Kenya vs South Africa: Primary education, pupils, gaps filled

Kenya
8.04 million
in 2023
South Africa
7.52 million
in 2023
Kenya rank
18th
South Africa rank
21st

Primary education, pupils, gaps filled over time

  • Kenya
  • South Africa
2.0M4.0M6.0M8.0M197019962023

How they compare

Kenya currently reports 8.04 million against 7.52 million in South Africa, a difference of 522,200.

That makes Kenya's figure about 1.1 times South Africa's.

The two have swapped places 3 times across 50 shared years of data; in 1970 it was South Africa ahead.

Kenya ranks 18th and South Africa ranks 21st of 206 countries.

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

Head to head by decade

Decade Kenya South Africa Difference Ahead
1970s 2.58 million 4.31 million 1.73 million South Africa
1980s 3.95 million 4.85 million 899,153 South Africa
1990s 4.60 million 7.76 million 3.16 million South Africa
2000s 5.97 million 7.35 million 1.38 million South Africa
2010s 7.79 million 7.31 million 480,639 Kenya
2020s 7.88 million 7.64 million 234,178 Kenya

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher primary education, pupils, gaps filled, Kenya or South Africa?
Kenya, at 8.04 million against 7.52 million in South Africa as of 2023.
What is the difference in primary education, pupils, gaps filled between Kenya and South Africa?
522,200, with Kenya ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Kenya and South Africa?
50 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 2023.
How do Kenya and South Africa rank globally for primary education, pupils, gaps filled?
Kenya ranks 18th and South Africa ranks 21st of 206 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Statizoid (derived), published as Primary education, pupils, gaps filled. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Kenya vs South Africa: Primary education, pupils, gaps filled. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 02 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/primary-education-pupils-gaps-filled/kenya/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Primary education, pupils, gaps filled
Source
Statizoid (derived)
Licence
Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage
251 places, 11,866 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

Primary education, pupils with 569 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.