Which has higher secondary education, pupils, South Africa or United Kingdom?

United Kingdom, at 6.40 million against 5.50 million in South Africa as of 2023.

What is the difference in secondary education, pupils between South Africa and United Kingdom?

896,620, with United Kingdom ahead.

How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and United Kingdom?

28 years are reported by both, from 1989 to 2023.

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.

South Africa vs United Kingdom: Secondary education, pupils

South Africa

5.50 million

in 2023

United Kingdom

6.40 million

in 2023

South Africa rank

23rd

United Kingdom rank

20th

Secondary education, pupils over time

South Africa
United Kingdom

How they compare

United Kingdom currently reports 6.40 million against 5.50 million in South Africa, a difference of 896,620.

That makes United Kingdom's figure about 1.2 times South Africa's.

Across all 28 years both countries report, United Kingdom has been ahead every year.

South Africa ranks 23rd and United Kingdom ranks 20th of 206 countries.

United Kingdom has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade	South Africa	United Kingdom	Difference	Ahead
1980s	2.55 million	4.37 million	1.81 million	United Kingdom
1990s	3.55 million	4.75 million	1.21 million	United Kingdom
2000s	4.54 million	5.47 million	926,601	United Kingdom
2010s	4.96 million	5.88 million	922,102	United Kingdom
2020s	5.33 million	6.26 million	925,000	United Kingdom

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher secondary education, pupils, South Africa or United Kingdom?: United Kingdom, at 6.40 million against 5.50 million in South Africa as of 2023.
What is the difference in secondary education, pupils between South Africa and United Kingdom?: 896,620, with United Kingdom ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and United Kingdom?: 28 years are reported by both, from 1989 to 2023.
How do South Africa and United Kingdom rank globally for secondary education, pupils?: South Africa ranks 23rd and United Kingdom ranks 20th 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 United Kingdom: Secondary education, pupils. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 24 October 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/secondary-education-pupils/south-africa/united-kingdom/

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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: 15 October 2026

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