Completion rate, lower secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) in South Africa
South Africa: Completion rate, lower secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) was 90.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Completion rate, lower secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) in South Africa, 1981–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 90.4% for completion rate, lower secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) in 2025. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.4% on the previous year and up 5.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, completion rate, lower secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) in South Africa peaked at 90.4% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 54.2%, in 1981.
That places South Africa 78th out of 164 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
Completion rate, lower secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 54.2% | — |
| 1982 | 55.2% | +1.9% |
| 1983 | 56.5% | +2.2% |
| 1984 | 57.8% | +2.4% |
| 1985 | 59.3% | +2.5% |
| 1986 | 60.7% | +2.4% |
| 1987 | 62.0% | +2.2% |
| 1988 | 63.3% | +2.0% |
| 1989 | 64.8% | +2.5% |
| 1990 | 66.5% | +2.7% |
| 1991 | 68.2% | +2.4% |
| 1992 | 69.6% | +2.1% |
| 1993 | 71.0% | +2.1% |
| 1994 | 72.6% | +2.2% |
| 1995 | 73.9% | +1.8% |
| 1996 | 74.9% | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 75.8% | +1.2% |
| 1998 | 76.7% | +1.2% |
| 1999 | 77.6% | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 78.2% | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 78.7% | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 79.1% | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 79.5% | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 80.1% | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 80.8% | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 81.8% | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 82.8% | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 83.5% | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 84.0% | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 84.2% | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 84.1% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 84.1% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 84.5% | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 85.0% | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 85.6% | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 86.1% | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 86.6% | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 87.0% | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 87.5% | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 88.0% | +0.6% |
| 2021 | 88.6% | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 89.1% | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 89.5% | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 90.0% | +0.5% |
| 2025 | 90.4% | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 59.3% | 54.2% | 64.8% | 9 |
| 1990s | 72.7% | 66.5% | 77.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 80.8% | 78.2% | 84.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 85.5% | 84.1% | 87.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 89.3% | 88.0% | 90.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More education data for South Africa
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 5.50 million (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 2.22 % change on previous year (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 287,310 (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 13.45 % change on previous year (2015)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 2.82 million (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.53 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.68 million (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 2.97 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 818,404 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 3.28 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is completion rate, lower secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) in South Africa?
- Completion rate, lower secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) in South Africa was 90.4% in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest completion rate, lower secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 90.4% in 2025.
- What is the lowest completion rate, lower secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 54.2% in 1981.
- How does South Africa rank for completion rate, lower secondary education, both sexes (modelled data)?
- South Africa ranks 78th out of 164 countries with data for 2025.
- Is completion rate, lower secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Completion rate, lower secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release