Literacy rate, youth male in South Africa
South Africa: Literacy rate, youth male was 96.3% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, youth male in South Africa, 1980–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of males ages 15-24.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 96.3% for literacy rate, youth male in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and down 2.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, youth male in South Africa peaked at 98.7% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 85.3%, in 1980.
South Africa ranks 52nd of 95 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
Literacy rate, youth male in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of males ages 15-24 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 85.3% | — |
| 1996 | 93.5% | +9.5% |
| 2007 | 97.0% | +3.8% |
| 2009 | 97.9% | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 98.4% | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 98.4% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 98.5% | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 98.7% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 98.7% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 95.8% | -2.9% |
| 2019 | 98.0% | +2.3% |
| 2021 | 95.9% | -2.1% |
| 2024 | 96.3% | +0.4% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 96.3% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 98.8%, 98% of the median. (36 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 96.3% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 87.5%, 1.1× the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 85.3% | 85.3% | 85.3% | 1 |
| 1990s | 93.5% | 93.5% | 93.5% | 1 |
| 2000s | 97.5% | 97.0% | 97.9% | 2 |
| 2010s | 98.1% | 95.8% | 98.7% | 7 |
| 2020s | 96.1% | 95.9% | 96.3% | 2 |
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 literacy rate, youth male in South Africa?
- Literacy rate, youth male in South Africa was 96.3% in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest literacy rate, youth male recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 98.7% in 2014.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, youth male recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 85.3% in 1980.
- How does South Africa rank for literacy rate, youth male?
- South Africa ranks 52nd out of 95 countries with data for 2024.
- Is literacy rate, youth male 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 rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Literacy rate, youth male (% of males ages 15-24). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Youth literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15-24 who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.