Barro-Lee: Percentage of population age 20-24 with primary schooling. in South Africa

South Africa: Barro-Lee: Percentage of population age 20-24 with primary schooling. was 8.4% in 2010. ▼ Falling

Latest (2010)
8.4%
World rank
81st
of 144 countries
All-time high
49.5%
in 1985
All-time low
8.4%
in 2010
Years of data
11
1960–2010

Barro-Lee: Percentage of population age 20-24 with primary schooling. in South Africa, 1960–2010

10203040501960198520101960: 29.7 Incomplete and Completed Primary1965: 31.7 Incomplete and Completed Primary1970: 34.7 Incomplete and Completed Primary1975: 45.1 Incomplete and Completed Primary1980: 45 Incomplete and Completed Primary1985: 49.5 Incomplete and Completed Primary1990: 33.4 Incomplete and Completed Primary1995: 26.2 Incomplete and Completed Primary2000: 13.6 Incomplete and Completed Primary2005: 8.5 Incomplete and Completed Primary2010: 8.4 Incomplete and Completed Primary

Source: Robert J. Barro and Jong-Wha Lee: http://www.barrolee.com/. Measured in Incomplete and Completed Primary.

Analysis

In 2010, barro-lee: percentage of population age 20-24 with primary schooling. in South Africa stood at 8.4%. That is the lowest value across all 11 years on record.

That represents a change of down 38.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, barro-lee: percentage of population age 20-24 with primary schooling. in South Africa peaked at 49.5% in 1985 and was at its lowest, 8.4%, in 2010.

South Africa ranks 81st of 144 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 11 years of available data.

Barro-Lee: Percentage of population age 20-24 with primary schooling. in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Barro-Lee: Percentage of population age 20-24 with primary schooling. Total (Incomplete and Completed Primary) in South Africa, 1960 to 2010.
Year Incomplete and Completed Primary Change
1960 29.7%
1965 31.7% +6.7%
1970 34.7% +9.5%
1975 45.1% +30.1%
1980 45.0% -0.3%
1985 49.5% +10.0%
1990 33.4% -32.5%
1995 26.2% -21.4%
2000 13.6% -48.3%
2005 8.5% -37.7%
2010 8.4% -1.2%

South Africa compared with similar countries

  • South Africa's 8.4% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 12.7%, 66% of the median. (40 countries reporting)
  • South Africa's 8.4% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 34.0%, 25% of the median. (32 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 30.7% 29.7% 31.7% 2
1970s 39.9% 34.7% 45.1% 2
1980s 47.2% 45.0% 49.5% 2
1990s 29.8% 26.2% 33.4% 2
2000s 11.0% 8.5% 13.6% 2
2010s 8.4% 8.4% 8.4% 1

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 78 Yemen 10.1% compare
  2. 79 Belize 9.5% compare
  3. 80 Bahrain 8.7% compare
  4. 82 Saudi Arabia 8.0% compare
  5. 83 Iceland 7.8% compare
  6. 84 Luxembourg 6.9% compare

See the full ranking of 144 places →

More education data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is barro-lee: percentage of population age 20-24 with primary schooling. in South Africa?
Barro-lee: percentage of population age 20-24 with primary schooling. in South Africa was 8.4% in 2010, according to Robert J. Barro and Jong-Wha Lee: http://www.barrolee.com/.
What is the highest barro-lee: percentage of population age 20-24 with primary schooling. recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 49.5% in 1985.
What is the lowest barro-lee: percentage of population age 20-24 with primary schooling. recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 8.4% in 2010.
How does South Africa rank for barro-lee: percentage of population age 20-24 with primary schooling.?
South Africa ranks 81st out of 144 countries with data for 2010.
Is barro-lee: percentage of population age 20-24 with primary schooling. rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 38.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
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: Percentage of population age 20-24 with primary schooling. Total (Incomplete and Completed Primary). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Barro-Lee: Percentage of population age 20-24 with primary schooling. in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Robert J. Barro and Jong-Wha Lee: http://www.barrolee.com/. Retrieved 14 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/barro-lee-percentage-of-population-age-20-24-with-primary-schooling-total-incomplete-and/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Barro-Lee: Percentage of population age 20-24 with primary schooling. Total (Incomplete and Completed Primary)
Unit
Incomplete and Completed Primary
Source
Robert J. Barro and Jong-Wha Lee: http://www.barrolee.com/
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
144 places, 1,584 data points, 1960–2010
Last refreshed

Percentage of population age 20-24 with primary schooling. Total (Incomplete and Completed Primary)