206 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Statizoid (derived), published as Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Ireland vs South Africa: Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/primary-education-pupils-annual-growth-rate/ireland/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate
Unit
% change on previous year
Source
Statizoid (derived)
Licence
Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage
251 places, 10,553 data points, 1971–2025
Last refreshed

The year-on-year percentage change in Primary education, pupils. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.