Children out of school, female in South Africa
South Africa: Children out of school, female was 5.9% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Children out of school, female in South Africa, 1970–2023
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of female primary school age.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 5.9% for children out of school, female in 2023.
The figure is up 5.7% on the previous year and up 64.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, children out of school, female in South Africa peaked at 30.7% in 1970 and was at its lowest, 0.3%, in 2021.
South Africa ranks 78th of 177 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Children out of school, female in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of female primary school age | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 30.7% | — |
| 1991 | 11.8% | -61.7% |
| 1994 | 15.1% | +28.4% |
| 1995 | 16.6% | +10.1% |
| 1998 | 16.3% | -1.9% |
| 1999 | 15.0% | -8.0% |
| 2000 | 16.4% | +9.2% |
| 2001 | 14.9% | -8.9% |
| 2002 | 13.3% | -11.2% |
| 2003 | 12.4% | -6.4% |
| 2004 | 11.9% | -4.1% |
| 2005 | 11.6% | -2.9% |
| 2017 | 3.6% | -68.8% |
| 2018 | 8.3% | +128.6% |
| 2019 | 7.3% | -11.5% |
| 2020 | 7.3% | -0.7% |
| 2021 | 0.3% | -95.6% |
| 2022 | 5.6% | +1680.1% |
| 2023 | 5.9% | +5.7% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 5.9% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5.9%, 1.0× the median. (50 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 5.9% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 16.1%, 37% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Children out of school, female in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +1680.1% | 0.3% | 5.6% |
| 2018 | +128.6% | 3.6% | 8.3% |
| 2021 | -95.6% | 7.3% | 0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 30.7% | 30.7% | 30.7% | 1 |
| 1990s | 15.0% | 11.8% | 16.6% | 5 |
| 2000s | 13.4% | 11.6% | 16.4% | 6 |
| 2010s | 6.4% | 3.6% | 8.3% | 3 |
| 2020s | 4.8% | 0.3% | 7.3% | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 75 Seychelles 6.5% compare
- 76 Saint Lucia 6.4% compare
- 77 Trinidad and Tobago 6.2% compare
- 79 Dominica 5.9% compare
- 80 Serbia 5.9% compare
- 81 Georgia 5.9% compare
More education data for South Africa
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 181,739 (2023)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is children out of school, female in South Africa?
- Children out of school, female in South Africa was 5.9% in 2023, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest children out of school, female recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 30.7% in 1970.
- What is the lowest children out of school, female recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3% in 2021.
- How does South Africa rank for children out of school, female?
- South Africa ranks 78th out of 177 countries with data for 2023.
- Is children out of school, female rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 64.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Children out of school, female (% of female primary school age). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 19 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Children out of school are the percentage of primary-school-age children who are not enrolled in primary or secondary school. Children in the official primary age group that are in preprimary education should be considered out of school.