Gross enrolment ratio, upper secondary, both sexes in South Africa

South Africa: Gross enrolment ratio, upper secondary, both sexes was 99.9% in 2018. ▲ Rising

Latest (2018)
99.9%
Change on year
down 5.8%
World rank
56th
of 182 countries
All-time high
111.8%
in 2015
All-time low
73.6%
in 2001
Years of data
19
1998–2018

Gross enrolment ratio, upper secondary, both sexes in South Africa, 1998–2018

02550751001998200820181998: 81.5 %1999: 78 %2000: 73.7 %2001: 73.6 %2002: 74.4 %2003: 80.9 %2004: 83 %2005: 82.8 %2006: 87.1 %2007: 92.1 %2008: 90.7 %2009: 89.8 %2010: 88.1 %2011: 89.8 %2012: 93.3 %2015: 111.8 %2016: 109.9 %2017: 106.1 %2018: 99.9 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2018, gross enrolment ratio, upper secondary, both sexes in South Africa stood at 99.9%.

The figure is down 5.8% on the previous year and up 10.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, gross enrolment ratio, upper secondary, both sexes in South Africa peaked at 111.8% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 73.6%, in 2001.

South Africa ranks 56th of 182 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 19 years of available data.

Gross enrolment ratio, upper secondary, both sexes in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Gross enrolment ratio, upper secondary, both sexes (%) in South Africa, 1998 to 2018.
Year % Change
1998 81.5%
1999 78.0% -4.2%
2000 73.7% -5.5%
2001 73.6% -0.1%
2002 74.4% +1.0%
2003 80.9% +8.7%
2004 83.0% +2.7%
2005 82.8% -0.2%
2006 87.1% +5.1%
2007 92.1% +5.8%
2008 90.7% -1.5%
2009 89.8% -1.0%
2010 88.1% -1.9%
2011 89.8% +2.0%
2012 93.3% +3.9%
2015 111.8% +19.8%
2016 109.9% -1.7%
2017 106.1% -3.5%
2018 99.9% -5.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 79.7% 78.0% 81.5% 2
2000s 82.8% 73.6% 92.1% 10
2010s 99.8% 88.1% 111.8% 7

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 53 Republic of Korea 100.3% compare
  2. 54 Sri Lanka 100.3% compare
  3. 55 Italy 100.1% compare
  4. 57 Cyprus 99.5% compare
  5. 58 Austria 98.0% compare
  6. 59 Ecuador 97.6% compare

See the full ranking of 227 places →

More education data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is gross enrolment ratio, upper secondary, both sexes in South Africa?
Gross enrolment ratio, upper secondary, both sexes in South Africa was 99.9% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest gross enrolment ratio, upper secondary, both sexes recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 111.8% in 2015.
What is the lowest gross enrolment ratio, upper secondary, both sexes recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 73.6% in 2001.
How does South Africa rank for gross enrolment ratio, upper secondary, both sexes?
South Africa ranks 56th out of 182 countries with data for 2018.
Is gross enrolment ratio, upper secondary, both sexes rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 10.2%. 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 Gross enrolment ratio, upper secondary, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Gross enrolment ratio, upper secondary, both sexes in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 07 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/gross-enrolment-ratio-upper-secondary-both-sexes-percent/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Gross enrolment ratio, upper secondary, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
227 places, 4,371 data points, 1981–2020
Last refreshed

Total enrollment in upper secondary education, regardless of age, expressed as a percentage of the total population of official upper secondary education age.