Female teachers in South Africa
South Africa: Female teachers was 78.52 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Female teachers in South Africa, 1991–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for female teachers in South Africa is 78.52, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 0.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female teachers in South Africa peaked at 79.83 in 2002 and was at its lowest, 58.41, in 1994.
That places South Africa 98th out of 212 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.
Female teachers in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 58.48 | — |
| 1994 | 58.41 | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 73.54 | +25.9% |
| 1997 | 72.9 | -0.9% |
| 1999 | 78.14 | +7.2% |
| 2000 | 75.17 | -3.8% |
| 2001 | 77.77 | +3.5% |
| 2002 | 79.83 | +2.7% |
| 2003 | 74.38 | -6.8% |
| 2004 | 76.2 | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 75.55 | -0.9% |
| 2006 | 76.42 | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 76.52 | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 76.89 | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 77.15 | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 77.12 | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 78.59 | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 78.98 | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 78.9 | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 78.56 | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 78.81 | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 78.52 | -0.4% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 78.52 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 79.45, 99% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 78.52 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 48.65, 1.6× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Female teachers in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | +25.9% | 58.41 | 73.54 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 68.3 | 58.41 | 78.14 | 5 |
| 2000s | 76.59 | 74.38 | 79.83 | 10 |
| 2010s | 78.49 | 77.12 | 78.98 | 6 |
| 2020s | 78.52 | 78.52 | 78.52 | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More education data for South Africa
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 94.05 (2023)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 93.94 (2023)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female teachers in South Africa?
- Female teachers in South Africa was 78.52 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female teachers recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 79.83 in 2002.
- What is the lowest female teachers recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 58.41 in 1994.
- How does South Africa rank for female teachers?
- South Africa ranks 98th out of 212 countries with data for 2023.
- Is female teachers rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Female teachers. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 22 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).