Barro-Lee: Average years of primary schooling, age 25+, total in South Africa
South Africa: Barro-Lee: Average years of primary schooling, age 25+, total was 5.99 in 2010. ▲ Rising
Barro-Lee: Average years of primary schooling, age 25+, total in South Africa, 1960–2010
Source: Robert J. Barro and Jong-Wha Lee: http://www.barrolee.com/.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 5.99 for barro-lee: average years of primary schooling, age 25+, total in 2010. That is the highest value across all 11 years on record.
That represents a change of up 20.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, barro-lee: average years of primary schooling, age 25+, total in South Africa peaked at 5.99 in 2010 and was at its lowest, 3.22, in 1960.
South Africa ranks 21st of 144 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 11 years of available data.
Barro-Lee: Average years of primary schooling, age 25+, total in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 3.22 | — |
| 1965 | 3.22 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 3.32 | +3.1% |
| 1975 | 3.58 | +7.8% |
| 1980 | 3.8 | +6.1% |
| 1985 | 3.81 | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 4.98 | +30.7% |
| 1995 | 5.87 | +17.9% |
| 2000 | 4.97 | -15.3% |
| 2005 | 5.52 | +11.1% |
| 2010 | 5.99 | +8.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.22 | 3.22 | 3.22 | 2 |
| 1970s | 3.45 | 3.32 | 3.58 | 2 |
| 1980s | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.81 | 2 |
| 1990s | 5.43 | 4.98 | 5.87 | 2 |
| 2000s | 5.24 | 4.97 | 5.52 | 2 |
| 2010s | 5.99 | 5.99 | 5.99 | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 18 Norway 6.22 compare
- 19 Bulgaria 6.14 compare
- 20 Sri Lanka 6.08 compare
- 22 El Salvador 5.98 compare
- 22 Estonia 5.98 compare
- 24 Netherlands 5.95 compare
- 24 United States of America 5.95 compare
More education data for South Africa
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 339,638 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 410,708 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 407,696 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 5.50 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 7.52 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.44 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.119 units per person (2023)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is barro-lee: average years of primary schooling, age 25+, total in South Africa?
- Barro-lee: average years of primary schooling, age 25+, total in South Africa was 5.99 in 2010, according to Robert J. Barro and Jong-Wha Lee: http://www.barrolee.com/.
- What is the highest barro-lee: average years of primary schooling, age 25+, total recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 5.99 in 2010.
- What is the lowest barro-lee: average years of primary schooling, age 25+, total recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.22 in 1960.
- How does South Africa rank for barro-lee: average years of primary schooling, age 25+, total?
- South Africa ranks 21st out of 144 countries with data for 2010.
- Is barro-lee: average years of primary schooling, age 25+, total rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Robert J. Barro and Jong-Wha Lee: http://www.barrolee.com/, published as part of Barro-Lee: Average years of primary schooling, age 25+, total. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Average years of primary schooling, 25+, total is the average years of primary education completed among people over age 25.