Completion rate, upper secondary education, female (modelled data) in South Africa
South Africa: Completion rate, upper secondary education, female (modelled data) was 59.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Completion rate, upper secondary education, female (modelled data) in South Africa, 1981–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 59.9% for completion rate, upper secondary education, female (modelled data) in 2025. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 16.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, completion rate, upper secondary education, female (modelled data) in South Africa peaked at 59.9% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 21.9%, in 1981.
That places South Africa 95th 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, upper secondary education, female (modelled data) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 21.9% | — |
| 1982 | 22.7% | +3.5% |
| 1983 | 23.4% | +3.3% |
| 1984 | 24.2% | +3.3% |
| 1985 | 25.0% | +3.4% |
| 1986 | 26.0% | +4.0% |
| 1987 | 27.2% | +4.6% |
| 1988 | 28.9% | +6.2% |
| 1989 | 30.8% | +6.6% |
| 1990 | 32.6% | +5.6% |
| 1991 | 33.7% | +3.5% |
| 1992 | 35.5% | +5.2% |
| 1993 | 37.3% | +5.1% |
| 1994 | 39.1% | +4.8% |
| 1995 | 40.4% | +3.3% |
| 1996 | 41.4% | +2.7% |
| 1997 | 42.4% | +2.3% |
| 1998 | 43.0% | +1.4% |
| 1999 | 43.6% | +1.5% |
| 2000 | 44.1% | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 44.3% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 44.7% | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 45.0% | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 45.5% | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 45.9% | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 46.7% | +1.8% |
| 2007 | 47.5% | +1.8% |
| 2008 | 48.3% | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 48.7% | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 49.2% | +1.0% |
| 2011 | 49.9% | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 50.6% | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 51.1% | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 51.3% | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 51.5% | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 52.1% | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 52.8% | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 53.6% | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 54.5% | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 55.4% | +1.7% |
| 2021 | 56.3% | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 57.2% | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 58.1% | +1.7% |
| 2024 | 59.1% | +1.7% |
| 2025 | 59.9% | +1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 25.6% | 21.9% | 30.8% | 9 |
| 1990s | 38.9% | 32.6% | 43.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 46.1% | 44.1% | 48.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 51.7% | 49.2% | 54.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 57.7% | 55.4% | 59.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 92 Timor-Leste 62.2% compare
- 93 Tunisia 61.5% compare
- 94 Sao Tome and Principe 60.8% compare
- 96 Mauritius 59.4% compare
- 97 Viet Nam 57.9% compare
- 98 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 54.3% compare
More education data for South Africa
- Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of secondary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), gaps filled 2,023 tertiary education (2023)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), annual growth 0.0495 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 287,310 (2023)
- Duration of pre primary education, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Duration of pre primary education 4 (2025)
- Official entrance age to pre primary education 3 (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 67.4% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 25.7% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is completion rate, upper secondary education, female (modelled data) in South Africa?
- Completion rate, upper secondary education, female (modelled data) in South Africa was 59.9% in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest completion rate, upper secondary education, female (modelled data) recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 59.9% in 2025.
- What is the lowest completion rate, upper secondary education, female (modelled data) recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.9% in 1981.
- How does South Africa rank for completion rate, upper secondary education, female (modelled data)?
- South Africa ranks 95th out of 164 countries with data for 2025.
- Is completion rate, upper secondary education, female (modelled data) rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.1%. 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, upper secondary education, female (modelled data) (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release