Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in South Africa
South Africa: Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education was 94.1% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in South Africa, 1820–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in South Africa is 94.1%, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 2.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in South Africa peaked at 99.7% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1820.
That places South Africa 107th out of 190 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 0.0% | — |
| 1825 | 0.0% | +50.0% |
| 1830 | 0.0% | +33.3% |
| 1835 | 0.1% | +25.0% |
| 1840 | 0.1% | +20.0% |
| 1845 | 0.1% | +33.3% |
| 1850 | 0.1% | +37.5% |
| 1855 | 0.1% | +27.3% |
| 1860 | 0.2% | +35.7% |
| 1865 | 0.2% | +31.6% |
| 1870 | 0.3% | +32.0% |
| 1875 | 0.4% | +33.3% |
| 1880 | 0.6% | +31.8% |
| 1885 | 0.8% | +31.0% |
| 1890 | 1.0% | +31.6% |
| 1895 | 1.3% | +32.0% |
| 1900 | 1.5% | +14.4% |
| 1905 | 1.7% | +12.6% |
| 1910 | 4.3% | +153.5% |
| 1915 | 11.4% | +165.2% |
| 1920 | 18.6% | +62.4% |
| 1925 | 25.7% | +38.4% |
| 1930 | 32.8% | +27.8% |
| 1935 | 39.9% | +21.7% |
| 1940 | 47.1% | +17.9% |
| 1945 | 54.2% | +15.1% |
| 1950 | 61.3% | +13.2% |
| 1955 | 68.4% | +11.6% |
| 1960 | 75.6% | +10.4% |
| 1965 | 78.2% | +3.5% |
| 1970 | 69.3% | -11.4% |
| 1975 | 88.0% | +27.0% |
| 1980 | 88.0% | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 88.2% | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 84.9% | -3.8% |
| 1995 | 83.4% | -1.8% |
| 1998 | 83.7% | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 85.0% | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 83.6% | -1.6% |
| 2001 | 85.1% | +1.7% |
| 2002 | 86.7% | +2.0% |
| 2003 | 87.6% | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 88.1% | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 88.4% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 96.4% | +9.0% |
| 2018 | 91.7% | -4.8% |
| 2019 | 92.7% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 92.7% | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 99.7% | +7.5% |
| 2022 | 94.4% | -5.3% |
| 2023 | 94.1% | -0.3% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 94.1% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 94.1%, 100% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 94.1% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 86.4%, 1.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1915 | +165.2% | 4.3% | 11.4% |
| 1910 | +153.5% | 1.7% | 4.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1820s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1830s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 2 |
| 1840s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 2 |
| 1850s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 2 |
| 1860s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 2 |
| 1870s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 2 |
| 1880s | 0.7% | 0.6% | 0.8% | 2 |
| 1890s | 1.2% | 1.0% | 1.3% | 2 |
| 1900s | 1.6% | 1.5% | 1.7% | 2 |
| 1910s | 7.9% | 4.3% | 11.4% | 2 |
| 1920s | 22.1% | 18.6% | 25.7% | 2 |
| 1930s | 36.4% | 32.8% | 39.9% | 2 |
| 1940s | 50.6% | 47.1% | 54.2% | 2 |
| 1950s | 64.9% | 61.3% | 68.4% | 2 |
| 1960s | 76.9% | 75.6% | 78.2% | 2 |
| 1970s | 78.7% | 69.3% | 88.0% | 2 |
| 1980s | 88.0% | 88.0% | 88.0% | 1 |
| 1990s | 85.0% | 83.4% | 88.2% | 5 |
| 2000s | 86.6% | 83.6% | 88.4% | 6 |
| 2010s | 93.6% | 91.7% | 96.4% | 3 |
| 2020s | 95.2% | 92.7% | 99.7% | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 104 Georgia 94.1% compare
- 105 Serbia 94.1% compare
- 106 Dominica 94.1% compare
- 108 Trinidad and Tobago 93.8% compare
- 109 Saint Lucia 93.6% compare
- 110 Seychelles 93.5% compare
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 gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in South Africa?
- Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in South Africa was 94.1% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 99.7% in 2021.
- What is the lowest gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1820.
- How does South Africa rank for gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education?
- South Africa ranks 107th out of 190 countries with data for 2023.
- Is gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of girls of primary school age (typically 6–11 years) who are enrolled in primary education.