Educational attainment: at least some primary (ISCED 1), population in South Africa
South Africa: Educational attainment: at least some primary (ISCED 1), population was 91.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Educational attainment: at least some primary (ISCED 1), population in South Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population in South Africa stood at 91.2%.
That represents a change of up 2.9% on the previous year and up 8.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population in South Africa peaked at 91.4% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 33.9%, in 1970.
South Africa ranks 62nd of 97 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Educational attainment: at least some primary (ISCED 1), population in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 33.9% | — |
| 2001 | 59.7% | +76.2% |
| 2002 | 73.4% | +23.0% |
| 2003 | 74.3% | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 75.6% | +1.8% |
| 2005 | 74.1% | -2.0% |
| 2006 | 74.1% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 75.5% | +1.9% |
| 2008 | 76.6% | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 80.1% | +4.6% |
| 2010 | 80.8% | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 81.9% | +1.3% |
| 2012 | 82.5% | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 82.4% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 84.3% | +2.3% |
| 2015 | 84.7% | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 85.2% | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 88.1% | +3.4% |
| 2018 | 85.8% | -2.7% |
| 2019 | 86.9% | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 91.4% | +5.2% |
| 2021 | 91.1% | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 88.7% | -2.7% |
| 2023 | 88.6% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 91.2% | +2.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 33.9% | 33.9% | 33.9% | 1 |
| 2000s | 73.7% | 59.7% | 80.1% | 9 |
| 2010s | 84.3% | 80.8% | 88.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 90.2% | 88.6% | 91.4% | 5 |
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 educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population in South Africa?
- Educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population in South Africa was 91.2% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 91.4% in 2020.
- What is the lowest educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 33.9% in 1970.
- How does South Africa rank for educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population?
- South Africa ranks 62nd out of 97 countries with data for 2024.
- Is educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.1%. 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 Educational attainment: at least some primary (ISCED 1), population 25+ years, rural, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release