Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan vs South Africa: Secondary education, pupils

Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
68.09 million
in 2024
South Africa
5.50 million
in 2023
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan rank
26th
South Africa rank
23rd

Secondary education, pupils over time

  • Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
  • South Africa
020.0M40.0M60.0M197019972024

How they compare

Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan currently reports 68.09 million against 5.50 million in South Africa, a difference of 62.59 million.

That makes Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan's figure about 12.4 times South Africa's.

Across all 29 years both countries report, Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan has been ahead every year.

Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 26th and South Africa ranks 23rd of 45 groups.

Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan South Africa Difference Ahead
1980s 24.07 million 2.55 million 21.52 million Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
1990s 32.23 million 3.55 million 28.69 million Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
2000s 43.72 million 4.54 million 39.18 million Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
2010s 50.85 million 4.96 million 45.89 million Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
2020s 61.01 million 5.33 million 55.68 million Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher secondary education, pupils, Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan or South Africa?
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, at 68.09 million against 5.50 million in South Africa as of 2024.
What is the difference in secondary education, pupils between Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan and South Africa?
62.59 million, with Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan and South Africa?
29 years are reported by both, from 1989 to 2023.
How do Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan and South Africa rank globally for secondary education, pupils?
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 26th and South Africa ranks 23rd of 45 groups.
Where does this data come from?
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as Secondary education, pupils. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan vs South Africa: Secondary education, pupils. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 15 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/secondary-education-pupils/middle-east-north-africa-afghanistan-and-pakistan/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Secondary education, pupils
Source
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
251 places, 10,025 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

Secondary education pupils is the total number of pupils enrolled at secondary level in public and private schools.