South Africa vs Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries): Secondary education, pupils

South Africa
5.50 million
in 2023
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
81.43 million
in 2024
South Africa rank
23rd
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) rank
21st

Secondary education, pupils over time

  • South Africa
  • Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
020.0M40.0M60.0M80.0M197019972024

How they compare

Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) currently reports 81.43 million against 5.50 million in South Africa, a difference of 75.93 million.

That makes Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)'s figure about 14.8 times South Africa's.

Across all 29 years both countries report, Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) has been ahead every year.

South Africa ranks 23rd and Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 21st of 206 countries.

Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade South Africa Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) Difference Ahead
1980s 2.55 million 15.56 million 13.01 million Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
1990s 3.55 million 19.26 million 15.72 million Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
2000s 4.54 million 32.93 million 28.39 million Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
2010s 4.96 million 58.01 million 53.05 million Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
2020s 5.33 million 76.15 million 70.82 million Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher secondary education, pupils, South Africa or Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), at 81.43 million against 5.50 million in South Africa as of 2024.
What is the difference in secondary education, pupils between South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
75.93 million, with Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
29 years are reported by both, from 1989 to 2023.
How do South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) rank globally for secondary education, pupils?
South Africa ranks 23rd and Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 21st of 206 countries.
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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South Africa vs Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries): Secondary education, pupils. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 06 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/secondary-education-pupils/south-africa/sub-saharan-africa-ida-and-ibrd-countries/

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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.