Children out of school, primary, female in South Africa
South Africa: Children out of school, primary, female was 218,959 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Children out of school, primary, female in South Africa, 1970–2023
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Analysis
South Africa recorded 218,959 for children out of school, primary, female in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.8% on the previous year and down 49.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, children out of school, primary, female in South Africa peaked at 660,684 in 1995 and was at its lowest, 11,889, in 2021.
That places South Africa 26th out of 177 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 20 years of available data.
Children out of school, primary, female in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 602,672 | — |
| 1991 | 401,034 | -33.5% |
| 1994 | 579,257 | +44.4% |
| 1995 | 660,684 | +14.1% |
| 1998 | 660,625 | -0.0% |
| 1999 | 603,533 | -8.6% |
| 2000 | 650,414 | +7.8% |
| 2001 | 585,074 | -10.0% |
| 2002 | 509,888 | -12.9% |
| 2003 | 471,652 | -7.5% |
| 2004 | 446,721 | -5.3% |
| 2005 | 427,553 | -4.3% |
| 2015 | 431,554 | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 419,438 | -2.8% |
| 2018 | 307,057 | -26.8% |
| 2019 | 274,819 | -10.5% |
| 2020 | 274,011 | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 11,889 | -95.7% |
| 2022 | 208,918 | +1657.2% |
| 2023 | 218,959 | +4.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 602,672 | 602,672 | 602,672 | 1 |
| 1990s | 581,027 | 401,034 | 660,684 | 5 |
| 2000s | 515,217 | 427,553 | 650,414 | 6 |
| 2010s | 358,217 | 274,819 | 431,554 | 4 |
| 2020s | 178,444 | 11,889 | 274,011 | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
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, primary, female in South Africa?
- Children out of school, primary, female in South Africa was 218,959 in 2023, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest children out of school, primary, female recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 660,684 in 1995.
- What is the lowest children out of school, primary, female recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 11,889 in 2021.
- How does South Africa rank for children out of school, primary, female?
- South Africa ranks 26th out of 177 countries with data for 2023.
- Is children out of school, primary, female rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 49.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- 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, primary, female. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Children out of school are the number of primary-school-age children not enrolled in primary or secondary school.