South Africa vs World: Secondary education, pupils

South Africa
51.7%
in 2017
World
48.0%
in 2018
South Africa rank
23rd
World rank
22nd

Secondary education, pupils over time

  • South Africa
  • World
0204060197019942018

How they compare

South Africa currently reports 51.7% against 48.0% in World, a difference of 3.7%.

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

Across all 23 years both countries report, South Africa has been ahead every year.

South Africa ranks 23rd and World ranks 22nd of 203 countries.

South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade South Africa World Difference Ahead
1980s 53.3% 44.6% 8.6% South Africa
1990s 53.5% 45.5% 7.9% South Africa
2000s 51.5% 47.1% 4.4% South Africa
2010s 51.1% 47.8% 3.3% South Africa

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher secondary education, pupils, South Africa or World?
South Africa, at 51.7% against 48.0% in World as of 2017.
What is the difference in secondary education, pupils between South Africa and World?
3.7%, with South Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and World?
23 years are reported by both, from 1989 to 2017.
How do South Africa and World rank globally for secondary education, pupils?
South Africa ranks 23rd and World ranks 22nd of 203 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as Secondary education, pupils (% female). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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South Africa vs World: Secondary education, pupils. Statizoid, drawing on Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/secondary-education-pupils-percent-female/south-africa/world/

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About this data

Indicator
Secondary education, pupils (% female)
Unit
% female
Source
Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
246 places, 7,958 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

Female pupils as a percentage of total pupils at secondary level includes enrollments in public and private schools.