4.1.2 Completion rate in lower secondary education in South Africa

South Africa: 4.1.2 Completion rate in lower secondary education was 88.1 in 2020. ▲ Rising

Latest (2020)
88.1
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
80th
of 164 countries
All-time high
88.1
in 2020
All-time low
78
in 2000
Years of data
21
2000–2020

4.1.2 Completion rate in lower secondary education in South Africa, 2000–2020

0204060802000201020202000: 782001: 792002: 792003: 802004: 802005: 812006: 822007: 832008: 842009: 842010: 842011: 852012: 842013: 842014: 852015: 862016: 882017: 872018: 872019: 882020: 88.1

Source: UNICEF.

Analysis

South Africa recorded 88.1 for 4.1.2 completion rate in lower secondary education in 2020. That is the highest value across all 21 years on record.

The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 4.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, 4.1.2 completion rate in lower secondary education in South Africa peaked at 88.1 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 78, in 2000.

South Africa ranks 80th of 164 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 21 years of available data.

4.1.2 Completion rate in lower secondary education in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for 4.1.2 Completion rate in lower secondary education (%) in South Africa, 2000 to 2020.
Year Value Change
2000 78
2001 79 +1.3%
2002 79 +0.0%
2003 80 +1.3%
2004 80 +0.0%
2005 81 +1.2%
2006 82 +1.2%
2007 83 +1.2%
2008 84 +1.2%
2009 84 +0.0%
2010 84 +0.0%
2011 85 +1.2%
2012 84 -1.2%
2013 84 +0.0%
2014 85 +1.2%
2015 86 +1.2%
2016 88 +2.3%
2017 87 -1.1%
2018 87 +0.0%
2019 88 +1.1%
2020 88.1 +0.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 81 78 84 10
2010s 85.8 84 88 10
2020s 88.1 88.1 88.1 1

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 77 Brazil 88.85 compare
  2. 78 Indonesia 88.5 compare
  3. 78 Thailand 88.5 compare
  4. 81 Malaysia 87.9 compare
  5. 82 Luxembourg 87.8 compare
  6. 83 Viet Nam 86.97 compare

See the full ranking of 164 places →

More education data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is 4.1.2 completion rate in lower secondary education in South Africa?
4.1.2 completion rate in lower secondary education in South Africa was 88.1 in 2020, according to UNICEF.
What is the highest 4.1.2 completion rate in lower secondary education recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 88.1 in 2020.
What is the lowest 4.1.2 completion rate in lower secondary education recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 78 in 2000.
How does South Africa rank for 4.1.2 completion rate in lower secondary education?
South Africa ranks 80th out of 164 countries with data for 2020.
Is 4.1.2 completion rate in lower secondary education rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 4.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from UNICEF, published as part of 4.1.2 Completion rate in lower secondary education (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 21 observations, free to reuse under UNICEF Terms of Use (attribution required).

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

4.1.2 Completion rate in lower secondary education in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNICEF. Retrieved 30 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/4-1-2-completion-rate-in-lower-secondary-education-percent/south-africa/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under UNICEF Terms of Use (attribution required); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://education.statizoid.com/stat/4-1-2-completion-rate-in-lower-secondary-education-percent/south-africa/">4.1.2 Completion rate in lower secondary education in South Africa</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
4.1.2 Completion rate in lower secondary education (%)
Source
UNICEF
Licence
UNICEF Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
164 places, 3,228 data points, 2000–2021
Last refreshed