Gross enrolment ratio, lower secondary, adjusted gender parity index in South Africa
South Africa: Gross enrolment ratio, lower secondary, adjusted gender parity index was 0.965 GPIA in 2023. ▼ Falling
Gross enrolment ratio, lower secondary, adjusted gender parity index in South Africa, 1998–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in GPIA.
Analysis
The most recent figure for gross enrolment ratio, lower secondary, adjusted gender parity index in South Africa is 0.965 GPIA, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 24 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.9% on the previous year and down 3.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross enrolment ratio, lower secondary, adjusted gender parity index in South Africa peaked at 1.1 GPIA in 1998 and was at its lowest, 0.965 GPIA, in 2023.
That places South Africa 160th out of 199 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
Gross enrolment ratio, lower secondary, adjusted gender parity index in South Africa, year by year
| Year | GPIA | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 1.1 GPIA | — |
| 1999 | 1.09 GPIA | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 1.08 GPIA | -1.3% |
| 2001 | 1.07 GPIA | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 1.06 GPIA | -1.0% |
| 2003 | 1.07 GPIA | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 1.07 GPIA | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 1.05 GPIA | -1.7% |
| 2006 | 1.04 GPIA | -1.2% |
| 2007 | 1.01 GPIA | -2.6% |
| 2008 | 1 GPIA | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 1.03 GPIA | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 1.03 GPIA | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 1.01 GPIA | -1.3% |
| 2012 | 1 GPIA | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 1.03 GPIA | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 1.07 GPIA | +4.5% |
| 2017 | 1.05 GPIA | -1.7% |
| 2018 | 1.05 GPIA | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 1.02 GPIA | -2.9% |
| 2020 | 1.01 GPIA | -0.9% |
| 2021 | 0.9936 GPIA | -1.6% |
| 2022 | 0.9837 GPIA | -1.0% |
| 2023 | 0.965 GPIA | -1.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.09 GPIA | 1.09 GPIA | 1.1 GPIA | 2 |
| 2000s | 1.05 GPIA | 1 GPIA | 1.08 GPIA | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.03 GPIA | 1 GPIA | 1.07 GPIA | 8 |
| 2020s | 0.9879 GPIA | 0.965 GPIA | 1.01 GPIA | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 157 Liechtenstein 0.9669 GPIA compare
- 158 Viet Nam 0.9654 GPIA compare
- 159 Georgia 0.9653 GPIA compare
- 161 Netherlands 0.9647 GPIA compare
- 162 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 0.9633 GPIA compare
- 163 Guyana 0.9621 GPIA compare
More education data for South Africa
- 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)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gross enrolment ratio, lower secondary, adjusted gender parity index in South Africa?
- Gross enrolment ratio, lower secondary, adjusted gender parity index in South Africa was 0.965 GPIA in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest gross enrolment ratio, lower secondary, adjusted gender parity index recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 1.1 GPIA in 1998.
- What is the lowest gross enrolment ratio, lower secondary, adjusted gender parity index recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.965 GPIA in 2023.
- How does South Africa rank for gross enrolment ratio, lower secondary, adjusted gender parity index?
- South Africa ranks 160th out of 199 countries with data for 2023.
- Is gross enrolment ratio, lower secondary, adjusted gender parity index rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Gross enrolment ratio, lower secondary, adjusted gender parity index (GPIA). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release