Duration of compulsory education in South Africa
South Africa: Duration of compulsory education was 9 in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
9
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
115th
of 200 countries
All-time high
9
in 1998
All-time low
9
in 1998
Years of data
28
1998–2025
Duration of compulsory education in South Africa, 1998–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for duration of compulsory education in South Africa is 9, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 28 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, duration of compulsory education in South Africa peaked at 9 in 1998 and was at its lowest, 9, in 1998.
South Africa ranks 115th of 200 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Duration of compulsory education in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 9 | — |
| 1999 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 9 | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 9 | 9 | 9 | 2 |
| 2000s | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 |
| 2010s | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 |
| 2020s | 9 | 9 | 9 | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 115 Afghanistan 9 compare
- 115 Albania 9 compare
- 115 Azerbaijan 9 compare
- 115 Bahrain 9 compare
- 115 Bosnia and Herzegovina 9 compare
- 115 Brunei Darussalam 9 compare
- 115 China 9 compare
- 115 Cuba 9 compare
- 115 Timor-Leste 9 compare
- 115 Estonia 9 compare
- 115 Gambia 9 compare
- 115 Georgia 9 compare
- 115 Guinea-Bissau 9 compare
- 115 Hong Kong, China 9 compare
- 115 Indonesia 9 compare
- 115 Iran, Islamic Republic of 9 compare
- 115 Japan 9 compare
- 115 Kazakhstan 9 compare
- 115 Kiribati 9 compare
- 115 Kuwait 9 compare
- 115 Lao People's Democratic Republic 9 compare
- 115 Libya 9 compare
- 115 Liechtenstein 9 compare
- 115 Mali 9 compare
- 115 Mauritania 9 compare
- 115 Montenegro 9 compare
- 115 Morocco 9 compare
- 115 Nepal 9 compare
- 115 Nigeria 9 compare
- 115 Poland 9 compare
- 115 Saudi Arabia 9 compare
- 115 Sierra Leone 9 compare
- 115 Slovenia 9 compare
- 115 Republic of Korea 9 compare
- 115 Syrian Arab Republic 9 compare
- 115 Tajikistan 9 compare
- 115 Thailand 9 compare
- 115 Tunisia 9 compare
- 115 Tuvalu 9 compare
- 115 Yemen 9 compare
More education data for South Africa
- 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)
- Lower secondary school starting age 14 years (2025)
- Primary school starting age 7 years (2025)
- Primary secondary enrollment completion rates, gaps filled 101.77 (2023)
- School enrollment, primary 101.8% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is duration of compulsory education in South Africa?
- Duration of compulsory education in South Africa was 9 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest duration of compulsory education recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 9 in 1998.
- What is the lowest duration of compulsory education recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 9 in 1998.
- How does South Africa rank for duration of compulsory education?
- South Africa ranks 115th out of 200 countries with data for 2025.
- Is duration of compulsory education rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Duration of compulsory education. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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